Case Mod - In Progress Upward airflow nas/server from old case

I have been wanting to do some kind of case mod for awhile. I didn't have a case where I would actually be improving it. I just purchased an old core 2 duo system from a friend for pretty cheap. The case he gave me was an old dell oem something or a another. I've also wanted to experiment with upward airflow. I have very little experience with modding. I don't even have a dremel yet but will be needing one soon for this. So I will be getting one. I do need some input from some more experienced modders. So let me explain what I have done so far and what I am planning so far.

My goal is to take this not nice case and make it a nice upward airflow case.
The only use I have for the hardware is for some sort of nas/server. The case will be overkill for sure. Really the system is a play thing that I don't have to worry about.

Hardware:
Cpu: core 2 duo 4300 1.8ghz
Motherboard: BIOSTAR G41D3+ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138314
Hdd: I only have a 1tb hdd for now

Here is the original case.


I circled the big dell logos that I will have to dremel off. I don't know what to replace them with. I could do a window on the side that faces the internals but the other side just faces a wall. The little steel thing on the right is a hdd cage I might use from another old case I have. This case only came with a cage for a single hdd that wont work for my mod.




This next picture shows what I want to do with this case. I want to have upward airfllow as I stated before. I am thinking two silent 140mm fans in the bottom to create positive pressure. Probably on the inside just below the hdd cage, whichever hdd cage setup I do use. That is one of the things I need help on. Hdd cage placement and size.



This is an area of what will be the bottom that I am thinking of cutting out and replacing with some kinda grating. I would like to implement some kind of air filter that would hopefully be removable. The area outline is a little longer than the 280mm needed I think. I also need to put four feet on this face. The feet will have to be long enough to allow air intake.


This is the inside of the case with airflow arrows.



In this picture there is the single hdd cage that came with the case, the double hdd cage I took out of another case, and the double 5.25 inch bay drives I removed.




This motherboard only has 4 sata ports but I think it would be better to have more hdd cages than that for upgrades. Maybe even an hdd cage than spans the entire length of the cage that lets the air flow through. I like that idea. The cage will have to be about 30-40 mm up to allow placement of fans underneath. I also have several tooless bracket hdd sliders from my haf 912 (main computer) I could use in this if I had an hdd cage that they would work in. I would love to make it have cable management features but I just can't imagine how. There is no space behind the motherboard tray. I will also be spray painting the whole case a uniform color. Another thing I could really use help on is how to implement an on button. I don't want to sink a whole bunch of money, or really any money, into this. So keeping costs down is a priority.

All I did today was remove the top and side panel which are one piece. I also remove all internals. Now I need some advice and a dremel.

So to summarize the things I would really like to hear are: (updated)
-What to do with the hole that removing those dell logos, or anything in hiding the dell logos?


Any comments, suggestions, ideas.. anything is welcome.

 

Well I found some solutions.

For fan filters at the bottom. I could knock out two birds with 1 stone by making the fan grating the fan filter. For example.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...sh_Filter_Grill_15mm_Hole.html?tl=g47c223s885

For the Dell symbols on the sides... I could cover with carbon fiber vinyl. I like that better than a window or vent. http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...dders_Vinyl_-_Black_-_12_x_12.html?tl=g44c495

I also found this hdd cage by silverstone. It is expensive for something so simple. It also is only three when I am thinking I want more than that. I really like the idea of a single hdd cage going accross the length of the case.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1..._w_Suspension_Mount_CFP53B.html?tl=g44c12s852

 

Reserved for finished gallery pictures

 

for 'on' button - You can use any momentary switch on market - from hell-they-not-chip vandal resistant buttons to $0.01 per bucket switches - almost no current or voltage limitations

for hdd cage - 4 L-shaped alu bars = simple and cheap cage

air filtering - find some "mesh" as a base - air vent cover or smth - and put some GF/wife pantyhose 40-60den on it - ideal for small dust particles. just make it easy to remove for vacuum cleaning. for air intake i think 50-60 mm spacing under the bottom will be enough. but sometimes i saw recommendation to make 1/2 of fan diameter spacing...

 

I think I have got the insides figured out. The hdd cage that goes all the way across just wont work it this form factor. Its just to short. I can fit around 4 hdd's though. I found this hdd cage. http://www.avadirect.com/product_details_parts.asp?PRID=13461

The case will be like this.

You can get the idea. Blue and red are airflow with heat, not that temps are a problem. Green is cables. I put that there to kinda visualize the bad cable management. I guess everything will just have to be zip tied to the wall.

If I do the above, I just got to make it look good. I can just paint the whole thing black and it would look somewhat better. I am worried that if I did carbon fiber vinyl, the dell symbol would show through because of the indentation. Besides that it will be pretty minimalist. Just flat black walls. Not the prettiest case ever but I didn't have much to start with and I am on a budget.

 

I have an idea for the on button now. Now I got to find a placement. I am thinking right in the center of the top next to 90mm fan grate, or at the bottom front of the case. The bottom left in the picture above. I am leaning towards bottom front.
I have considered pantyhose. I just might do that too, as I am on a budget.

4 L-shaped aluminum bars... Could you explain a little better. I kinda like that silverstone hdd cage I found.

 

i agree that hdd cages from SS coolermaster or lian-li or xigmatek or TT is a piece of art, but they're not cheap
what i mean is smth like this

 

That is exactly what I had initially imagined. Too bad I cant get this to fit like that. The space from the side of the motherboard down to the bottom is the length of an hdd.

 

Instead of a window on the side with the tray, get a hold of some reflective mirrored acrylic and use that. Not sure if it'll fit in with your final look, just an idea.

 

not a big problem imho. there is nothing wrong if hdds will be hang over mobo - just attach sata cables first. moreover You can put HDDs on the side (hdd ports not upwards but sidewards ) - it gave You additional 35-40 mm. also bottom fans+filters could be placed outside - another 25-30 mm

 

That is actually a pretty good idea. A friend suggested trying to flatten the side panel too. If That doesn't work out, your idea sounds great.

After a few hours I realized the same thing. Put the hdd's sideways. It would probably work then. I still want the fans to be on the inside, but the filter will probably end up on the outside.