Which I continue to source bits for my big-ass project, I decied to knock up something to keep myself happy. I decided to go for the cheapest PC possible, along with a handmade case, all on the cheap. This will probably be a very short log, I'm just making it so you guys can see waht I'm up to. You never know, it might turn into something half decent when it's done. Anyway, on with the project! eBay turned out to be my secret ally, providing me with a £1.24 motherboard and procesor, and a £3.81 PSU. The other bits were "free" (ie, lying around). Let's see what will be making up the project. Basically, all the hardware. All the bits are listed below. The bits people list in their forum signatures []. The storage bits and bobs. The add-in cards and monitor. Keyboard and mouse are elsewhere. All tested. Took a while to find the power switch's header (unlabelled heaaders, unnamed board). The bits used are: 233mhz Intel Pentium processor with MMX Technology and a whopping 512k L2 cache. Unbranded board, which was pulled from a Gateway system (according to the BIOS) 32MB+64MB RAM (can't be bothered to fetch my pack of 128MB sticks) 3GB Maxtor HDD. 16x slot loading CD-ROM drive. 500MB and 320MB Laptop drive's Floppy drive (mthe only one I have ever owned) Creative SoundBlaster 16 3Com 3C515 network controller Either a GeForce 2 MX or a Matrox G450 (you choose...no, I'm not having both) 250W Suntek PSU On to building the case...I needed something which was both totally original and completly retarded. GARDEN CANES! This stuff quite literally canes ass. Joining it together.. One side complete. Motherboard bits in place. Motherboard actually fits. The top about to be fitted. Motherboard in place So, that's it for tonight, tomorrow I shall be focusing on holding all the other bits in. Cue bamboo struts! Comments, questions, suggestings, rants, money, all posty posty []. Pics have been resized. If they are still big, hit Ctrl+F5.
A small update for tonight: PSU mounts PSU mounted A little piece to hold the expansion cards in. All done for tonight...tommorow comes the drive mounting. I got four to do, and that means three IDE cables to round and hide
You know you have a low-budget project when your opening picture is a shot of all the hardware lying around on the carpet. Ghetto-tastic!
the idea of using raw natural materials to make the case is alsmot as bad as doggeh's original lian-ply case!! but im liking the originality none the less!
A quick update, got some of the drives mounted now: Expansion cards in place. Marking and drilling the PSU cover. HDD bolted to PSU casing. And from the outside... All fitted. I'll fit the CD-ROM later today.
Thanks for the comments. An update as promised (update maddness today). Bamboo mounted on the bottom of the drive (removed so I could test-fit the canes) The CD-ROM drive mounted in the case. And a shot of the whole thing as it stands. The case looks slightly misshapen as I still haven't decided on definite sizes. When it's all done, I'll shape it properly and trim off the excess bamboo. Now I just gotta get the floppy drive and laptop drives in, and then begin wiring the thing up.
I like the idea of the bambo case its origional there is one thing that bothers me.. you dont have any grounding through the wood you might want to run a jumper wire between one of the mobo mounts to the case of the psu to make them both at the same electricaly **LAb predicts the future I bet you will be getting some mobo+cpu 600-900+ mhz for 40-50£ to stick in there
I got a 1ghz P3 system that I don't use...you can see it in one of the pictures. I don't need to upgrade...this is meant to run old DOS games . Isn't the motherboard grounded via the black wires anyway? Run a multimeter form a fan header to a screw hole, and it reads no resistance (and beeps). It also beeps when you test between a molex (black wire obviously) and the screw hole.
love the bamboo style give it a very oriental theme could this be what the first japanese computers looked like lol
