MATX air cooled gaming rig

[waynio]

New project time, it's a MATX air cooled gaming rig, open chassis with carrying handle, really easy maintenance, hopefully I've put enough thought into it all holding together well.

Just getting the pieces made before I start bending/curving, assembling, doing a little each day on it.

Cut, drilled, tapped & added m3 brass inserts to the back IO expansion piece, made from 10mm acrylic.

Mounted to the back panel.

Mobo panel added.

Saving the curve cuts for when I have the curved pieces done to increase chance of lining up correctly.



Curved & bent the PSU cover, front panel is just resting in place.

I'll try to post progress every time I reply to keep it a productive log, posting in a few places so that could be regular progress.

 

[waynio]

This is going to be an excellent build. DIY cases are always smashing
Where did you learn these DIY skills to build your own case?

Thanks skills & tools have built up from nothing in 2008 & ongoing, been making roughly 1 new case per year, sometimes more than 1, learnt a lot along the way, still make mistakes though.




Load of drilling & tapping for mounting the 33mm acrylic support blocks.

And added 10mm acrylic psu cover supports.

 

[waynio]

:O Me like, I really like scratch builds just shows how talented you are.

Looks fantastic, everything is so precise and clean cut

cool scratch build mate

Thanks guys.



Fully mounted the psu cover supports & added the side panel.

Next I'll mount & curve the front panel.

 

[waynio]

Fantastic, original idea. I admire people so much who have the skill to carry out a project like this.

The CAD images look great and you seem to be making good progress. Looking forward to see how it turns out!

Thanks, this is turning out to be my speediest project to date.

 

[waynio]

Late session went on the custom fan mount.

 

[waynio]

Looking good! Certainly something different.

Thanks mate, done some more today.


Got it close to the design curve but it's a good job I saved the cut until the curve was done.

How it's all looking now.

 

[waynio]

This is awesome!

Thanks Brad.


To do.

HDD slot mount.
Back panel curve cut.
Rest of the fan assembly parts.
Front USB 3 & power button (40mm marble).
Maybe add a couple more mount points for extra solidness.
Case feet, 2x 10mm square bars on both sides.
Surface & edge finishing.

I bought silverstone cable extensions to make quick easy work of cabling, plenty of cable stash room under the psu cover & the side casing.

USB cables & fans ordered.

Still undecided about adding decorative layers.



So I'll leave updates until I've done all of the above.

 

[waynio]

Stunning, love it

Thanks Collin.



Ah, made a pretty big blooper but can ya see it, is it an obvious error, is to me but is it to you, the viewer?.

For me it's an error I can just about live with, disappointed about it but can live with it since it would mean I'd need to remake at least 2 significant pieces, maybe more.

 

[waynio]

Nice job.
Do wish i could do stuff like this

Thanks Andy

Attach straps and u got a backpack

True.

Wish i had the ability and the tools to try somthing like this looks good

If I can get into this anyone could but it does take time, can't believe it was 2008 when I started making scratch builds, 7 years.
Suppose if I made more than 1 a year I'd be even better by now.



PSU height allowance, in the design it allowed for 1mm space between the psu cover & the psu but with doing a curve & a bend it curved better on the right side (front) than the left, as it is right now the psu just about squeezes in with some force.

My solution is to just add another layer behind the fan mount, rather do that than have to remake some panels.

 

[waynio]

I'd love to do a scratch build, I have a idea in mind I just never have enough time these days. Jeez I'm still working on my first build that started two years ago, although its more of an upgrade.

I'm playing around with sketchup, its great for messing about with designs. Do you use it a lot? I guess you are doing it all to scale and then somehow printing off the parts to fab?

I won't lie first one unless you have some experience is hard & frustrating but it does get easier the more you do.
Sketchup is awesome, I do the design in 3d & then make it all printer ready by flattening all pieces to 2d & then printing them on sticker sheet, slice & tack them together if bigger than a4 paper & get on with it, takes all the manual marking effort out & leaves the actual drilling/cutting back to manual, before I figured out how to print the markings it used to take ages just doing the marking.




Done the HDD mount, the HDD is mounted to a 3mm sheet & just slots in place.

How it's looking now.

To do.

Front USB & power button (40mm marble).
Case feet, 2x 10mm square bars on both sides.
Surface & edge finishing.
Think that's it.

 

[waynio]

Woah, how fast do you work on this. It looks fantastic and I couldn't see the issue and I'm pretty good at being OCD.

Love the way the fands blend into the build, keep up the good work

It's on track to be faster than my first scratch build.
Thanks.


Change of plan for the front IO, made a cover piece to hide the intended marble button & USB holes in favour of a normal vandal switch, why? I messed up on the tube piece & had no spare tube & wasn't willing to order more.

To do.

Surface & edge finishing.
System install.

 

[waynio]

My brother borrowed my tripod so these shots will have to do until I get it back, it's up & running & very quiet.

Spec
Corsair AX860i
Gigabyte Z97MX Gaming 5
Intel Core i5 4690K
Noctua NH-D14
MSI NVIDIA GTX 980 Ti
256GB Samsung pro SSD
1TB WD black HDD
2x Enermax UCTB12 T.B.Silence Case Fans in custom frame


Idle temperatures & room temp is 27c.

 

[waynio]

Nice work, are you intending to leave it bare or paint it? Looks pretty cool the way it is.

Thanks Colin, leaving it bare, I'll try to get a final photoshoot done ASAP.

 

[waynio]

I absolutely love this, but can't help but think that the heatsink looks a little out of place. I'm not sure why though. Please don't take this negatively, this build is brilliant!

Thanks mate, the heat sink is a dominating presence for sure but it keeps the CPU & system nice & cool.

Last minute decision to paint the Noctua fans a metallic black, added the silverstone cable extensions & cleaned finger print smudges off surfaces, just waiting for my tripod now to do a final photo shoot, probably tomorrow now, depends if my bro gets back with my tripod.

 

[waynio]

Painted the Noctua fans with a metallic black.

And 1 extra of it in use.

That's it, done.

 

[waynio]

1 more of it in use in natural lighting.

 

[waynio]

Didn't think I'd like that but I do .... that last picture In particular looks amazing ... how's the temps ? And the dust ?

I felt the same, wasn't sure if I'd like it but I do.

Idle temperatures & room temp is 27c.

Dust, I have a feather duster lol & if need be an air compressor for heavy duty dusting.

 

[waynio]

Darn son, you have some skills. How is it with terms of noisiness ?

Thanks & it's very quiet, all low noise fans.

Brilliant job! Wel done!

Thanks mods.