Case modding help

[Be1n]

http://www.hwupgrade.it/forum/showpost.php?p=36330789&postcount=8767

Anyone know

1. How he secured his face plate
2. If he had to replace the circuit board behind the default cover for his new power button
3. How he had room for that usb port, and how it was secured.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

http://www.hwupgrade.it/forum/showpost.php?p=36330789&postcount=8767

Anyone know

1. How he secured his face plate
2. If he had to replace the circuit board behind the default cover for his new power button
3. How he had room for that usb port, and how it was secured.

Haven't got any advice, only to acknowledge I THINK I know what you want to do.

Instead, after putting it off for a few years, I'm going to alter my Rosetta Stone SW purchase this year to include Italian.

 

[aigomorla]

http://www.hwupgrade.it/forum/showpost.php?p=36330789&postcount=8767

Anyone know

1. How he secured his face plate
2. If he had to replace the circuit board behind the default cover for his new power button
3. How he had room for that usb port, and how it was secured.

1. most likely some form of epoxy..

2. there is no circuit board, it is just a switch. He basically bored a 1 inch hole using a hole bore, and then bought a lamptron vandel switch which he wired manually.

3. seems he took a pci usb holder cable... unscrewed it off the pci plate, and then screwed it on behind, before epoxying the face plate.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

1. most likely some form of epoxy..

2. there is no circuit board, it is just a switch. He basically bored a 1 inch hole using a hole bore, and then bought a lamptron vandel switch which he wired manually.


3. seems he took a pci usb holder cable... unscrewed it off the pci plate, and then screwed it on behind, before epoxying the face plate.

I've done that many times, cannibalizing those accessories that come with the motherboard.

I can't zoom the picture, but I'm speculating that there is as lip on the chassis in the largest top-side surface. There may be an interference fit with the chassis at the bottom corners. You could install a snug-fitting panel on that chassis with blobs of Pit Crew adhesive where it can't be seen, and that would be a firm and reliable construction. The stuff dries to a semi-hard, translucent rubbery texture and adheres to any surface. You need a knife to cut and scrap it off, or you'd have to loosen it with a firm grip from some needle-nose pliers.

If the face plate is Lexan or similar plastic, anyone could install tabs with the specialized glue to fuse them in place, and then secure somehow on the inner side of the chassis. Apparently, the project avoids any exposure of screws or fittings on the outside -- I can't say for sure.

 

[DigDog]

i speak italian, so i can tell you from reading some bit that he built the faceplate himself. how it's secured, it doesn't say.

 

[Be1n]

3. seems he took a pci usb holder cable... unscrewed it off the pci plate, and then screwed it on behind, before epoxying the face plate.

We know what the case looks like behind the bezel

http://images.ncix.com/forumimages/6A4BC4E4-0E60-4581-B61C0B767A3DBBB2.JPG

How do you suppose he screwed the thing? I'm also wondering if he had to snap off the round thing in the centre at the right to get the cable through. I actually wanted to install usb 3.0 ports at the front, maybe there is space to pass it through at the bottom corner where the support is sticking out.

i speak italian, so i can tell you from reading some bit that he built the faceplate himself. how it's secured, it doesn't say.

Good to know, thanks.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

We know what the case looks like behind the bezel

http://images.ncix.com/forumimages/6A4BC4E4-0E60-4581-B61C0B767A3DBBB2.JPG

How do you suppose he screwed the thing? I'm also wondering if he had to snap off the round thing in the centre at the right to get the cable through. I actually wanted to install usb 3.0 ports at the front, maybe there is space to pass it through at the bottom corner where the support is sticking out.

Good to know, thanks.

Those PCI ports bundled with motherboards can be modded in different ways. Since he shows a female type-"A" USB port on the exposed circuitboard, he would need two male type-"A" plugs each on the opposite end of the USB cable. I would think a little tedious, careful soldering work is needed there. And I think I'd done it at least once before -- not necessarily for those particular male plugs.

 

[Be1n]

Would such a contraption make future maintenance a pain in the back? That could mean anything from simply opening up the case to actually having to replace the switch or usb port at the front.

Now I feel this may be a better idea if it means the front usb ports are easier to upgrade (to usb 3.0) than the minibox thing:

http://www.logicsupply.com/557b/

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Would such a contraption make future maintenance a pain in the back? That could mean anything from simply opening up the case to actually having to replace the switch or usb port at the front.

Now I feel this may be a better idea if it means the front usb ports are easier to upgrade (to usb 3.0) than the minibox thing:

http://www.logicsupply.com/557b/

It can always be the problem for any custom-rig DIY project. Feverish to just "make it work," it's not hard to overlook things like "ease of disassembly."

 

[Be1n]

Now I'm interested in this case

http://www.eteknix.com/silverstone-pt13-ultra-compact-mini-itx-thin-chassis-review/3/

Silverstone assured me that female usb 3.0 ports would not fit under the hood, but does anyone here think it's doable? If so can you link to a replacement circuit board that might work?

 

[aigomorla]

We know what the case looks like behind the bezel

http://images.ncix.com/forumimages/6A4BC4E4-0E60-4581-B61C0B767A3DBBB2.JPG

How do you suppose he screwed the thing? I'm also wondering if he had to snap off the round thing in the centre at the right to get the cable through. I actually wanted to install usb 3.0 ports at the front, maybe there is space to pass it through at the bottom corner where the support is sticking out.

Good to know, thanks.

basically the usb ports have screws holding it onto the pci-e plate
he screwed them on and then applied the face plate over the screws so they would not be shown.

Most likely he used a flat screw as well so the screws to allow the face plate to be flushed.

 

[Be1n]

What about generic usb headers like these

http://www.moddiy.com/products/USB-3.0-19%252dPin-to-Dual-USB-Type%252dA-Female-Front-Panel-Cable-(81cm).html
http://usb.brando.com/usb-3-0-20-pin-header-to-usb-3-0-type-a-short-cable_p02479c0032d015.html

How are you supposed to fix them to the front panel, duct tape them?

 

[Be1n]

Found another example

http://www.shopmadeinchina.com/prod...-x-USB-3-0-Ports-Cable-Adaptor_14043708.shtml

It shows explicitly what I wanted to do, but doesn't go into details.

How are those front female ports fixed in position?

 

[aigomorla]

it has holes preset and then probably held by a bracket...

the ones i linked are easier, cuz you can just screw them inside after you predrilled the holes for the screws.

 

[Be1n]

Are there usb 3.0 front bays/shields that are designed to fit into a slim odd slot?