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Spotswood · 17th Apr 2011, 22:30

This is a project/build log for an aluminum case designed specifically for a large water cooled rig, specifically:

3 x 140x4 radiators
1 140x3 radiator
10-slot motherboard tray

So far, the aluminum constituting the frame of the case has been cut:

Stay tuned!

Nexxo · 18th Apr 2011, 07:10

Project log should contain pics of work in progress, please. Moved to Modding...

Wicked_Sludge · 18th Apr 2011, 07:38

thats a lot of cooling. do you know what hardware is going in it yet?

Spotswood · 22nd Apr 2011, 04:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wicked_Sludge

thats a lot of cooling. do you know what hardware is going in it yet?

Unfortunately, no.

The basic frame of the case is done, which consists of .5x1-inch u-channel with its ends plugged with blocks (pictured in the first post), press-fitted and pinned with a #4 screw along with some 1-inch angle:

The assembled case frame is too tall to fit in the camera frame. hehe

The frame looks kind'a "meh" until I bolt on the gorgeous anodized quarter rounds.

Nexxo · 22nd Apr 2011, 17:12

...and there's the project log. Moving right back...

KidMod-Southpaw · 22nd Apr 2011, 17:13

That's going to be an absolute monster of a case! Great start.

Gravitea · 22nd Apr 2011, 17:58

I have a quick question, you are using U channel aluminum for your frame, how much stronger is it compared to angle aluminum? Also, can 3mm angled aluminum be strong enough to make a watercooling case?

Thanks

Spotswood · 22nd Apr 2011, 23:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gravitea

I have a quick question, you are using U channel aluminum for your frame, how much stronger is it compared to angle aluminum? Also, can 3mm angled aluminum be strong enough to make a watercooling case?

Thanks

I'm not an engineer, but the u-channel feels to be at least as twice as strong as an angle (as to be expected).

I personally wouldn't build a case out of 3mm angle, but ymmv.

Good luck!

StonieX · 23rd Apr 2011, 06:27

Nice work on the main frame

. It looks pretty solid and decent. I also think the U-channel were a good choice because of the stability against twisting

nlancaster · 23rd Apr 2011, 18:28

1/16th aluminum is plenty strong enough to build an entire case from. Just have to have some triangluation built in. Either angled braces or some form of solid plate. and example would be the mid play in a Lian-li style case, and the motherboard tray. Attach those plates along at least three sides and the case will stand up great. And be lightweight.

Spotswood, I love your idea for scre blocks in the aluminum channel. I will have to still it for future builds.

Where did you get the quarter round extruded aluminum parts?

voigts · 23rd Apr 2011, 21:38

You are really keeping busy these days. very nice as always Rich.

jhanlon303 · 23rd Apr 2011, 22:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexxo

...and there's the project log. Moving right back...

The young have no patience.

john

Nexxo · 23rd Apr 2011, 22:55

The young should respect the rules.

Nexxo

Spotswood · 15th May 2011, 22:13

The two shelves were cut from a .10-inch thick 5052 via my trusty router, a straight edge and a downcut spiral bit.

At the back corners of the shelves, two .5x1-inch cutouts were routed out via a temporary router jig.

The rounded inside corner left by the .5-inch flush router bit were filed square.

FWIW, here's the difference in the thickness of the aluminum sheeting I use compared to everyone else.

Finally, a mockup of the shelf inside the frame of the case:

Spotswood · 15th May 2011, 22:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by nlancaster

1/16th aluminum is plenty strong enough to build an entire case from. Just have to have some triangluation built in. Either angled braces or some form of solid plate. and example would be the mid play in a Lian-li style case, and the motherboard tray. Attach those plates along at least three sides and the case will stand up great. And be lightweight.

Spotswood, I love your idea for scre blocks in the aluminum channel. I will have to still it for future builds.

Where did you get the quarter round extruded aluminum parts?

mk Technology Group.

Waynio · 15th May 2011, 23:56

Spotswood, you give me faith that I don't need an expensive mill

& instead just need to buy a router & get good at using it & making custom jigs.

What is the thickest aluminium you have routed? also do you have to do it in gradually deeper depths like a couple of mm at a time?.

Your cases rock

sturdy & great looking

. +rep

Spotswood · 16th May 2011, 00:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waynio

Spotswood, you give me faith that I don't need an expensive mill

& instead just need to buy a router & get good at using it & making custom jigs.

What is the thickest aluminium you have routed? also do you have to do it in gradually deeper depths like a couple of mm at a time?.

Your cases rock

sturdy & great looking

. +rep

1/4-inch is probably the thickest I've cut so far, and yes I did that in two passes. Everything else I do at full depth. However, when cutting raw material I'll cut them oversize with a 3/16-inch mill/bit, then sneak-up to the desired dimension with a 1/4-inch spiral down cut bit i.e. the final pass is only removing ~.5mm of material for a nice smooth finish.

Waynio · 16th May 2011, 00:24

Thanks for the useful info Rich

.

Wow it must be fun making mad extreme cases

.

Radcarton Mods · 19th May 2011, 22:05

Quote:

The frame looks kind'a "meh" until I bolt on the gorgeous anodized quarter rounds.

Huge great looking case on the horizon..its amazing how those two pieces of quarter rounds transform the basic frame..great work so far

Spotswood · 3rd Jun 2011, 04:47

The 5.25-inch drive bay rails finally came back from a local fabricator.

And a 140x4 rad arrived in the shop.

