A community effort: open case design!

Good question! I hunted high and low for the hard drive mounting specs, and could not find any on the web.

Anyway, all you need for lasercutting is the DXF.

These are about as far as I got with my ITX case. Could not find drive bay specs, and could not decide on the fixing system. Was goign to tongue it, and just directly tap 6-32UNC into the plastic base.
www.tmbelectronics.com/pd/ITX Base.dwg

Was going to trial cut them on the laser using plywood before finalising the base dimensions.

Few handy threads:
Hard drives, PSU's : 6-32UNC - a coarse thread.
CD-ROM drives: M3
Fans: no idea, a proprietary self tapping screw
There are maximum thread lengths specified for screws, I know they are written on CD-ROM drives, but its probably easiest just to measure them!
 
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Ive got some drawings i did for cdrom and hdd hole locations. Also got some some for fan mounts. I'll upload them this evening.

Might also be useful to post drill sizes for tapping and clearance for 6-32UNC and M3.
 
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M3 tapping size is 2.5mm.
6-32UNC is 2.7mm

If I was drill / tapping plastic, I would probably go 0.2mm smaller to get a full thread from the tap. I think I will post up a drilling an tapping guide for anyone who wants to know. I need to get my drill press set up anyway, and I have some taps here I can show. Got all the metrics up to M12.
 
Standard HDD:
bfg1319018878.png


3 7 13. are the holes. (cm)
 
And we have a 1st render image.

1STRENDER.png


Case is a monster, thats a 480 rad up front

I'm looking to accomodate HPTX however it would be easy enough to massively reduce the overall height, Delete 2 of the fan mounts and fans from the main assembally and change the height of one other component.

The whole case is 679mm tall.
 
fantastic! It can be scaled to different form factors, what's the width? Having the option to mount the psu on its side over the HSF would be good for scaling down to MITX, just needs a different back panel layout.
 
I work with CAD and cnc for a living so the Solidworks model can be took straight to DXF.

its the same width as a V2120.

Ill scale the height later to give you some dimensions for 1,2 and 3 120 mm intake fans if I get time after work tonight

Does any know the specs on expansion card slots as the form factorls document is a little unclear
 
The mini version looks great, still loads of room for drives and cooling, and means you can use a decent size GFX in there too. With regards to hard drive mounting I was thinking of producing a design for a screwless, noise reducing, system, similar to those that I've seen in the cooler master cases. This can be printed by those with 3D printers. Obviously a regular mounting system will be needed for those who don't have the technology to print.
 
surfsquid said:
The mini version looks great, still loads of room for drives and cooling, and means you can use a decent size GFX in there too. With regards to hard drive mounting I was thinking of producing a design for a screwless, noise reducing, system, similar to those that I've seen in the cooler master cases. This can be printed by those with 3D printers. Obviously a regular mounting system will be needed for those who don't have the technology to print.
Click to expand...

I was gunna go for good old screws so as to no over complicate things initially.

Tooless bays can be a later addition.

EDIT: PhillyDee, your attached DWG is showing as corrupt when I open it in solidworks
 
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Not loading it at all.

What is the standard size for expansion slots. I think i've worked out theyre 0.8" from the top of 1 to the bottom of the other from the ATX specs but theyre a little vague
 
Made a fair bit more progress. All the framework and panels are now finished as well as the PSU position and mounting.

Just the mobo tray, and ODD and HDD racks to go.

120.png


1202.png


The 5 1/4" drive blanks are there as well but they don't show in the render, there will be 4 bays total
 
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Its now dropped to 3 5 1/4 bays to keep the height down as I hadnt factored in a couple of things when working out the height. I've also re-organized my Part and Assembally files as well as recreating the assembally to work out a couple of kinks and make it easier for others to follow if they would like a copy of the files.

Working in CAD does have its advantages.

The only issue I've come up against so far is theres plenty of models of mobos etc for SketchUp, however that works in a different manner to solidworks meaning they cant be imported correctly.
 
hptxcase.png


hptxcase2.png


And heres the one I'll be making when funds permit.

HPTX sized tray, need to find the correct mounting hole locations (ITX case in pic, its all I can find a solidworks model of)

Masses of rad space, fan slots etc.

The framework will be steel and the panels either aluminium or acrylic depending on cost.

Swapping the structural parts to aluminum has been a PITA as they sell Mild Steel in Metric sizes while Aluminium is sold in Imperial sizes.

Considering they're engineering materials both should be given in Metric.
 
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