project: build file server into draw unit!

pc-modd · 21 Jul 2007 at 21:09

I was a lil bored before and was fiddleing inside my file server, i keep all my tols in the bottom draw of the draw unit my file server is sat on and i thought.. what could i use the top draw for apart from chucking everything thats lieing around in it.

Thats when i came up with the idea of building my file server into the top draw

Draw unit and file server sat on top -

Front of draw unit -

inside of the draw

Im thinking of taking the mobo tray out of the case that its in atm and securing that inside tha draw for the motherboard to go on. everything else will be fixed in there somehow

what ya think, anyone got any ideas

pc-modd · 21 Jul 2007 at 21:15

Thinking of putting a 120mm fan in the side for cooling.

Looking to put these into the front of it aswell -

for hdd's -

pc-modd · 21 Jul 2007 at 21:59

Ikea for the win!

lol

ok i made these very quickly im sure you get the general idea of the front part from it (very basic).

Mesurements of the draw.

what i want to put in the front of the draw.

Probably going to use the power switch that is in the case =]

The useable area on the front of the draw is because the front is obviously bigger than the inside of the draw so the useable part is were i can actually put stuff.

Going to work out how everything is going to fit inside later on and draw it out . will post back with the plan

pc-modd · 22 Jul 2007 at 22:28

Im off into town tomorrow hoping to get some jigsaw blades "yay" so i can start chopping my draw to bits

Im thinking of possibly putting a fan in the top of the draw unit for the intake and one at the back to blow it all out

Taken the PSU out of the case so i need to fix this in, however the fan on the PSU is a bit noisy so i mite have to open it up and stick a new fan in there at some point.

Ill hopefully have something done by tomorrow and if not ill have either buggered it up or done some good design work on it.

pc-modd · 22 Jul 2007 at 22:48

Suppose i will find out when i finaly get it mostly done and turn the thing on inside :eek:

And yeah ive already ordered some soundproof foam stuff to cover the inside and got lots of rubber washers

Can't see it rattleing the draw rails really but if it does im sure i can find a solution to that ^_^

pc-modd · 23 Jul 2007 at 18:24

Nope not having one in it, only had one in originally to install the OS

I started drilling the hole for the power button to go but not finished it yet, maybe ill finish it later or tomorrow morning.. either way ill post some pics in the morning if all goes well

pc-modd · 24 Jul 2007 at 12:46

Been making the hole for the power + reset button and its taking ages!! didnt think it would take this long but never mind.

Ive got this far.. managed to put the face plate for the power button on, still got to sand a bit more to get the main power button part inside though xD

pc-modd · 29 Jul 2007 at 20:55

Got the power button in now, not exactly neat but its not too bad. Slow progress i know but not had much time working lots xD

pc-modd · 29 Jul 2007 at 22:33

Ive glued the button in place so thats that done =]

Found a spare bracket from a previous case for the HDD that hopefully will cut down the noise.

The lil rubber things will stop the screws from vibrating and it will be fixed on something so it does not vibrate in the draw =]

Tomorrow morning im going to cut the hole for the PSU to be fixed in, got to wait till morning because the saw is in the garage and i cba to go out and get it =]

Hoping to get the PSU fixed in and the mobo tray too =]

pc-modd · 30 Jul 2007 at 13:46

Cut in the back and put the PSU in, and also glued the mobo tray in

Does look a little bit of a mess but 1. Its inside and 2. i will tidy it up at some point.

Idea behind the foam is to stop the metal touching the wood and vibrating

Might have some more done later but we shall see.. waiting for glue to dry now =]

And before anyone asks how im going to get access to the ports on the mobo.. i dont need them, only thing being plugged in is a network cable!

pc-modd · 31 Jul 2007 at 19:37

Got this today when i finished work -

I then decided i didnt like the look of that fan that was on it (looked like the type to make lots of noise)

So i did this to it =]

Stuck it inside and it looked like this xD

Decided to stick another fan on the PSU aswell

And finally put the cpu cooler on, and thats all ive done ^_^

pc-modd · 31 Jul 2007 at 19:48

I stuck it on the PSU because it was spare, im sure it will help

Just have to drill a hole in the top of the draw unti for an intake and add another fan at the back maybe and it should be almost done

Gong to get a fan controller and stick it inside untill i cut it into the front of the draw.

Must admit i got carried away with the foam but should stop vibrations

pc-modd · 31 Jul 2007 at 21:45

Just put the draw back in the unit =]

Coming along nicely i think =]

pc-modd · 31 Jul 2007 at 22:20

I will, still got some more fans at the back to put in yet, waiting for el post to arrive with them though.

Cant see there being any problems..its only a amd 3400+