Custom Computer Case (ATX/MicroATX)

[Guest ExtremeFusion]

Its been a while since I'm here.. whew lot of new "eye candies" I see..

Well, I noticed that there are a lot of EXPENSIVE case out there..

So I decided to build one for my self..I'm still on the design process.. working on it in CAD

I'm planning to build a full tower case, preferably even bigger..

that could accommodate two 120 mm front intake fans, and one 120 mm exhaust fan located at the top..

two 80 mm rear exhaust fan and one 120 mm chassis intake fan.

And if it's not that much, I'm considering putting space for HDD cooling fans.

Since having this many fans, i really picture out it to be a big case.

and building a big and spacious case can provide an ease of upgrading from air cooling to liquid cooling later when I decided to switch cooling system.

BTW, I am just planning to have  3 slots one for each of the following, HDD, FDD and DVD.

I came here to ask for your suggestion (Yes, you the one that is reading this post right now)

on the materials that is cheap and yet easy to work with as this would be a custom build from scratch.

What I have in mind is to use "acrylic glass" for the case (actually everything will be made of acrylic glass except for the screws).

then hand tap the mounting holes for the screws, since i don't have a drill here and i dunno if drilling it would make it crack.

Well, what do you think?

Do you have other things in mind?

A cheap and lightweight, yet sturdy and strong material that could serve as a computer case.. an advantage if it is clear or transparent, translucent will do too..

Oh, if you have custom made Case or a very unique setup

feel free to post their pictures here.

I'd be happy to see other's rig and I might get an idea as well.

Thanks!

[mudmanc4]

I always wanted to build one out of acrylic, but by the time you do what is needed, you can just as well buy a kit.

People have made them from just about everything, I've even seen them made from stuffed animals.

Let your imagination go, and who knows what you'll come up w/.

I was thinking of building one into the wall. An inside wall here near my desk. I have everything worked out, but the monitor, the damn cord still has to be plugged in. Everything else could go blue tooth. Thats what is stopping me.

Anyone had an idea on that, I would take it.

[AlucardHS]

My new case will be a Lain-Li, so this should give you a good idea for interior and good airflow.

http://www.lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=137&cl_index=1&sc_index=25&ss_index=61&g=q

That should point you to the case, and click on the pics for a larger image.

[dlewis23]

I'm planning to build a full tower case, preferably even bigger..

that could accommodate two 120 mm front intake fans, and one 120 mm exhaust fan located at the top..

two 80 mm rear exhaust fan and one 120 mm chassis intake fan.

Ill tell you right now thats a very bad idea, it will cause very poor cooling. It will be very inefficient, loud, and will create pockets of hot air that don't move.

You always match the fans. if you ever look at a good designed high end case from Falcon NW, alienware, Mac Pro case, Voodoo etc. They are always matched.

If you have 2 120mm fans in the front you want 2 in the back. That way you create a very even flow of air in the case that cools everything.

When you mix fan sizes up, and don't use a even amount of them, then you have some sucking more air out of the case, and others blowing less air in then what's coming in.

Stick with 120mm fans. If you do it right you can get away with just 2 fans. Then you can get a super quite box.

[ballista]

Check out www.mountainmods.com and see if one of their UFO cases might be right for you.

[Guest ExtremeFusion]

Ill tell you right now thats a very bad idea, it will cause very poor cooling. It will be very inefficient, loud, and will create pockets of hot air that don't move.

You always match the fans. if you ever look at a good designed high end case from Falcon NW, alienware, Mac Pro case, Voodoo etc. They are always matched.

If you have 2 120mm fans in the front you want 2 in the back. That way you create a very even flow of air in the case that cools everything.

When you mix fan sizes up, and don't use a even amount of them, then you have some sucking more air out of the case, and others blowing less air in then what's coming in.

Stick with 120mm fans. If you do it right you can get away with just 2 fans. Then you can get a super quite box.

I was quite thinking the same about using same sizes for all fans.. now that you mention it..

I'm redesigning the case..

BTW, ATX case violates "air flow"

why? because most, if not all atx cases puts the psu on top of the mobo.. and the air used for cooling the psu is already hot.. made hot by the heat exhaust from the CPU, GPU, SB, NB.. 

so i'm planning to make this Custom Case.. in a way that the mobo will be "inverted"

In the usual scenario..

PSU, then below is the mobo

which from Top to bottom has this orientation

CPU - MEMORY BANKS/SLOTS

NB

GPU (and take note the fans is located under the card, and hot air rises so why blow it downwards???)

PCI Slots

SB

what i will try to do, is to relocate the PSU, then invert the mobo such that the FAN of the GPU is blowing the hot air upwards.. and the CPU would be located near the bottom of the Casing..

I might reconsider the number of my fans...

might change it to

1 in front(intake), rear(exhaust), side(intake) and on top(exhaust)..

noise is really not that much of an issue for me..

besides i know where to find "quiet" fans for a cheap price..