Project: Small but Tall

Decided to build my own case to fit my desk area with the size, shape and configuration I wanted and needed for my water cooled machine

Design goals:
Smaller footprint approximately1 foot square but with greater vertical height
Light weight aluminum construction
Neat straight lines (no Bug eyes)
Separated areas for water cooling components and motherboard
Room for lots of drives and future expansion room
Removable panels for future upgrades
Lots of windows
Lights and Bling
Good airflow minimal dust in case
Somewhat moveable
Enough room in water area for a triple 120 radiator, Pump, and reservoir.
Easy to move about. (wheels)

The basic skeleton was constructed with Cool-cases-usa.com Erect-A-Case the larger kit Link this gave me very close to 1 square foot of floor space usage. The kit assembles with just a rubber mallet very quick it is nice and square and solid it’s a bit tall but I hate bending over to insert disks, push buttons and so on
The plan is to mount the motherboard in the top area horizontally with the radiator, pump, Reservoir and drives in the bottom. With the mother board at the top and the case only one foot deep I am thinking it will be easy to attach things to the back.

There is enough room for two power supplies so I am going to use two one for the lighting effects, Pumps, Fans the other for motherboard, drives.

The sides will be a mix of Plexiglas and polished Aluminum Diamond plate.

I gutted and cut up an old cheap case for the motherboard tray and back plane. I know the dremmel is the main tool of the modder but for this I used my rotozip with the optional cut off wheel attachment. This thing is great for cutting steel and Aluminum the wheel is 3.5 inches and is easy to control with two hands. After chopping up the steel case the wheel was still like new. Lots of really cool sparks Too. Also made quick work of obliterating rivets.

This is some of the diamond plate I will be using got it from http://stores.ebay.com/Cutsmetal-Dia...eNameZl2QQtZkm
Good price fast shipping. It is .063 thick very strong and shiny comes with a plastic protective film so you don’t scratch it.
The Diamond plate will be used for the front, some trim and maybe the top although I thought a window in the top would be nice.
More pics to follow as the work progresses.
Any suggestions or ideas are welcome.

Originally Posted by jman1

Decided to build my own case to fit my desk area with the size, shape and configuration I wanted and needed for my water cooled machine

Sounds similar to one of the design goals of ON3 UP, being tall and small footprint. The frame you chose should make it far, far easier to construct though! Make sure you have clearance to pass all your cabling around the horizontal mobo. Some larger mobos can take up 12" square or very close to it. Should look killer with the mobo in the top section for all to see

Today I cut some of the diamond plate and Plexiglas for the front sides and bottom. For the drive cutout I used the rotozip for all but the last mm or so of the corners and finished it off with the dremmel. Off to auto store to get some mirror tint for the side windows so they are sort of stealth when the machine is off. At least this is the plan.
More to follow.

The cat approves.

Haven't read all the worklog yet but can I suggest you put the motherboard at the bottom and the water stuff at the top, as heat rises and cold air sinks, which in theory would cool it aswell?????

Originally Posted by DlStreamnet

Haven't read all the worklog yet but can I suggest you put the motherboard at the bottom and the water stuff at the top, as heat rises and cold air sinks, which in theory would cool it aswell?????

Wouldn't you in that case, be using hotter air to cool the water? ;P

This is the radiator I will be putting in the lower compartment

It is 16.5"X51/8" I plan to mount it in the rear blowing filtered air into the case (bottom section) there will be venting in the bottom for exhaust. I am thinking with 3 120mm fans I should get a good flow.

Originally Posted by diredesire

Wouldn't you in that case, be using hotter air to cool the water? ;P

if its cold then it should cool the hot air around the pc???

lookin good.

Very nice start. I always like the way diamond plate looks. So clean-cut.

I would also put the watercooling components in the bottom, not so much for heat as for removing the chance of something leaking down onto your precious components. In the bottom, there's nothing but the floor to leak onto.

Nice!

I'm about to do a construction very near like you.

For the border i buyed this:


As you can see, i built the case with middle densed wood panel:


I'm gonna follow your project because it's very interesting.

Wish you a very nice day

looks good so far, i was looking at the small case i think? 8x8x20....

looks like it would make a nice little container for watercooling stuff

Originally Posted by diredesire

Wouldn't you in that case, be using hotter air to cool the water? ;P

Not if the rad is in a seperate enclosure (ie partitioned off below the main components of the case).

I'd have my PC in the top half so the components are easier to get at, and the watercooling gubbins in the bottom, so a leak is less expensive. A sealed partition between the two (maybe put the hard disk down there too).

Originally Posted by jman1

Today I cut some of the diamond plate and Plexiglas for the front sides and bottom. ...
The cat approves.

HEY! You stole my cat!!!!!! LMFAO

Two Thoughts:

1) More Power Tools and pictures of things sparking
2) Hey, thats my cat too ?

Or on a productive not, I like the design. Post lots of updates !

you took my fiancee's cat!

http://pics.livejournal.com/meinleben78/pic/0001f87d

Afew small updates:
Iam using foam tape on the frame flanges to seat all the panels and windows for air tightnes and vibration/noise control

Also got some security tint film to try out on the windows. They say you should not use film on plexi because under heat it can gas out and cause bubbles in the film. We will see if that holds true. This is a test window to see how it drills with the film in place (holes hor knurled screws)
This is with no light on inside

This is with some light inside

More to follow.
Also...My cat can LICK all of your cats.
(pun..pun)

Sounds like some petshop is cloning them some cats......

Good looking mod so far.

Originally Posted by jman1

Afew small updates:

Also...My cat can LICK all of your cats.
(pun..pun)

HAHA... Nice work and keep the cats, uh, updates coming!

Originally Posted by jman1

Afew small updates:
Also...My cat can LICK all of your cats.
(pun..pun)

Hmm... you gonna overclock that thing? I bet you can get a few more licks out of it yet!

just wondering...

why is it that every thread i see with a cat in the original worklog turns into a cat pic thread instead of the mod.......?