Custom case project

MonsterMoshi · 27 Feb 2012 at 21:16

Okay, so i'm a year 12 student studying engineering at a new-ish school with a large association with a certain reputable digger company.
As part of year long design-make-review project i am planning to design-make-and review a custom computer case. I chose this is its what i'm interested in and find it easy to talk about. So i'm hoping more experienced people here will assist me in this project.
At my school i have access to a huge array of machinery in our workshops and pretty good at using the majority of it and if i cant i have people who will.
I'm thinking a white windowed case, but i want it to be different to all the other white windows cases out there. So i'm thinking along the lines of curves, maybe inverted motherboard tray, and some distinguishing lets say 'ornate' features, either 3d printed or vacuum formed. I think my obsessive attention to detail will come in very handy with this too

First will be concepting of ideas, which will then move on to CAD drawings, manufacture and the evaluation with a full report as i go along.
If you could make any suggestions i could add to my concepts these will also be greatly appreciated.

I was also thinking (but not getting my hopes up) that i may be able to get sponsorship to kit the thing out. After all what would a custom case be without some water and some power hungry components inside. I would be happy to write a full project log once i get going with the build. If you happen to have any experience with obtaining sponsorship or perhaps would be interesting in sponsoring me with this project then please message me. If all goes well then i hope to have some initial plans and ideas soon and i will certainly be keeping people updated with my progress.

Thanks

pgi947 · 27 Feb 2012 at 21:24

Speak to this guy from his build log:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18368761

He's built a few cases from scratch, all have turned out really well, I'm sure if you asked nicely he may give you some pointers

Drunkenmassacre · 27 Feb 2012 at 21:36

would it not be worth building/designing your computer with the 'digger' company in mind and try for sponsorship out of them? Maybe use their colour scheme from their machinery or use it for inspiration?

Just an idea

Stoner81 · 27 Feb 2012 at 21:44

gv_of_e said:
would it not be worth building/designing your computer with the 'digger' company in mind and try for sponsorship out of them? Maybe use their colour scheme from their machinery or use it for inspiration?

Just an idea

+1 would be an awesome idea I think

Stoner81.

MonsterMoshi · 27 Feb 2012 at 21:45

Will definitely look into Waynio's builds a little more looking interesting.

That theme is certainly one to take further to concept, although I'm not sure how interested they would be as it really isn't their area of interest

and if it wasn't something I would be looking to keep at the end of the build then I would go for it. But I like my contemporary looks

Lukewhitworth · 27 Feb 2012 at 22:48

Stoner81 said:
+1 would be an awesome idea I think

Stoner81.

Me too, if anyone would sponsor you it would be them!

waynio · 28 Feb 2012 at 17:33

Sounds like you have a really awesome array of machines to make anything to an excellent standard

3d printing vacuum forming wow, couple of dream modding tools, I'd guess you must have access to other CNC machines also if you have access to those.

Once you get some concepts up, even rough hand drawn concepts to show I'd cheerfully chip in anything that might be of use to you mate.

Big wordy bit on sponsorships.

Sponsorships is unfamiliar turf for me but I am observant, I ended up getting case feet sponsored when I asked Bill Owen of MNPCtech if it's ok if I make a copy of them & I failed to make them so while he said it's ok as long as they aren't for selling he also offered to sponsor me with some

I've not asked anywhere for sponsor help so far but very likely could do if I wanted to, guess I'm not keen on feeling obliged to advertise kit so while I'm unsponsored I'm not flashing any hardware logos & will mod them off.

I guess all you do is ask around the companies or shops you would like to get help from in the project & a good but short letter to them but you will need a good idea of an example to show them so they know you aren't just trying to get some free hardware & do a runner like many try to do, it's a good form of advertising for them which is why they sponsor modders & modders who get the nicest & very often total overkill parts have a good level of success behind them, some make it big on their first project if it's good enough & others can take a while while they build a nice portfolio of examples as well as becoming a world renowned quality modder.

As shown by Peter who made the L3P D3sk he made it massive on his first outing winning coolermaster mod of the year & bit-tech mod of the year & various other competions, he really helped himself by posting in loads of places so companies would have seen that as an excellent guy to sponsor with getting a lot of advertising from him.

I've been ok with my usual method of saving up for what I want, just takes longer but if I really wanted to get well sponsored I'd do like what Peter does & post in many many places rather than just the few I like posting at.

MonsterMoshi · 28 Feb 2012 at 19:18

Well i'm certainly no going to be short on automated help. Just need to produce the 3D models in NX 7.5 if anyone is familiar, or even sketch up if needs be. Hand them over to be produced in 3D printers, CNC machines such as plasma cutters, laser cutters/engravers, lathes milling machines of various capabilities and sizes. Hey, its why the media seem to love our school!

