Project: EVGA Classified SR-2 Case

Cutouts for accessing and viewing the inside of the top case were routed out of the side panels. I was able to re-use two router template jigs for the cutouts, although one had to be mod'd to reduce the width of the cutout.

SidePanelWindowTemplate.jpg


Threaded inserts were installed in order to attach removable plywood covers over the cutouts.

TopCaseSidePanelCutouts.jpg


TopCaseSidePanelCutoutsCU.jpg



My next task is to build a shelf to fix that droopy motherboard tray.
 
I've been sick all week, but a few days ago I did manage to bang-out a simple support for the motherboard tray.

MBTraySupport.jpg



MBTraySupport2.jpg


MBTraySupport3.jpg


MBTraySupport4.jpg


MBTraySupport5.jpg



Ugh, now I need a nap...
 
I managed to spend a few hours in the shop this morning working on fastening the top divider to the case itself. But just like everything else on this case, nothing is fastened permanently, which meant I needed to install some more threaded inserts.

TopDividerThreadedInsert.jpg


TopDivider4.jpg



The divider is attached to the side panel's solid oak rails:

TopDivider5.jpg


TopDivder6.jpg
 
Even the most mundane aspects of a build often require many small steps in order for them to come out just right. For example, in this build the fastening of the side panel covers required having to accurately transfer the locations of several threaded inserts to the covers, which was accomplished by first screwing in some button head screws into the threaded inserts.

TopPanlTransferwButtonHeads.jpg


Followed by taping a cover perfectly centered over the cutout. And then using a deep throat clamp, transfer an impression of the button head screw into the backside of the cover.

TopPanelTransferwClamp.jpg


ButtonheadIndentCU.jpg


TopSidePanelCovers.jpg


Lastly, with all of the fastening and unfastening of bolts into and out of the threaded inserts, some of them started to become loose. After testing many types of glues, the best method for fixing the loose threaded inserts was to flood the area with Cyanoacrylate glue. Blue painters tape with punched-out holes was used to prevent getting glue everywhere.

TopSidePanelCrazyGlued.jpg
 
Completed the upper case's bottom.

TopBottom1.jpg



All holes are 140mm and the covers allow tubing to pass to/from the lower case.

TopBotomTwo.jpg


TopBottom3.jpg


TopBottom4.jpg


TopBottom5.jpg
 
I re-assembled the radiator stand. Its simple yet elegant with its industrial kick *** looks.

PCRadStand1.jpg


PCRadStand2.jpg


PCRadStand3.jpg
 
I made another router template (the last one for this project!) and cut-out the holes in the bottom case's side panels for the radiator intakes.

BottomSidePanelCutoutwStand.jpg
 
I've been working on the case doors, which has been a time consuming task consisting of cutting the 6.2mm-thick oak veneer plywood down to a rough size and then thickening them by gluing strips of 1/2-inch thick birch veneer plywood.

Door1.jpg


Door2.jpg


Door3.jpg


The panels are trimmed to their final size (less 1.5-inches) and then 3/4-inch square solid oak strips are glued to the edges of the panels to hide the plywood veneers.

Door4.jpg


Door5.jpg
 
Any unevenness of the plywood trim was quickly dealt with on the jointer.

Door6.jpg


Door7.jpg



The doors also function as huge airducts so blocks were glued around the perimeter of the door to offset the door away from the frame of the case.

Door9.jpg



The doors are attached to the case via a dead-simple "post and hook" mechanism. The post consists of a #8 socket cap screw, 1/4x1/4-inch aluminum spacer fastened to the case via a threaded insert.

Door11.jpg


The hook is a slitted piece of .125-inch aluminum flat bar attached to the blocks on the door via more threaded inserts.

Door13.jpg


Door10.jpg


Door12.jpg


Door14.jpg
 
With the fabrication of the lower case essentially complete, its on to finishing...sanding, staining and applying wipe-on polyurethane. With a large piece like this, its essential (for me anyway) to be able to apply finishes comfortably, which I can do sitting down by using a homemade turntable.


BottomCaseOnTT.jpg



The turntable is just the undercarriage of an old office chair.


TurnTable.jpg
 
That's one hell of a project! Buttload of time but you will reap the rewards once finished.
Keep us posted.
 
Thanks to all for the comments.

With the final finish applied to all surfaces the bottom case is now 99% done (its missing the bottom molding, which I won't apply 'til the very end).

Front:
BottomCaseComplete2.jpg



Side:
BottomCaseComplete1.jpg



Top:
BottomCaseComplete3.jpg



Obligatory closeup:
BottomCaseComplete4.jpg
 
Looks great!

Are the casters just attached to the wood or is the some reinforcement?
 
I completed the fabrication of the top case's side doors and attached them using the same "post and hook" latching mechanism that I used on the bottom case.


EdgeGlueUp.jpg



EdgeGlueUpCU.jpg



TopCaseSideDoors.jpg
 
This week the window in the doors were routed out. Then the doors were scraped, sanded, stained and finished with a satin wipe-on polyurethane finish. Here's what a door looks like after three coats of polyurethane:

TopCaseDoorwWindow.jpg
 
This is something I did NOT expect to see...such a crazy amount of time and effort going into this...and it shows!

Keep it up man. :)
 
In between staining and finishing the parts to the top case, I worked on fabricating the front doors using the same build techniques as all of the other doors in this project. The final width and height of the doors was gradually achieved by numerous trips to and from the jointer.

FrontDoorEdgePieces.jpg


FrontDoorEdgeGlueUp.jpg


TopCaseFrameFinished.jpg


FrontCaseWithUnfinishedFrontDoors2.jpg


FrontCaseWithUnfinishedFrontDoors.jpg
 
exciting. we all know youre a master of wooden case builds, so itll be interesting to see how you attack aluminum.
 
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