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Scratch Build – In Progress Project: Server and Gaming Case

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by Spotswood, 14 Apr 2011.

  1. Spotswood

    Spotswood Custom PC case builder

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    This is a project/build log for a custom case to house both a storage server and gaming rig.

    This fairly compact case is designed to hold:
    • Two EATX motherboards
    • Two ATX PSUs
    • Twenty four 3.5-inch hard drives
    • Six SSDs
    • Two 120x3 water cooling radiators

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    The size of the case is to be kept as small as possible, which is mostly driven by the size of the motherboard trays. But until those arrive, I fabricated the PSU mounting plate from some 2.5mm aluminum sheet.

    The cutouts were made via a hand held router fitted with a flush pattern bit, guided by a template.

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    That's it for now!
     
    LooseNeutral likes this.
  2. Droih

    Droih Your too close if you can read this

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    I like the idea of having the MB's laying down :)

    What SSDs are you going to have, and are some of them gonna be raided? :3
     
  3. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    Yay! Spotswood log!
    I read the required hardware, then 'as small as possible.':lol:
    @Droih - He will likely never see the hardware, He's just building mega-cases here.:D
     
  4. Anubus

    Anubus Minimodder

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    Ooh! Another great mod!
     
  5. Droih

    Droih Your too close if you can read this

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    Oh right, me misreading again! "designed to hold" sure is a different thing :eek:
     
  6. Waynio

    Waynio Relaxing

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    Ohhhh yeahhhh :eeek::D a Spotswood mega case, awesome I love these perfect mega cases you make :), 5 stars right away for you :clap::rock::thumb:.
    I always get excited about your cases :D.

    Really is nice compact dimensions for such a mega case, nice :).
     
    Last edited: 15 Apr 2011
  7. Mosquito

    Mosquito Just 'Plane' Crazy

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    Love it! I like the idea of 2 motherboards in there, and how "compact" (if such a term exists for dual E-ATX boards) it is too. Will definitely be watching this :thumb:
     
  8. MrNitro

    MrNitro Performance Enthusiast =)

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    24 HDD's?
    That's a lot of space =D
     
  9. DeadP1xels

    DeadP1xels Social distancing since 92

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    All that for porn and mindsweeper
     
  10. Mosquito

    Mosquito Just 'Plane' Crazy

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    It would be interesting if one could "share" a RAID card between two systems... have a low power file server for "on all the time" and a more powerful server for other things like video conversion and such... This case would be almost perfect for that!
     
  11. voigts

    voigts What's a Dremel?

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    yeah, another build by Rich. You really have been getting into these humongous cases.
     
  12. Spotswood

    Spotswood Custom PC case builder

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    The backplate of the stock motherboard tray from mountainmods.com was too tall, so I fabricated a shortened duplicate out of .10-inch thick aluminum sheet (once again, via my trusty router fitted with a pattern cutting bit):

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  13. Droih

    Droih Your too close if you can read this

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    more :clap:
     
  14. Spotswood

    Spotswood Custom PC case builder

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    This case will be shipped flat-packed so it needs to be easily assembled by the owner. The simple back frame consists of some u-channel with its ends plugged with some blocks press-fitted and pinned with a #4 screw. The blocks have a though-hole into which a #6 1-1/4-inch flat head stainless steel socket cap screw is bolted. Simple, effective, but time consuming to fabricate.


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  15. Spotswood

    Spotswood Custom PC case builder

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    The first step toward routing-out the motherboard cutouts in the back panel was to modify a standard size motherboard router template I had made some time ago.

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    The modified template was used to create yet another template in 1/2-inch thick particle board.

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    Unfortunately the router wobbled ever so slightly in one spot, but was quickly repaired with some autobody filler:

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    In order to save wear-and-tear on my flush cutting router bit a first pass was done freehand (gulp!) with a standard endmill.

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    Last edited: 25 Apr 2011
  16. Waynio

    Waynio Relaxing

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    Nice & you went freehand too :D:thumb:.
     
  17. Spotswood

    Spotswood Custom PC case builder

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    I had to make a new router template for the PSUs cutout. A router guide template is quickly fashioned from some MDF held together with pocket screws.

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    A mock-up of the back panel:

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  18. Spotswood

    Spotswood Custom PC case builder

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    The posts for the front frame are made from .125 x .5 x 2-inch tubes. First thing was to stuff the bottoms with the screw blocks/nuts in order to eventually attach them to the bottom sheet.

    Following standard operating procedure, the aluminum was cut on my miter saw (fitted with a standard carbide tipped blade). The clamp that came with the saw is used to hold the material against the fence.

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    The blocks were then drilled on the drill press with the assistance of my self-centering vice (I love that thing because I don't have to waste time measuring for center).

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    Threads were tapped via my bench mounted "hand" tapper.

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    The blocks were pinned to the tubes with flat head self-tapping screws.

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    Always looking to improve my speed and quality, the cross supports offered the opportunity to use PEM cinch nuts. The nuts were pressed into the screw blocks.

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    Which were then pinned inside .5 x 1-inch u-channel.


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  19. voigts

    voigts What's a Dremel?

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    I've never heard of PEM clinch nuts. I wish I had, as I could have really used these on Quintessence. I'm Googling, but not finding much. Where did you get yours?
     
  20. Spotswood

    Spotswood Custom PC case builder

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    Spec sheet here. McMaster-Carr calls them "Clinch Captive Nuts", part # 96439A250
     

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