Scratch Build – In Progress 7CUBED (updated Jan 20th)

Hi everyone, welcome to 7Cubed


I recently got out of the planning stages and onto building and hardware.

First a brief rundown of my idea,

A perfect (well kinda, you'll see) 7" cube the houses a mini itx motherboard, all the standards and is water cooled. The material is 1/8" steel welded together.

Inspirations for this case are: Oliverw92 (and more specifically his MINIME case), Janik M. aka Xien16 and http://www.million-dollar-pc.com/sys...-janik/037.htm, and many others.

if you want to see about in some more detail the design challenges that faced this project see
http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=194611


Current state




Hardware
Core i3 530
H55N-usb3 motherboard
Nvidia 8400gs (until something better comes out)
Corsair 4gb ddr3 dominator at 1600mhz
Lite on slot load dvd burner

For some visuals


Sides which will be CNC plasma cam cut
Right

Holes are for cords and tubes that will run outside of case because of the 1/20" space between the sides and the motherboard.
Don't worry they will look purty

Top

with grill and 120mm or koolance 140mm
back will also be cut But I don't have a picture sorry.


Okay enough with the conceptual time for some hardware


the base

an h55n


I think it's funny how they have a whole page warning you that integrated graphics will only work with the i3's and certain i5's


The PSU it's so cute. It's also an FSP270 flex atx


A lite on slod load dvd writer, I must thank asura for this idea


Slim sata adapter


Installed with corsair dominator memory


and an i3 530 to top it all of, IT"S MY FIRST INTEL CPU AND IT"S SO SMALL


Checking to make sure everything's in order


Yep, thats as far as I can go since I don't have a 2.5" hardrive until I can transfer data off my portable one.


a pizza box mokup of the case

Okay for some real hardware

Got at my local ACE hardware, they have an amazing selection of bolts and screws for being little and in the middle of nowhere.
From left to right they are 6-32 1/4" brass standoffs (i actually had these, and if anyone knows where I can find some non shiny or gold ones, where I don't have to order 100 please let me know) 6-32 3/8" hex head bolt, m3 button head hex bolt, m4 hex head bolt (15mm) and m4 hex head bolt (40mm).

Thanks for looking I'll have pics of the beginning stages up by tomorrow.

 

Update:9/27

Hi,

Well I went to the shop on Sunday and got some parts cut out and tacked together with a tig welder, sorry I don't have any pictures of the process but here is the final result.








Ran into a slight problem, while doing the drawings I had a strike of ID (intermittent dyslexia), the width of the psu is supposed to be 3.25 but i typed 3.52, I don't know how I missed it on my precut check, I guess because it's such a simple cut (only depends on one part) i didn't check it well enough. I'm even madder because it wasn't a planning error just a stupid typing error, and I didn't even notice when I checked all dimensions.

Needless to say now it's a quarter inch to wide, i am thinking of ways to deal with this or I might cut a new part. Right know my idea is to make a hinged PSU bracket (hinge goes where the hole is) so that the psu can slide out backwards. But I need to find away to secure the hinge when I don't want it swinging any thoughts would be great.

have a look



Thanks

 

Looks like it's coming together.... I'm working on something similar, but by fitting into a Shuttle case, rather than building from scratch, so I'm reading with great interest.

 

Thanks, It is coming together slowly, filing all those cable holes takes forever because I have to use small finish files.

Ohh, and in case your interested the back panel is going to be remade, and if anybody has any thoughts on the vents for the side panel please let me know. Should they match the top vent, or the side cable holes?

 

I like your design, it looks very robust.

 

Despite my scepticism....I'm glad you stuck with your 7" concept

I'll be watching this one

 

Thanks, I am going for a "tough" industrial/military look contrasted by light blue and white

Thanks, I'm glad I stuck with it too, it gives this project another defining element.


As for updates I've been super busy, but I have been working. I just don't think you guys want to see a bunch of pictures of me filing and sanding, it takes forever on steel

 

Update:10/16

Sorry it's been awhile, I've been really busy, but I have got some stuff done.

I filled and drilled out the cord holes, and I practiced cutting the sata connectors to fit.

I also received a pci-e extender and a 4 pin extender, courtesy of ebay




This needs some work, as it sticks out too far, and it doesn't fit in the dimensions. Sanding will take care of that.

I also cut out and tapped tabs that will be welded to the sides, and where the standoffs will get screwed in.



The front left standoff will get screwed into a post (because the left and front are doors) that is attached to the bottom, unfortunately tapping a hole in .25 steel square rod is difficult, as these two taps can attest too, it has yet to be conquered.



On another note I got the new back cut out and the left (one with the grill) and the front cut out, the left and front still haven't been finished.



these will be welded together separately and will open off of hinges on the back

 

It's also good to see a fellow weldor. May the bright blue light be with you.

 

Yeah rivets are overrated

I haven't ever TIG welded though (and that's what I plan on using) I'm hopefully going out to the shop tomorrow and maybe I'll start learning (I have a lot of other stuff to get done on this first)

I'm good at OA and I hear that helps but TIG is hard, if I'm not any good I'll probably have someone else do it for me.

 

Great start! Sub'd!

 

I tried TIG... It requires lots of concentration (filler, torch, and foot pedal.) I prefer MIG or Stick though.

 

Thanks, I hope it has a great finish to

Yeah MIG all the way, though it's not as easy as people who don't really know say it is. Sure it's easy on .25" plate running a bead. But on corners in weird positions where with 22guage and 4 inch tube, it gets difficult.

I'm probably not going to use mig because the welds are just to much, tig looks a lot nicer and is more low profile. There is one guy at the shop who is really good, I might just have him do the finish welds (right now I'm just tacking)

 

This is coming together good, and looks interesting to me. looks like itx is the new e-atx! I'll watch this. I wish you luck!

 

Thanks,

I already have an E-atx case, and figured I don't need another one.

I'm also watching your project, can't wait to see more of it

 

Awesome friend! hehe. Very cool thing will come soon.

 

Cool little project ya got goin' here, can't wait to see more!

 

Sorry It's been a while, I've been really busy. But thanks for all your support.

I created a mobo template so I can weld all the tabs in the right places.



See like this,


one tab mounted

 

Hi,

I Got all the tabs welded on in the right place as well as the coluom, After i got it tapped. ( I cheated and went up a drill bit size to make it easier, not as tight as fit but a lot easier and works for my purposes).

Here's some pictures






Pretty tig welds


Everything installed


I've got one hole for the psu drilled out, more to come

So long

 

Looking good so far! Love tiny builds like this The welding gives a nice change from rivets too as was mentioned above me. Great work!