Custom Mod

[volmasoft]

Hi guys,
A local radio station does a charity auction every year where people can donate things to be auctioned off.

The money goes towards many children charitys, in the past I have given 2 website design opportunitys that have been sold but this year I wanted to do something different with one of my spare cases.

This case currently houses a working home server which can easily be moved out and into another case. It's a microATX.



Height: 365mm
Width: 200mm
Length: 372mm

The charity is 2tenfm kids (http://www.2tenfm.co.uk/sectional.asp?id=14050)

Inspiration

Thats the "inspiration" for the design if you can call it that.

I like the deep purple feel on back so I'm probably going to completly spray the case black and put some kind of purple design on top, not sure yet.

So there we have it, i'm going to start this as a log, bear in mind that this will be my first mod so as much feedback/information/ideas is greatly appreciated as I want to get this done and I think it could be quite nice in the auction.

Major problems with the case:

1) Lack of cooling, it has a grand total of 1 fan! It uses a duct from the CPU to the powersupply then out.

2) The powersupply is located in the middle of the case, this simply doesn't work on modern computers.

The only solution I can think of is to rip out most of the insides and restructure the case but putting a new power supply in the top and the hard drive in the current secondary optical drive or second 3.5inch drive.

Then I can free up enough room to squeeze in a 120mm fan in the bottom.

It's either that or use my other case I have hanging around which is bigger but uglier and would be one hell of a job to try and sort out.

Do we think this case is possible? or should I move onto my backup, the main problem with the backup is that it has a really badly designed front with bits sticking out and basic ugliness and I think it may be too hard to use for a first mod.

Backup case: (obviously not the server rack)

 

[misterPK]

What kind of spec are you thinking of putting in it?

Obviously with limited space and a mATX board you're not gonna be going for a beefy SLi rig, so if you can get away with it why not use a smaller lower wattage PSU, even a shuttle one.

My main advice is to plan it out well, measure things up and draw things out, even make cardboard models to see if they fit!

PK!

 

[mishima]

Interally it looks a very capable chassis, like the comment above by mPK you are going to be limited by mATX. Like mine, I would sketch out some ideas and again like above make the measurements. This one has heaps of potential so all the best with it

You could use the backup, that front panel could be meshed over and given a complete face lift. Just have to think about it carefully and I would suggest visiting custom modded case sites to get ideas.

 

[BigBoy]

What about a Matx psu rather than the one that is in there now as you would be able to move the psu to a better position (as its a lot smaller)

 

[volmasoft]

I do like the idea of using a mesh on the bigger tower, I'll get a few pics later on for you guys of the inside of it, then we can make a better decision over which case to use.

The second case also doesn't have "sides" it is a moulded panel/sides that is wrapped around, you'll be able to see more later.

Any ideas on what I should put on, i'm thinking of spraying the inside white or dark purple, and put purple cathodes inside.

Then on the outside I would spray it black with a design in purple vinyl I think, as I'm unable to airbrush.

I'm also aiming to do this on a budget, not because i'm stingy but because I don't have much spare money just recently due to real life commitments so I'll probably only put a cpu/fans in, test it with one of my computers and then auction it off without the computer inside.