Scratch Build – In Progress BlackBox ! - FINAL PICS [2.4.2014] !!

Welcome to my projectlog!

I'm Finnish young, so please dont mind my bad english..




Soo..
Original sketch in spoiler:



This has change pretty much, so dont mind about that too much.

Mainly idea was to make pretty small case where i can put normal ATX- motherboard.
Well cooling, such a quiet case and good cable managment were also important to me.
PSU is at the front of the case, taking fresh air from front. Top of that are 140mm fan, as well as bottom and back of the case. Top of front fan is fancontroller.
All seeing cables will be Bitfenix extension cables or sleeved cables from me.
Bottom of the motherboard I will place 3mm thick acrylplate, it will block everything excessive.

I think i will be using my current setup:
i5 3570K, Extreme 4, 8Gb, Gigabyte 7950, Superflower GG 500w, 128Gb 840 Pro SSD and 1Tb F3 Samsung HDD.

This has changed a bit. My GPU going to be change very soon and im going to do my first watercooling loop.


I have written about my project at finnish forum only. Had some problems with registration on here, but finally got it.


At this moment I am finishing sanding for plates and frame.
I will drop updates every day as long as im at current position.

Feel free to as anything, I try to reply.


E: Im sorry, my first post's, so it takes a while to get checked and posted at here..

 

Update #1 - Frame !

Ah, finally my first post.. I thought it disappear.

This is first update. Couple pictures of frame.

20x20x3mm corner-profile steel. Flat profile 20x3mm as well.



2 metres long pieces, you can see how big my tool shed is.



Lot of sawing. With handsaw. Notice, handsaw. I own only few tools for steel.



I did every single angle like this. My MIC- welding machine isnt too good, so i can hide all the seem behind the plates..



Heres all the pieces.







After finished those pieces (which takes 3? days.) I made stand to get frame straight.






Lot of fighting with welding machine.. I have to weld outside, so I must use Flux-cored electrode. ( Is that right translation?)

But I get my frame welded!




Measures were: 250mm wide, 400mm high, 450mm deep.

Still not perfect straight. Couple millimetres diffirents. But that will be okay..

Bottom of case you can see platform for PSU. It raises PSU 2cm from bottom. With this I can fit PSU extented powercable under the case.







Next update teaser:




Here we got frame "ready" ! I guess that would be fine start for this project.

Comments are welcome! Just ask from me!

 

Welcome!

So. We just have to wait..

 

Welded bed frame iron... Sturdy!

 

Update #2 Inner plates !

Hahha. Its kinda of bed for my parts.

Oookay, im really sorry about how long it takes to response and post new updates. But it wont take long, I guess.



This update you will see inner plates of case.

Plate is 1,5mm thick acid resisting steel. Its bit harder than normal steel, I noticed it very quickly..


Bottom plate first.
Hole for PSU and 140mm fan. Belive or not, its really hard to cut that steel with keyhole saw..



It was at least one day per plate..


Next we got inner front plate.
Hole for 5,25" (fan controller), 140mm fan and PSU fan.



This takes whole weekend to make. As you can see, I have had to cut frame a bit. I cutted bottom as well, for psu.


First screws.



These countersinks I made with hand-drill. Frame was too high under my tabledrill.
Outer plate cpuntersinks i will do with it.

I welded PSU stand at bottom plate.




Here you can see when it is bolted up.



I thought to locate 3,5" HDD after fan controller.. It was sooooo huge when i saw it, so i throw it away.. It was soo hard to bend it as well, but it looks so stupid..

Then i made brackets for fancontroller.



I made new ones later couse screws were a bit oblique.. More later..


Then I found cheap and brand new case from flea market. Motherboard tray will come from that case.

Made test fit.. Everything fits okay. Mobo is from my sisters computer, GPU from mine. You can see homemade backplate too. Made from 3mm acryl.




I will tell more about motherboardtray next time.



I need some comments dudes!

 

That's why it's called hardware.

 

Update #3 MoBoTray !

Third update.

Raw cutting first.



After that, lot of measuring, planning etc.

Backplate first.



140mm fan hole too.

I made reinforcement plate from same 1,5mm steel.
Welded two holders to backplate. Have to test how does it fit.



Took PSU too from my sisters PC.. 140mm Bitfenix Spectre at the bottom, not coming on this build.

When have tested everything works, I added two holders more.
From back:




And front:




And final test to make sure I havent messed up anything. Still fits pretty nice!




Took little piece off from frame, for fanhole.





Then it was time to sanding.. Done rest of the fan screw holes too.

Here you can notice those screws at fancontroller holders.. Not good..




And rest of current plates sanded.






Every 1,5mm thick steelplates are now done.


Next update, outer plates. They are from 2mm aluminium.

Comment, any?

 

Update #4 Outer Plates !

As i said, outer plates.

2mm Thick aluminium.




Like this.






Screws for roofplate.



And both sidepanels. Ugly wooden feets too, im going to replace them with corsair 350D - style feets.



Open side.





It start to look like real case!

Front door on this update too.





Okayy. Next time i add some shape for case, cut the window and show some parts which i bought.

See you soon.

 

This is awesome. And sturdy i would think

 

Thanks!

Yeah, it really is. Weights over 11 kg.

I'll post next update later. Im bit busy atm, make "paintingroom" and did final sandings. Will paint tomorrow.

 

Update #5 Case got shape, fans etc !

As last pic already shows, here are fans, fancontroller etc..









This USB 3.0 mask went back at shop. I ordered this with motherboard connector, not with these "extension cables"..

Put them on.





Then it was time to cut window and "breathing holes" for front fans.





I think those cuts really made this case.

Window screws too.




Still got couple of updates before im at current position.

Next time i'll show my 350D- style feets.

 

Thank you.



I'll post update later today.

Fathers day today at Finland, going to restaurant. First i will paint part of case!

 

looking like an cool log to follow. that fan controller looks awsome, where did u find it

 

Glad you like it.

Bought it from finnish shop: Jimm's.fi
It's Bitfenix Hydra Pro.

 

I really like those side panels.

 

Update #6 - New feets !

This time long update about feets.

20x20x1,5mm square profiled -steel. Lot of sawing, once again by handsaw.



Was good autumn day to work at outside.



Welding..




And testfit.










I think they fit pretty nicely at the case. Continues same theme!
Maybe will add piece of acryl between frame and feets and light them with red leds..


Welded hangers of fancontroller on frontplate. Narrow piece didnt like it..




Desided to saw that piece off. Make one hole more for resetbutton, USB-ports and couple of switches to control lightning. They will hang on piece of acryl.





Next time i will show you my plans for watercooling. Stay tuned!

 

Nice build, looks like you could throw that thing down the stairs without hurting it

I have to ask though, why do you have a solid door in front of your fan vents?

 

Almost. Hurts more in stairs i thougt.


To make nice, simply look.
I will add noise isulation inside of door as well, so it make case bit more quiet too.

 

Wow, that is rigid! I could probably hide under it when there's an earthquake . It'll probably be already quiet due to the rigidity?