Build your own case?

[Becks2k]

Okay think it is possible to build your own aluminum case? Like get some sheets of metal and cut it and screw it together?

I was looking at this case: http://www.2fastcpu.com/chilli_pro/page1.html and it looks like I could build the same damn thing if I had the time and tools.

Its a little too small for me cause I want water cooling but that got me to thinking, why not just buy some sheets of aluminum 1/4" think too... plan it all out and then cut the pieces need. Sand the edges and make them smooth.... drill some holes and screw it together.

TOO EZ!

hehe, I don't need any cdrom drive bays or anything, want a usb2 drive on my desk anyways so i don't have to reach..... and as for the pci slots and crap... you could just steal that part from an old case... so like 1/3 of the back would be steel WHO CARES!? you don't see that part.

So anyways think if you had time (and tools) you could do this?

My only problem that I'm not sure how it woudl be done, make the aluminum look nice. How do you get that "brushed aluminum" look? Isn't the stock aluminum gonna look kinda ugly? Also could get it colored I guess.

What about coloring it black, and then sanding it with like 20,000grit sandpaper or something... wonder what that woudl look like.... if you barely did at all and took off juse a little of the black anodize?

Okay enough thinkin for tonight (I gotta find something better to do), time for movie time w00p.

 

[flood]

I've made 2 cases from scratch.
There is some pretty fine work needed to be done along with lots and lots of planning.
create a cardboard mock-up, it helps.
Its quite hard to get teh backpanel to look good. Making it line up ok takes some work, making it functional takes more, and making it look good will take up even more time.

 

[Becks2k]

Yea I figure it'd take a long time and be mostly planning...

what did you make your case(s) out of?

www.onlinemetals.com seems to be the easiest place to buy metal, but I'm afraid of what its going to look like. I still don't get how one goes about making aluminum look good. How do you add some texture to it? (Not like rough texture, but .. :LSKGHEH YOU KNOW!)

 

[flood]

one out of wood, another out of lexan

 

[RagManX]

Once I get all the computer parts for a project I'm doing (just need to buy a P-III), I'll be building a custom plexiglass case. As I do it, I'll document it on my case modding site. Check around at sites like bit-tech.net and virtual-hideout.net. I'm pretty sure there have been articles posted there for building a custom case. As for building an aluminum one, I think it should be possible, with a little patience. But I don't think I'd get 1/4" sheets. That seems awfully thick for a case.

RagManX

 

[toshiba3020]

Directron.com sells motherboard trays(for $10 I believe). That would give you a really good start to a case. Some of them even have the mounts for a slide out mobo tray.