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Looking for input on a completely custom case

K

kill4killin

Gawd
Joined
Jul 3, 2006
Messages
842
Ok, so its that time again. The 8 month review of my computer. Basically every 8 months i sit back and go, what don't i like about my computer. I then figure out what i need to fix those problems. I then look through the internet scowering for hours on end looking for exactly what I am looking for and whether or not it is financially feasable for me to do said upgrades.

Well, recently I have been going through this process and thinking to myself...you know, my case looks like complete sh*t, i should get a new one. While I'm at it ill probably go to conroe and get new cooling and well hell, my hard drives are sort of old...and before you know it, I have basically decided that I need an entire new computer...

Anyway, back to the point. I was looking around for a case that might serve the purpose of this new rig well, however, I can't seem to find one that is reasonably priced that has all the things I want in it and in general just isn't what im looking for enough to justify spending $200+ on just a case.

My question to you all is more to the experienced custom case builders. How hard is it to really build your own case purely from scratch. Now I'm not talking about sitting in my garage with a dremel and a screw driver and some sheet metal and making a box that holds stuff. I want to make something that is close to the quality say a...Lian Li (were shooting high i know). I also have all of the tools i know i will need for the project at my disposel. I am in college and have full access if i need it to a machine shop (o goody, can't wait to play in there :D ). So lets say on a scale from 1-10 how hard is it to make your own case from scratch if you have all of the right tools for the job, and if you experienced case makers wouldn't mind, could you please give me some tips on how to do it?

(P.S. sorry i know thats a lot to read :p )
 
It'd be tough, and also probably a lot more expensive than buying something. ESPECIALLY if you value your time.

What exactly ARE you looking for in a case?
 
It would probably be easiest for you to build it out of wood, to be honest. Yeah, it'll probably end up bulkier than you want, but it's easier to work with, it's cheap, and you can do just about anything you darn well want to. I've got a design for a woodie HTPC case that's been sitting on my desk for months....

I'll also echo the previous question--what are your requirements?
 
I'm personally not quite sure...iv started making a sketch of it, but thats about it.

It needs to hold at least 4 hard drives, at least 2 or 3 5.25" drive bays. Im thinking of putting the hard drives on the top back and then putting the PSU sideways next to it. It needs to hold an ATX board. Needs to have a side window. Use 120mm fans for both intake and exhaust and maybe for the side intake. It also can't have a front door and needs to be ALL aluminum for weight and stability sake.

The other design puts the hard drives and PSU at the bottom like on the P180 with the divider. Otherwise same as the other with the amount of bays needed and intake fan types.

Its really not a complex design, in all ints going to hopefully be rather simple and just mature looking with a window im hoping.

Otherwise im stuck using a Lian-Li and forking out $200+.
 
I like it, but i dont know if i can get away with having that door because of the fan controller i have to use. Maybe if i bit the bullet and get one of those digital controllers, but the zalman wont fit. Also, you said that directron had a pre-modded p180B, but i couldnt find it could you post the link please, i cant seem to do it on my own :p
 
cover the wood with metal sheets
tongue.gif
 
Mastige has too many problems with those side fans plus im trying not to go reverse atx if i can help it because of how my system is oriented on my desk.

The Stacker is nice, but im still thinking i can build either better or comparable for cheaper.

I just have this picture in my head of what i want it to look like, and so far, nothing i have seen has matched that exactly yet. The only ones that have are the high end either Lian-Li "type" cases. (I cant think of any others off hand which is why i added "type", im really tired right now.)

I really want to find a pre modded P180B, because honestly, if i found one of those, i would buy it in a heart beat no questions asked. And to tell you the truth i would probably go ahead anyway with a normal P180B and put a side window in it, however, i just dont trust myself enough to cut up a case that costs that much, sorta the same reason i wont buy one of the Lian-Li cases that have no side window...to much money spent if i screw up...

::EDIT::
and as a side note about that wood idea. Interesting idea, but i need something that is more stable. I'm also not worried about easy to work with, i have full access to welders for this project so no need to worry about that.
 
Think 100 steps ahead before you do the first step :D

That or draw every inch of it out, including tolerances doors, etc.
 
I have already begun the drawings for the case, its actually beginning to look like a very heavily modded P180B :p which to tell the truth doesn't suprise me, but makes me wonder if i could feasably buy the P180B and make it into this ::thinks::
 
Well then, post the pics so we can see what you're looking for
ttiwwp.gif

Wood wouldn't cause any stability problems, any more than aluminum would. It *would* be significantly heavier, though.
 
Well, ,like i was going to mention but failed to do so...since the computer i have right now is in the process of modding itself, it is not the computer I am using. I am currently stuck with using either my Pentium III which runs linux or my work computer which can recognize my camera...So there will unfortunately be no pics. But im thinking that this thread is pointless now, i sort of have my mind set on the P180B or P180 now...i just need to figure out what size window will fit in it and im set.
 
kill4killin said:
I like it, but i dont know if i can get away with having that door because of the fan controller i have to use. Maybe if i bit the bullet and get one of those digital controllers, but the zalman wont fit. Also, you said that directron had a pre-modded p180B, but i couldnt find it could you post the link please, i cant seem to do it on my own :p
Click to expand...
I meant frozencpu, but they didn't have it anyways. Performance-Pcs has it, but it will cost you a bit more: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4623

I would reccommend getting a stacker and buying a window kit from frozen-cpu.com, that would probably be about the same as the p180b and you would get more space.
 
kill4killin said:
Otherwise im stuck using a Lian-Li and forking out $200+.
Click to expand...
Stuck? Lian Li's are the best cases you can buy, with SilverStone in a close second.

Grab a PC-V1200 and call it a day! ;)
 
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