Wooden PC Case Project!

[miller]

Hey guys, im going to be starting my wooden pc case project soon (within the month of october) and im wondering if you guys know of any helpfull wood working tips or websites that would help me out on this project.

Also heres a list of things I want the case to have...hopefully :sarcastic
---------------
*Be 16in wide
*Be 3 to 4ft tall
*Room for 4-6 hd's
*Room for compressor cooling unit (right above mobo so condensor will reach cpu)
*Room for 2 ATX psu's
*Ducted intake and exhaust to outside air via window behind the case
*To be compeletly sealed besides ducts and the side doors of case
*Have a hinged door hiding cd-roms and floopy drives like on Antec cases
*Have five compnurses monitoring cpu, northbridge, gpu, ambient, and hard drive temps
*To be nearly slient with 10+ 120mm fans running...these will be on rehostats so I can fine tune things
*Caster wheels so I will actually be able to move the thing
*And last but not least to look decent... :D

So what do you guys think of my latest insane project? :) Anything I should add, or take off from the plans?

And again if you guys have any wood working, general pc case building tips, or just some general tips please tell me I am more than happy to hear them.

[floppybootstomp]

Some very fine glasspaper and a pot of varnish :)

Seriously, dunno, really. Getting it airtight and still having access to inside may be problematic. Draught excluder lined? How you gonna secure closing of case side?

Take into account having a front panel for mounting of rheostats for fans, but I suppose you've thought of that.

Hmmm, food for thought.

[miller]

Well I know I probley wont get it 100% air tight I just want enough so that I can have winter cold air blowing through it and not be freezing in my room. :eek:

As for the side doors im think ill use some cabinet door magnets like on entertainment center setups with glass doors. Or maybe some kind of turn and latch thing like maybe having a key turn lock like file cabinets have and then having foam or something between the door and the case to seal it up reasonably well.

And as for the front panel I will have the rehostats, CompNurses, Power, Reset, and Compressor Power switches all mounted on there. Gonna look like some kind of nuclear power plant control panel. :D

Also I for the compressor power switch, I will have a military type switch with a red flip up cover, so no one will be turning my cooling off accidently.

I wonder how much this thing is gonna cost me... :?:

Military Switch...
http://www.caseetc.com/images/prod_sm/000399.jpg

[JohnnyBra]

cool switch!

Doing a wooden case would be pretty cool. But it'd take FOREVER for me to make one. I'm not that good with wood, but I did take a couple of shop classes back in High School/Middle School... No tips I can think of other than measure 3 or 4 times before cutting. And if you have to make a cut you're unsure of, leave it larger than you think you need. always easier to cut a lil more off than it is to add some back to a short piece :hhead:

[lurch63]

hey man, nice idea, the switch is cool also , if you need electronics go to www.newark.com they have everything there and since its built for big buisnesses it might take you time to find it in the online catalog, but your switch should be theere should be there, also you may want to look around for what type of wood to use, if you use a soft wood it will be able to absorb sound better whereas a hard wood will transmit it well like a sound box for a sub-woofer, but it has to be strong enough to give the necesary support for you components, also something to remember that wood has a higher coeficient of friction than metal, the air moving in the case will not go as fast, now this may help sound lowering, but it may inhibit airflow, i don't know i'm just hypothisizing, so you may want to line the inside with something to make it move well, like some sort of sheet metal or other composite, just ideas, that may or may not affect you, but i thought of them, hope it helps good luck man, later, sinc. lurch

[Zemuss]

So thats why when partical board gets wet your Sub box's sound is muffled? hmmmmm LOL. i dont even have a box. (so dont even bring the pun :D)

Try keeping the case pure wood. Instead of using metal to line the inside use epoxy so that the air flows better. But smooth it out.

I think Pine would be a good choice. HMMM Cherry? Burch?
Red Wood is outta the picture its too damn soft.