17th Apr 2011, 22:30	#1
Spotswood Custom PC case builder Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Always in the shop, New Hampshire, USA Posts: 235	Project: Aluminum Water Cooling Case This is a project/build log for an aluminum case designed specifically for a large water cooled rig, specifically: 3 x 140x4 radiators 1 140x3 radiator 10-slot motherboard tray So far, the aluminum constituting the frame of the case has been cut: Stay tuned! __________________ Rich Custom Case Builder Last edited by Nexxo; 22nd Apr 2011 at 17:11.

18th Apr 2011, 07:10	#2
Nexxo There is no rep for awesomeness. Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 22,680	Project log should contain pics of work in progress, please. Moved to Modding... __________________ "You actually hope to achieve your ideals, I just use mine as an excuse to hate everything" --specofdust "Right wing Republicans, all the murderousness of nut-job Iranian ayatollahs, none of the bearded coolness" --specofdust

18th Apr 2011, 07:38	#3
Wicked_Sludge My eyes! The goggles do nothing! Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: C:\USA\Washington Posts: 2,212	thats a lot of cooling. do you know what hardware is going in it yet? __________________ My Rig: Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3\|Intel Core i5 750 @ 4.0Ghz\|12GB G.Skill Ripjaws DDR3 1600\|XFX HD5870\|2x Barracuda 1TB RAID 1 Fiancées Rig: Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD3\|Intel Core i5 2500k @ 4.0Ghz\|12GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1600\|XFX HD5770 Xtreme\|Samsung F3 1TB

22nd Apr 2011, 17:12	#5
Nexxo There is no rep for awesomeness. Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 22,680	...and there's the project log. Moving right back... __________________ "You actually hope to achieve your ideals, I just use mine as an excuse to hate everything" --specofdust "Right wing Republicans, all the murderousness of nut-job Iranian ayatollahs, none of the bearded coolness" --specofdust

22nd Apr 2011, 17:13	#6
KidMod-Southpaw Making You Feel Old Since 2010 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Wigan Posts: 10,069	That's going to be an absolute monster of a case! Great start. __________________ Project Logs: Refraction - Steampunk Flash Drive Silverstone PS07 - Asus M4A88TD M EVO - AMD X6 1055T - Asus 7790 Cu 1GB - 8GB Corsair Vengeance - Xonar DG - M4 128GB - Frio - Antec 650W - Dell U2312HM X2 - Poker MX Red - Sennheiser HD 598 - IcyBox3219 (WD Red 1TB X2) "The fear in my eyes when my lass almost opened contacts, and with the name Alessandro, yours comes up very near the top." - Blazza181

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22nd Apr 2011, 17:58	#7
Gravitea What's a Dremel? Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 10	I have a quick question, you are using U channel aluminum for your frame, how much stronger is it compared to angle aluminum? Also, can 3mm angled aluminum be strong enough to make a watercooling case? Thanks

23rd Apr 2011, 06:27	#9
StonieX Multimodder Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Austria Posts: 86	Nice work on the main frame . It looks pretty solid and decent. I also think the U-channel were a good choice because of the stability against twisting

23rd Apr 2011, 18:28	#10
nlancaster Multimodder Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 115	1/16th aluminum is plenty strong enough to build an entire case from. Just have to have some triangluation built in. Either angled braces or some form of solid plate. and example would be the mid play in a Lian-li style case, and the motherboard tray. Attach those plates along at least three sides and the case will stand up great. And be lightweight. Spotswood, I love your idea for scre blocks in the aluminum channel. I will have to still it for future builds. Where did you get the quarter round extruded aluminum parts?

23rd Apr 2011, 21:38	#11
voigts Hypermodder Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 796	You are really keeping busy these days. very nice as always Rich. __________________ Previous Project: Zenith Antique Radio Scratch Build Current project: Project Quintessence

23rd Apr 2011, 22:55	#13
Nexxo There is no rep for awesomeness. Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 22,680	The young should respect the rules. Nexxo __________________ "You actually hope to achieve your ideals, I just use mine as an excuse to hate everything" --specofdust "Right wing Republicans, all the murderousness of nut-job Iranian ayatollahs, none of the bearded coolness" --specofdust

15th May 2011, 22:13	#14
Spotswood Custom PC case builder Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Always in the shop, New Hampshire, USA Posts: 235	The two shelves were cut from a .10-inch thick 5052 via my trusty router, a straight edge and a downcut spiral bit. At the back corners of the shelves, two .5x1-inch cutouts were routed out via a temporary router jig. The rounded inside corner left by the .5-inch flush router bit were filed square. FWIW, here's the difference in the thickness of the aluminum sheeting I use compared to everyone else. Finally, a mockup of the shelf inside the frame of the case:

15th May 2011, 23:56	#16
Waynio Keep calm & mod on. =) Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Posts: 4,592	Spotswood, you give me faith that I don't need an expensive mill & instead just need to buy a router & get good at using it & making custom jigs. What is the thickest aluminium you have routed? also do you have to do it in gradually deeper depths like a couple of mm at a time?. Your cases rock sturdy & great looking . +rep __________________ Air Cube v2 and gaming tower (Fin Aug 2010) Stealthlow (Fin Sep 2011) Lean & Green - Modular Dual PC Paused Midlag Crisis

16th May 2011, 00:24	#18
Waynio Keep calm & mod on. =) Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: UK Posts: 4,592	Thanks for the useful info Rich . Wow it must be fun making mad extreme cases . __________________ Air Cube v2 and gaming tower (Fin Aug 2010) Stealthlow (Fin Sep 2011) Lean & Green - Modular Dual PC Paused Midlag Crisis

3rd Jun 2011, 04:47	#20
Spotswood Custom PC case builder Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Always in the shop, New Hampshire, USA Posts: 235	The 5.25-inch drive bay rails finally came back from a local fabricator. And a 140x4 rad arrived in the shop. __________________ Rich Custom Case Builder

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