Project hackbox

[Truck]

I'm trying to build a mini-itx case for minimalists like myself, or maybe it's that I'm trying to build a case that is minimal to make This is my first prototype, and I've discovered a few things that don't work so well, and that I'm not so sure about...

Is my 140 mm fan completely pointless? I have it blowing into my case, and venting out the front, and it seems to do a good job cooling the motherboard and cpu. Should I just replace it with a large top down cooler, and fill the top with vent holes?

Planning on adding a fan guard, and power button:




A wee bit too short:

 

[CMadki4]

I like it! What are you cutting on? Water or optics? Looks good!

 

[Machupo]

If you didn't want to obstruct the vents in the front, there are pcie bracket pieces which will hold 1-4 2.5" drives (used one to fit my raid1 os drives in an old sg06 build).

Lol, I'd be afraid of slicing & dicing my cats with that 140mm exposed

 

[Truck]

I like it! What are you cutting on? Water or optics? Looks good!

Thanks! That's the first positive response I've gotten

It's laser cut, and punched. One of the companies we work closely with is helping me with it. I wish I could do it all myself, then I could pump out prototypes like they were candy!

 

[Zoson]

Hate to break it to you, but a manufacturer has beaten you to the punch here.
Big:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811321015

Small:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811321016

 

[Truck]

If you didn't want to obstruct the vents in the front, there are pcie bracket pieces which will hold 1-4 2.5" drives (used one to fit my raid1 os drives in an old sg06 build).

Lol, I'd be afraid of slicing & dicing my cats with that 140mm exposed

Ya, that's an interesting idea! I was hoping to make it fit a low-profile expansion card, just not a high priority for myself since I never use any cards. Do you happen to have a link to someone that sells these? I am also planning on adding some additional length so the HDD isn't right next to the vent. I didn't plan on the PicoPSU wires taking up so much room.

I was planning on putting a wire fan guard in there, but haven't found a black one that is completely flat. Seems like most are domed. I was also wondering if I should just have vents on the top instead of the cutout? I kinda went with the cutout because I figured it would have less air resistance/noise. But if I had vent holes, then you could take out the case fan without having a gaping hole

 

[Truck]

Hate to break it to you, but a manufacturer has beaten you to the punch here.

Thanks, those look pretty good. I like that you can buy them in two sizes. Some differences though between my goals and the goals of that case. Mine doesn't support optical drives - how awesome is that! Also, mine has about 60 mm of clearance, or 85 mm of clearance without the case fan. Mine is also uglier, and doesn't have a chrome button on the front.

I realize this is almost a completely pointless experiment, but I've wanted to try this for a long time now, so what the heck

 

[Sn0_Man]

I have one of the cases linked, and I will say that it's airflow is... Restricting. having that nice big fan on top is definitely a sweet way to do it (although like the other guy said, get some mesh over that thing!)

 

[Zoson]

Thanks, those look pretty good. I like that you can buy them in two sizes. Some differences though between my goals and the goals of that case. Mine doesn't support optical drives - how awesome is that! Also, mine has about 60 mm of clearance, or 85 mm of clearance without the case fan. Mine is also uglier, and doesn't have a chrome button on the front.

I realize this is almost a completely pointless experiment, but I've wanted to try this for a long time now, so what the heck

I've been on a quest lately to find good HTPC cases... The pickings are few and generally the designs are all failures. So nobody blames you for wanting to do your own. I was just throwing out the suggestion in case you just hadn't seen them and perhaps... would save yourself time and frustration by just buying one.

The Habey cases are probably the smallest commercial cases I've seen that will fit commodity hardware(with low profile kept in mind). The next mac mini hackintosh I build will be going into one of those cases for sure.

Also, the small Habey doesn't support optical, either! And who doesn't like a little chrome?

 

[updawg]

Looks good, my advice would be to put the motherboard on higher risers and place the hard drive below the motherboard for better airflow. Great work!

 

[Machupo]

that's a very good point -- in fact, if you use 30-35mm standoffs under the mobo and the case is around 200-205mm deep, you can fit 2x 3.5" drives in there (you only need 10-15mm standoffs for 2.5" drives)

 

[illli]

looks interesting, but having a fan like that on top without a fan grill kind of scares me. anything could accidentally fall in there and would not fare well.

 

[negaprion]

Hate to break it to you, but a manufacturer has beaten you to the punch here.

Mini-Box's M350 is the archetype of the minimal mini-ITX case:

Hard to beat for $39.95 shipped. A Scythe Kozuti pairs nicely with it:

 

[Zoson]

I stopped buying cases with plastic front panels years ago...

Aluminum or BUST!!!

 

[Truck]

Looks good, my advice would be to put the motherboard on higher risers and place the hard drive below the motherboard for better airflow. Great work!

Thanks! I gave this idea some consideration when I first started. I'll give it a second look. 2x 2.5" drives would fit, and could be accessed through a hatch in the bottom?

My concerns were the increased case height, the mobo floating up high in the air, stuff hanging down on the bottom of the mobo (is there any spec for clearance?), and cooling of the 2.5" drives.

 

[Truck]

I stopped buying cases with plastic front panels years ago...

Aluminum or BUST!!!

My thoughts exactly. The M350 is nice in it's own special way tho.

 

[Truck]

I've been on a quest lately to find good HTPC cases... The pickings are few and generally the designs are all failures. So nobody blames you for wanting to do your own. I was just throwing out the suggestion in case you just hadn't seen them and perhaps... would save yourself time and frustration by just buying one.

Thanks, I definitely just got tired of waiting for someone else to make what I wanted. I hadn't seen those actually, or I don't remember seeing them. So I do appreciate you sharing! Definitely one of the nicer tiny cases I've seen.

 

[Truck]

that's a very good point -- in fact, if you use 30-35mm standoffs under the mobo and the case is around 200-205mm deep, you can fit 2x 3.5" drives in there (you only need 10-15mm standoffs for 2.5" drives)

I don't think 3.5" drives are going to happen in this design at least. After you said that, I held up a 3.5" drive to the case and it's just a bit too unbalanced... it's almost as big as the case, and weighs just about as much too!

 

[Truck]

Mini-Box's M350 is the archetype of the minimal mini-ITX case:
Hard to beat for $39.95 shipped. A Scythe Kozuti pairs nicely with it:

That is cheap. Definitely a good example of a minimalist case.

 

[radgoos]

This first image in this thread reminds me of a psu

 

[Truck]

This first image in this thread reminds me of a psu

That's exactly what I was going for. Just scaled up to fit a mini-itx mobo.

My proportions are a little out from a PSU. I'd have to be at 110 mm in height. I'm at 92 mm right now, but will be increasing to 100 mm. 100 mm in height will also allow for doing a variation that fits 2.5" drives under the mobo.