Alright hello and thanks for the time (even if you can't offer any help or think I'm a total scrub) So recently I've started planning a custom case that i would love to build called "happy where we are aka H.W.W.A"... basically this will be a htpc/mid-atx style case that will be relatively mobile but have quite a bit in it. The design is still in progress but need some help with design and dimensions, I have several drawings which I will post later as my scanner is nowhere to be found...those scanner gnomes :/ ) I would like the case to stay pretty compact for what it will hold.. my drawings says a 19x16x8 should be plenty of space. The material I want to use is a milled aluminum frame with steel/aluminum mesh sides/top. In my head I want to be able to: 1. Lay on it's side for a htpc look and stand for a normal mid atx look. 2. 13x13 mobo tray* 3. Sideways psu 4. Hold a trip 120mm rad or a trip 140mm rad. with only 1 set of fans. on the side/top of case ** 5. Up to 3 storage devices. will make them for a hdd but will also plan out for a ssd when i can own 1. 6. Just 1 5.25 bay, thinking about using a laptop drive as i NEVER use cds...steam Cheesecake 7. Built in speakers....these are tiny BUT have a HUGE sound*** * I want a 13x13 mobo tray because I will have this case forever pretty much and would like to have "upgrade compatibility" with these new E-atx mobo. ** watercooling would be nice BUT i need to invest in it so that will come later. for now i have a nh-c14 for cooling *** not required but a huge bonus. As for the speakers, I have a question about them.. this is the speaker LINK I was wondering if it would be possible to make them powered by a molex or two.. here is the specs. " Model Number: JOD-SAU090162 Compatible Part Number: ALTEC LANSING AMDD-20090-1600, I.T.E AMDD-20090-160A Input Voltage: AC 100-240V ~ 50/60Hz 0.45A MAX Output Voltage: 9V == 1.6A Connector: Round barrel Pin Dimensions: 2 x 5.5 x 11 mm approx. (IDxODxL) " -credit to azsurplus On a side note, sorry for any grammar problems and lack of information. oh, also sorry if my responses are slow, I have that 10 post limit for now so my posts have to get inspected by a moderator first.
If I were you, I'd try and pick up a cheap 2nd hand case that will house all your desired components, then you'll have something solid to measure. Don't take this the wrong way, but rushing into something that you don't know enough about is very risky.
i know how to work with metal and weld both aluminum and steel just fine i was just hoping to bounce some ideas with some of you guys just to make this as well as i want it to be... my craftsmanship isn't something i'm doubting because i have restored a few chargers 69,70,71 and a 69,70 camaro. (full paint, interior leather, engine work + fab of broken parts.) i know this would be a first in the computer case area but at least i know what i'm doing when it comes to metal.. i'll get the sketches up once i find my scanner.. what i'm wanting to know is if 1. the speakers will be a problem to convert to molex, i mean they run out of 4 AA bats. 2. if i should keep air cooling or go watercooling.
I'm not doubting your skills at all, just with all the considerations that have to go into a case design it's an awful lot to think about if you aren't experienced... I'd definitely say air cooling (for now, unless you plan to overclock) because it's a lot easier (not to mention significantly cheaper) than watercooling, and there's less to go wrong. With the speakers, I'm not 100% certain but molex connectors can do 5, 7 or 12v outputs and your speakers run on 6v. Have a look on google though and see what comes up.
the case design isn't too much of a problem because all i really have to do is look up the template for the rads/mobo/rear io and i should be fine. cable management will all be in the lower portion of the case and will only rout cables as needed same with ssd/hdd/5.25 bay the only problem i'm running into currently is that my scanner has gone missing so im trying to import my blueprints into daz which has me beat... never used that software before so i'm slowly learning it (which is quite the pickle) but basically the case will be 17x17x11.25" (1/8th thick) it will sort of look like this u2ufo from mountain mods except that the mobo tray will be 6" up from from the bottom and all the sides will look like the left side on this pic (but where the window and the rad is located it will be mesh) (no im not taking their design, original design but theirs is the closest to my design i can find ) for overclocking i'm not too worried because as for right now i have a 2500k at 4.7 (1.27v) and peaks at 30c under load... BUT i will be moving to brazil soon and the city where i'm going to has an average room temp of 25-30c year round... that's why i thought of water cooling. if i do go watercooling it will be 3 dual 120 black ice rads... two in the bottom portion of the case and 1 on top near 1 of 2 pumps (might not seed a second pump..) this will cool my cpu, gtx 550, and nb/sb. (my math says it will be enough rad surface for that stuff)
progress so far, decided to download 3ds max 2012 trial because i'm slightly more familiar with it and daz was whooping my butt. The light green and dark green will be a single part (different color so its easier for me to work right now) the left panel will match the left panel on the u2fo and the one on the right will be the front panel. (the other side will be solid and i still need to make the back) there will be a 1/8th inch gap between the rad and the rear/bottom of the case. also under the top rad on the left panel there will be a 17x17 panel separating the top and bottom portions of the case. it seems like its going pretty nicely especially since i only have physical drawings and i cant just set them as a reference image on 3ds max. This design allows for very few visible cables and tubing (but allowing for some to be seen from the top where i will put in a window/mesh combo. i also decided to make a skeleton of either of steel L bracket or square stock tubing and attach the side panels with some industrial looking screws. this should keep the case pretty sturdy and also give it a "ikea-ability" which allows me to dismantle the case if i need to and just build it again later. but of now imma go to sleep be cause i woke up at 3am and was never able to fall asleep again... EDIT: nvm on the whole sleeping aspect... so i got thinking about the rad layout and came up with these... with these i would need to make the frame slightly taller (that's fine because it would be by a quarter of an inch) which one doe you think i should go with? red/purple/orange/pink dot/line would be hot fluid (im color blind..picked a color that looked different from the yellow/blue/green) blue would be connected to the res then pump. yellow to the components (cpu, bridges, gpu) since the temperature reaches a equilibrium all these setups would run roughly the same temperature.
