Help with case mod (56k'ers beware)

[Farkinicehole]

So I got this old bakelite phonograph that I thought would be a nice case mod. Got a hinged up top like an old Buick Roadmaster!

I'm having problems with how to position everything inside and not have heat buildup.

The beast in question....

That's part of an old "donated" Compaq to give me an idea on mobo size. It's sitting on 4 posts that are part of the case.

Drives on the side????

Drives under the front cover??

PSU could fit in here but what about heat???

I could put the PSU under the MOBO (with some custom ductwork) but what about heat? Also I need to stuff a dvd burner under the hood?

system specs:
epox 9NPAJ sli
opteron 165
2 - 250 SATA II drives (raid 1)
Antec Truepower 2.0
Cooler : probably a Thermalright xp120

After some research, I found out that it's worth about 10 bucks because of the broke front cover (Bakelite can't be fixed). So I don't feel too bad about chopping it up.

Any ideas on how to position everything in this mod? Other than "you're crazy!!".

Thanks

 

[DaCoOlNeSs]

that thing is huge!

and on the side is a good place.

 

[Joni Nitro]

That will look sweet as a HTPC or something. It looks like there is a lot of room in there, so I would get as many components as you can and just keep moving them around. I looks like you could get a slot type dvd drive and mount it in the hood and face it to one side. That way you can load dvd's and stuff from the outside of the case and eject it from windows. This would also keep the front intact. A LCD display would be cool in the front round part fo the case unless you any it to look retro.

 

[Reagent]

Thats a sweet case to do a MOD on...one question.

I noticed in a couple of the pics it looks like you broke the top in some pictures and in others it looks ok.

Is it broken?

 

[Ockie]

What about an MATX board?

 

[Farkinicehole]

yea that front piece is broke. I got it that way. It can be glued but it will never look "perfect" again.

Also some dimensions for you guys...

18.5" x 15.5" x 9.5" H

The 4 posts on the inside are 2.5" tall.

I thought about a mATX mobo but I already bought the Epox before I saw the case.

 

[benamaster]

I think it would be cool even if you put a coat of paint on it. The LCD idea is very good and would look sweet. Black Paint with a VFD.

 

[Arcygenical]

That crack could easily be fixed to look new. Glue it together and use some bondo or other... putty... substance... (guys? a little help?) to fill in the crack, and repaint the entire thing (needed anyways . How big is that mesh circle at the front? I'm thinking a great opportunity for some front to back airflow...

I'm also thinking you should mount the HD's on the top, or where you have them in the 4th pic (below the mobo tray). Just make sure to put the HD boards facing the side of the case .

As for a burner... well you stated you could fit the PSU under the mobo, so I'm sure you could fit your DVD drive under the mobo tray as well, mod it into the side or something.

Now... a question, what are the dimensons of this case in total? It looks HUGE.

 

[Reagent]

Man, there is no way in hell I would repaint that thing.

it is bakelite, get some cleaner put it on, give it a little while whipe it off it will be shiny and new looking. You can try some of this it works well http://www.radiodaze.com/refinglayzit.htm

If I am looking at it correctly the first picture shows the lid covers the broken peice. Am I correct? If so I would just fix the break, and shine that bad boy up, and get some new nobs.

I love the retro case look, in fact when I find the right art deco era radio I am going to be building a HTPC the wife and I have been wanting. But the bakelite radio I want is hard to get ahold of.

If you want to paint it though Bondo works well.

 

[Farkinicehole]

No painting allowed. I'm going to repair the crack as best I can, and polish this monster up. I love the look of the old bakelite radios. mmmmm bakelite

I have all the original knobs so i'll probably make a custom on/off switch and maybe fan controls.

My original idea for the front of this was the bullet nose off of a 1951 Studebaker. But I haven't been able to find a reproduction. (Maybe a round ceiling vent and some chrome paint).

Still fretting on the airflow design...hopefully soon I'll get if figured out.

 

[Darkala]

OK, this is cool!

 

[Reagent]

I would try and figure out a way to make the center area with the speaker mesh a fan. I would hide the fan behind some speaker fabric. You can get replacement fabric from some online resellers that is very close to the original color/texture. Have the fan blow out the front.

I would get a fan with a removable fabric filter already on it so that I wouldn't have to clean the speaker mesh much. You would lose some cooling but IMO it would be worth it.

If you are having issues with the hight inside the case, can you dremel the legs off inside the case without messing it up? Either that or you could buy a CD without a tray and just use a circular saw blade with good curf to cut a slot for the CD's to slide in out on the side somewhere.

A would also see about "hanging" the CD from the upper lid so that to access the CD you would have to lift the lid, but this way you keep the outside of the radio "stock".

IMO I would make the whole computer a stealth mod.

 

[penguin]

*paging Mashie, paging Mashie*

 

[Aku12]

My original idea for the front of this was the bullet nose off of a 1951 Studebaker. But I haven't been able to find a reproduction. (Maybe a round ceiling vent and some chrome paint).

i think if you plan to make this into a stealth computer case, put a clock there. You could have that under your TV or on a shelf and not a single person would be able to tell its a computer. They would just think it was some kind of old clock.