"Z"

[floppybootstomp]

Hey Miller, I been thinking about your planned project today, in particular the switches. Now, as cool as that switch is you've shown, fact remains it's still accessible to any untrained hand or a young kid. I've been talking about switches on another thread, that 'dream motherboard' one.

There I proposed using a key switch as a means to reset the CMOS, mounted externally. I figure you may want to consider key switches. I've posted a pic below as an example.

I figure maybe you could mount all your rheostats and switches on an aluminium panel that's first been covered either with real wood or plastic wood veneer. You could then cut an oblong hole in the front of the case with rounded corners, and mount the ali plate behind that. Just a thought, only a suggestion :) You may hate the idea!

I've got 3 miniature rocker switches mounted on a blank 5.25" panel on my case atm, one for each internal 80mm fan. I also got a switch on that panel that turns the power to my scanner on & off, as the scanner has no power switch.

I intend to add a couple of key switches, one for the CMOS reset, the other for the BIOS Saviour. Using key switches, I shouldn't suffer any accidents :hat: All the switches are, or will be labelled clearly of course. I'm using one of those Dymo label makers atm, but hope to get something better looking.

Anyways, good luck with the project, good advice from the other guys, particularly JB :)

[miller]

Do you really think that a key turn switch would be needed over a switch like the one I posted about earlier...? I would think that the cover on the switch would be enough for accidental bumping and such.

As for the ali panel thats a great idea, which I actually think I will do as if I screw up the whole front panel isnt messed up and would probely make it look pretty decent looking...thanks for the suggestion!! :cool:

As for what I will have the inside coverd with im not sure...I was thinking of putting some insulation you can buy from Home Improvment stores (you know the silver stuff with grayish-pink middles)...IMO that would make the air just sail through rather than getting caught on the woods grainy finish. This would probely also help cooling inside the case as the cold air wont escape as much and it would also help deaden the sound of the fans and such inside the case (probely not much but alittle).

[floppybootstomp]

Originally posted by miller
Do you really think that a key turn switch would be needed over a switch like the one I posted about earlier...? I would think that the cover on the switch would be enough for accidental bumping and such.


Probably not. It all depends on your enviroment. I'm coming from an angle where I've had a house full of young kids and I know from experience they get their hands into everything. If you're sure no irresponsible little fingers are gonna tinker, go ahead with the switch you've proposed.

But, you ever have family visit? With young kids? Or any of your buddies are gonna be left alone with the rig and may just wonder 'Hmm, what's this do?'.

All I'm saying is, the key gives an extra level of security, is all. If you're sure nobody gonna change your BIOS, or any other function via a switch when system is running it should be OK. But can you be sure?

Actually, I wonder what would happen if that actually happened? There's a thought :)

[miller]

Hmm heres a thought...what do you guys think of adding a window to the side of my wooden case, ive been thinking of doing it but im not sure if it would be worth doing due to cool air escaping and since it would probely let noise through easier than a wood panel would.

[lurch63]

well you can always put a piece of double pane sound proof glass in there heck, now theres an idea, the all glass case (lurch ponders) but that would stop the sound, just make sure the edges are sealed, and i too have wondered what would happen if that were to happen, any volunteers? :) i may have an extra rig 100 mhz in the house soon that wont be needed, hmm, possible test subject, hmm, lurch

[Techvillage]

Originally posted by floppybootstomp

But, you ever have family visit? With young kids? Or any of your buddies are gonna be left alone with the rig and may just wonder 'Hmm, what's this do?'.


I agree with Flops line of thinking on this, I know it may not look as cool as the flip up safety toggle switch, but a key solution is a lot more foolproof.

I will be following this thread with a lot of interest Miller, you have set you self a challenging task, please take, and post pics along the way.

[miller]

Will do on the pics my dads got a nice Sony Mavica. :)

But as for the switch I dont know since I would probely either lose the keys or leave them in the switch so I wont loose them...also im not sure if they make any switches that can handle 110v (not sure on the exact # of voltage but its the voltage from the wall outlet) power that my compressor runs off of.

