Scratch Build – In Progress Project: Large Wooden Tower - Finished!

Very nice indeed.

 

Please don't paint it

 

Base moulding

I completed the base molding which is just a piece of 3/4x3-inch red oak that extends out from underneath the entire case by 3/8-inch. Adding the bottom molding really helped to balance the case visually.

 

Radiator Ventilation

Holes large enough to ventilate quad radiators were routed out of both side panels. Perforated aluminum sheet (0.063" thick, 0.1875" dia. holes, 0.25" stagger) was then temporarily applied.

 

Is it nearly done then? It looks so clean an professional, great job!

 

Can't wait to see some hardware in this beast... but you're shipping it to your client unassembled, right?

 

@stonedsurd - Yes, the case is basically done. All that's left are a ton of little details then need to be completed though.

@Kaldskryke - I'm fortunate to have also been contracted to install most of the water cooling hardware (basically anything that would require a hole to be drilled.)

Here's what a quad radiator looks like in the case:

 

Your woodworking and attention to detail are excellent. Very straight, clean work. One thing however bothers me about the case. To me is just looks so plain. It honestly looks like a wooden box. Have you given any thought to or considered a way to set it apart a bit so that it doesn't look quite so box-like, or do you even think this is an issue?

I have been hesitating to say anything, but I know that even if I don't agree with constructive criticism that I have gotten on my few projects, the input always makes me think.

 

i like this it is simple, maybe would have routed a pattern round the top piece and round the stand to make it more furniture like. thats why its best box like as it will easily blend in with house furniture and not be noticed as a pc.

 

nice thing i like it
what about the cpu backplate acces hole? maybe you should route it in the wood too

 

My client and I worked through many design revisions to get to where we are today. The original/standard design could accommodate four loops.



But he only wanted two loops so the design had to be modified to suit his needs. After removing the bottom ventilation holes, my client thought that the case looked too plain. Which then led to extending the top past the sides of the case.



But that made the case look top heavy, so we added some bottom molding:



With that, the case is exactly what he wants.

 

No better feeling than when a client/customer says "Just what I wanted!" Well done

john

 

Really looks awesome man. Great work. This has given me some ideas for a wooden case of my own.

Looking forward to the finished product pictures.

 

Well in that case that is exactly the best thing to do.

 

There are 10 tasks left to be completed before I can declare this case D.O.N.E. Three of those tasks involve the front panel. To fasten the front panel to the case I wanted to use a more elegant/unobtrusive mechanism. I decided on attaching it with some powerful rare earth magnets (1/2" dia. x 1/8" thick; grade N52; black nickel plated).



Two magnets (for double the holding power) were super-glued flush into the case, around all four corners.



Steel washers were glued flush around the front panel.




Alignment/guide blocks were also glued to the inside of the panel.



And two grooves were routed out of the top of the panel so headset wires, etc. have a place to pass through.

 

I thought it was too difficult to unscrew/screw the screws that fasten the false backs to the shelves without stripping them, so I went ahead and installed some brass threaded inserts for #6-32 bolts.



In the picture above, you can also see a 1/2-inch spacer that is used to fasten the removable motherboard tray to the false back.

The back was modified with a slot along its bottom and another at the top (for an 8-pin power lead).







From the inside of the case, you can see how the bottom slot straddles the bottom edge of the motherboard tray perfectly.

 

I bolted casters (twin-wheel with hood, 2-3/8" nylon wheels) to the bottom of the separate molding piece. The case is now 5/8-inch up off the floor.

 

cool a hovering woodden case
landspeeder style

 

Looking good

 

Completed the Remaining Metalwork

I fabricated the aluminum power supply mounting plate using a plate from another case as a pattern. The pattern was used to guide my router fitted with a 1/4-inch carbide pattern bit:



A plate for the power switch and an intake fan was also routed out of aluminum, via a custom made template:




The final results: