Gauging interest in build-your-own case kits

A key design feature of the case frame is between the front panel and the inner frame (shown below) there is a bottom fed air duct.

The frame will eventually be filled-in with some AL sheeting.

 

In order to bolt together the door frames (via M6 button head bolts threaded into the ends of the horizontal parts) , I had to drill an access hole for the hex wrench.



The holes are closed with nice shiney plugs.



The doors are attached to the frame with beefy anodized aluminum hinges. Low-head cap screws would make them less beefy (skinnier-er ).

 

Figure $.0078/mm for the extrusion, plus $45 for the set of back and PSU plates. There's a bit of redundant beams in this model, but as-is, it would cost ~$60. That price includes machining and fasteners.

 

Set of plain aluminum panels will be around $100.

 

This was going to be the first frame.

Standard or reverse ATX motherboard orientation. Thirty-five millimeters of space behind the motherboard for 3 HDs or 4 SSDs (via rubber grommets). Optional PSU and motherboard backplates (not shown).

Dimensions: 19-1/4 x 14-1/4 x 9-7/8 inches.





This is the back:


The area behind the motherboard:


Side panels can be attached via studs, bolts, or by engaging bolt heads into the slotted extrusion (like most other case's side panels are attached).

 

I've been thinking a lot about a more re-configurable case frame. One that can be used for ATX, reverse-ATX, vertical GPU, and horizontal case orientation(s), adjustable motherboard and PSU placement (all of these possibilities in one offering).









Here's a flyby around the model: http://spotswoodcomputercases.com/images/Vertical and reverse ATX case frame v5.mp4

 

Here's a case designed specifically for an AIR cooled DTX/mini-ITX rig. Long 3 slot GPU. 165mm max CPU cooler height. Shown with an ATX PSU, dual 140mm intake, 140mm exhaust, and dual 120mm bottom intake. The placement of the motherboard can be adjusted vertically. This design allows for easy shrinking of case height for SFX PSU or shorter GPU etc.

 

I started to build a prototype of the vertical mini-ITX/mini-DTX case this week.

Some of the details of the case are:

Dimension: 435 x 235 x 300mm (height x width x depth)
Motherboard support: mini-ITX/mini-DTX (90-degree rotated)
CPU cooler height: 150mm
GPU support: maximum length of 325mm
PSU: SFX or ATX
Fans: 5 x 120mm
Storage: 2 x SSD/HD

First up was the removable motherboard tray:

 

Drives attach to the extrusion via rubber grommets.







Finished cutting and assembling the rest of the frame.

 

All of the side panels will be cut on the CNC. Here's a quick time lapse of the PSU cut out:

 

Nuts can be inserted into the extrusion via small milled-out areas. By "capturing" a nut between two others (4mm long set screws are used to retain the two outer nuts), you have the ability to fasten to a fixed location and without having to drill and tap a thread e.g. a side panel.

 

I only realized after cutting the left side panel that the two fan hole cutouts were - um, ugly. So, I remounted that sheet to the inside of the case and cut another solid sheet, thus creating a bottom fed air duct to keep the GPU nice and cool.