I think once i have some rough concepts then i will ask around different companys. This is by no means going to be a short project. I don't even have to produce any product to complete this unit but why not make the most of what i have to get something useful out of it! And if it goes well then maybe i'll do another.

I think i will be making it at least water cooling ready even if i don't manage to get my hands on the gear so i will be incorporating then heavily into the design. Possibly start off with a design and layout similar to that of the TJ11 as that is one hell of a case minus the millions of drive bays. I really fail to see the need why manufacturers still have so many 5.25" standard and still so many 3.5". Surely few people use all these. One reason why modding is the answer

Steeps · 28 Feb 2012 at 21:14

I made a case for Product design in year 12 back in 2004/2005 (so when coolers using 80mm fans were still all the rage), unfortunately I didn't have access to a lot of equipment and I spent more time adjusting the design based on materials I could afford and processes I could do (mostly from my parents shed with hand tools) I spent more time designing the thing than I did on the rest of the project.

Really didn't get on with the teacher which made me dislike the course even more.

Wanted to build a case bent out of 2 sheets of acrylic for smooth lines. Ended up with this: 6x 120mm fans, mesh top, removable motherboard tray, added some aluminium edging to the ends a week later to tidy it up. The aim was to eventually put in 2 waterloops but it never got that far

MonsterMoshi · 28 Feb 2012 at 22:38

Ok, so after spending a while playing around with sketch up and experimenting with numerous designs. This is what i have come up with as the layout:

And the file itself if you want to have a play is here: (hosted on mediafire, assuming this is allowed?)
Sketchup file
Have noticed the pump is sticking out the case. Ignore that

Obviously the aesthetics of the case on top to the main frame will require a lot more thought.

Dimensions: 560mm (d), 410mm (H), 180mm (W)
So basically i wanted to try something different so i first thought the power supply is the most awkward thing in the case. This is a 200mm long ATX supply so it will easily fist the most powerful if needs be.
There is a huge amount of space below for a 480mm rad to cool a CPU and GPU with push/pull fans.
Slot loading DVD drive, more than enough for what i us a DVD drive for so it save a great deal of space.
Solid State Drives. Will be room about the place if i decide to have a mechanical drive as well.
Figured i won't need a massive amount of air flow through the case so the two installed here plus maybe a side fan would do the trick.

Please, please, please tell me what you think and what to change and if you think this would work!

MonsterMoshi · 28 Feb 2012 at 23:52

Steeps, that does look impressive for such a simple idea with simple materials and processes!

King Damager · 29 Feb 2012 at 09:04

Nice, interesting to see you've rotated the Mobo 90 degrees like with the Silverstone cases. Could arguably put a couple of fans on the separating panel to blow up to get air up to the top. But might not be necessary to be honest.

kd

MonsterMoshi · 29 Feb 2012 at 13:30

I love the silverstone TJ11 and I think this looks tidyer which I why I did it like this

King Damager · 29 Feb 2012 at 14:01

Oh, looking at this.. Off the top of my head, how are you planning on ventilating the PSU? will it have it's own fan grill kind of thing? (Obviously can't see that angle of the case)

kd

MonsterMoshi · 29 Feb 2012 at 17:49

Yeah the fan is on the back in this picture, as with most power supplys, in through the fan and out through the top of the case where the 3-pin power cable goes.

King Damager · 29 Feb 2012 at 18:04

Problem I just realised. Unlike the Silverstone cases, It seems you're not planning a top panel? Therefore you'd end up with all your cables sticking out the top... Don't know about the back of your computer, but mine's pretty ugly... I'd at least be thinking of some kind of cabling method so that you could at least make a feature of it.

kd

MonsterMoshi · 29 Feb 2012 at 18:26

I will be adding a top panel. I made this just to demonstrate the layout of the case, so the basic shell. Then i will add surrounding panels, probably in acrylic in various shapes, sizes and colors to give it a unique look.

MonsterMoshi · 29 Feb 2012 at 20:19

To make this project worth something i decided to put together a simple blog. Would love for you people to check back there if your interested in following the build over its course. Please comment on the posts with what you think and tips and whatnot but i will certainly not be deserting this forum for anything. It would be nothing without the overclockers community!

http://www.academymods.blogspot.com/

Thanks

MonsterMoshi · 4 Mar 2012 at 20:38

Second case design!
So this is an alternative case design. Figured the tower design is to 'common'. I like this as it allows me to see what i want to see and hide what I don't so it is a very clean look. The water cooling loop is very simple and all the equipment for that are all in its own self contained section. I was surprised at the size of the case when laid out like this at just 440mm x 350mm x 280mm.

What do you think?

King Damager · 4 Mar 2012 at 21:05

Nice idea. I'd make sure the back two tubes didn't go external and routed rough an internal bit to help we clean look.

Looks pretty cool though, although you probably won't need fans for a SSD

kd