i've been working on a design for a scratch build for months now and finally think that its almost complete. i'm posting to get some feedback and suggestions. the case will be about standard mid tower dimensions just to give you an idea of the size using black and white 1/4" cast acrylic, the white base is a 1/2" cast acrylic sheet. i'm trying to keep the exterior design clean. it was difficult to work a place to put a dvd drive into the design so i've decided on external if i need to use one. This will be the color scheme for the build also. currently not planning on any lighting, if i do decide to use lighting it will be with white led fans. the motherboard is "floating" so that i can route all my main cables underneath to keep everything clean. the hd mounting was one of the biggest problem i had, this design was inspired by Xtrafresh. i also would like to know if its possible to just use ips weld on the acrylic joints for structural integrity without building a frame. i think screws would throw off the whole thing. first shots with the side panel on now with side panels off
Wow, It makes you dizzy just looking at it. You can use just glue to hold this together, but you will need to get the angled cuts on the edges right. If you add a leg to the bottom of the HD cage that attaches it to the base, you will have more stability. I used the hardrive cages in both my plexi cases as a diagonal brace to keep the outer shell from wobbling when the sides were off. That will be a big factor here as well. You could also strengthen the seams with small plexi brackets, Which can then be used to hold the screw mounts for your removable side panels. (I just looked at the design again, Those white triangles near the back are what I was just talking about, aren't they.) You might get some sag in the back and top areas with the sides off and all the hardware mounted. I'm thinking the best way to hold this steady would be with a set of 1" strips running along the inside edges. I might just try that on the case I'm doing right now. (Can I steal back an idea I gave to someone else?) Cheapskate's rambling and crazy talk provided by: caffine.
if it makes you dizzy, is that a good thing (followed your ingenious and unorthodox "bloo balls")all the joint would be cut just right so that they will make a perfect seem, based on this article http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2008/03/14/a_modders_guide_to_acrylic/1 i thought maybe the ips weld might make a stronger joint than glue. i want to find a way to keep the hard drives "floating", i'll have a good amount of acrylic from that hard drive piece glued to the front panel (6"x3.5") but i might need to think of a way to brace it just in case. i have a few ideas on how i'm going to mount the removable panel but nothing concrete (i'll most likely want to keep that under wraps), and the other panel will probably be glued on to keep with the screw less style. any other thoughts are welcome. @Cheap- yes you can steal back the idea, it was yours to begin with
Too late. I ordered the plexi to do it already. Gluing the back access panel on is OK, but it will make mounting drives and the mobo tricky. You will need something to prevent horizontal tweaking in the HD cage. They get heavy when the drives are all in. Are you talking about the gel glue(#16? I think) or the watery stuff. The gel would be tough to apply quickly over long seams, and goops out when the joint is put together. Your best bet is to cut the edges right and use the watery solvent.
yeah i was thinking the thinner liquid, i might some how make a support near the front of the case so that i still have the effect i want. hope your idea works out for you
I use Weldon $3 - the watery stuff by the pint for the protein skimmers I build. Just smooth and smooth again and the thinner stuff will work. I hate the thick oozy stuff. John