But I am thinking of adding a CMOS switch...it would be key turn of course and im sorry to steal the idea :D but it seems like a very good idea and it would really help me not having moving the huge wooden case around on my desk due to to high of a overclock or something. :eek:


On a kinda sad note this projects going to be delayed since I am first going to have to make a loft and a desk before I can start on the case. The loft will probely be started and finished next weekend if I have all the parts needed to complete it (which we all know rarely happens :( ). And then the desk project will probely take about a week. Then I will be totally focused on the case project! Probely start on it about the beginning of September. :(

[lurch63]

cool news miller, yes they do make switches for 110 volts, what do you think turns your lights on and off? ;) lurch

[floppybootstomp]

Miller: September? Shurely Shum Mishtake?

As for switches, it's the current rating you have to worry about, not the volts, although most electronic catalogues will list switches something like '110V @ 5 amps', or whatever.

Good luck with the loft & the desk, looks like you got your work cut out :)

And hey, I got no copyright on the switch idea, just trying to make helpful suggestions for all to benefit from.

Good luck! :hat:

[James]

You only need to wire it through a solidstate timed relay(You must hold the switch ON for X-amount of Sec,!0 should be good)

If a child flips it and nothing happens ,they stuff a sandwich in the CD-RW.:D

[James]

I would use Rock Maple.

Switches will need to be counterbored from behind with Forstner
bits.
____________ &nbse;&nbse;___________
l&nbse;&nbse;l&nbse;&nbse;l&nbse;&nbse;l
l&nbse;&nbse;l&nbse;&nbse;l&nbse;&nbse;l
l&nbse;&nbse;l&nbse;&nbse;l&nbse;&nbse;l
l&nbse;&nbse;l___&nbse;___l&nbse;&nbse;l
l&nbse;&nbse;/////l&nbse;l\\\\l&nbse;&nbse;l
l______________l&nbse;l______________l

Drives cutouts=1/4" hole each corner,connect holes with 1/4"
straight router bit,using a router table with a fence.
Clean up the corners with a very sharp chisel or file.
<PRE>
_____________________________________________
l
l ____________________________________
l O O
l l l
l l l
l l l
l O___________________________________O
l
l______________________________________________

</PRE>

Hope that helps.

Also, all of the components will have to be grounded,so maybe
You might think of using a tower carcus inside this Beauty.

Oh,finish.....8-10 very thin coats of polyureathane should let the air flow nicely,stop the wood from expanding(when the air is humid) and the Maple should have very little shrinkage from the cold air.TIP:To get a really thin coat,refrigerate the polly before and between coats. J

Sorry I couldn't get it to do a sketch:hhead:

[miller]

Very good advice James thanks! :cool:


As forusing a case carcus, I probely will. Was just going to buy a ATX case thats fairly cheap and comes with a generic PSU (for extra parts) and then maybe a 5 1/2" drive cage with 2-3 spaces and then as for the HD cage I will most likely just install the cage from my Lian Li PC-70 which I removed for more watercooling room... :D

[lurch63]

just thunk up an idea today, bout putting a dial voltmeter across each of the fans on a reohstat with a rotary connector switch that would connect the meter to each of the measured voltages, that way only one meter would be necesary and the fans could be tuned in a more accurate way, also a digital voltmeter could be used but working with them in my lab i have a love for the old needle meters, lurch

[miller]

I got the loft finished today typing under it as we speak...ill post some pics of it when I can to show you guys my great craftsmenship. :?:


Next weekend or the following ill be installing a desktop underneth the loft for my computer stuff then I should either be starting on the case or my TV entertainment center...me and my dad got really into woodworking recently, lots o planned projects in our minds. :D

Later, miller.

[miller]

Here are some pics of my loft so you guys can see my craftsman ship! :D

[miller]

End view...

[James]

Very nice work,Big M!:)