My first modding project, so here goes: Starting a scratch build soon, I've got all the components as well as a big pile of alum sheets to work with. I am getting a little bored with same ol', same 'ol grampa's ATX tower designs, so I decided to go in a slightly... different direction: This is NOT a blueprint, it is a sketch. What I really need an opinion on is whether it would be appropriate/necessary to have some reinforced corners on this thing... I figure the HDD/ODD/PSU enclosure in the front will be fine, but the rest of it seems a little iffy to me. Maybe the aluminum is stronger than I think, though. Everything is going to be held together with nut rivets. Gritty, right? The hardest part of this is definitely going to be placing the mobo tray properly and securely. EDIT: I'll fix that pic later... not sure why that didn't work.
I think you should be fine if you use L-channel or whatever they call it for the frame. Maybe a support piece in the middle of each panel too.
If the aluminum is thick enough, like about 3mm, The top could be done without extra support. It would need to be made with one piece of metal and bent, though. All of the seams can be closed with a extra tab folded in the original sheet. (I'm rambling again...) I guess what I'm trying to say is a one piece design should give you all the structural strength you need, as long as you're not working with paper-thin aluminum. Try putting together a scaled down version with posterboard.
I'm using this stuff. Only 1mm thick... recommended to me by someone much more experienced than myself. I'm sure I could come up with a way to reinforce that point that would look classy as well. Hmm... how to make an accent piece that doubles in functionality... I don't think my alum is quite bit enough to make it one piece, but now an idea for how to get away with doing the top and sides with one piece and the rear with another is formulating in my head... hmmm.... Ok, hopefully work can start this weekend. Step one: eviscerate my old desktop to get the mobo tray and rear plate.
I don't think that would really suit the style I'm going for. I have an idea of how to do the metal so that it would reinforce strong enough, but it's too hard to explain in words. Oh well, this is going to be one of the last things I do anyway, so the pictures when I get there will do well enough.
working as a sheet metal fabricator, I can tell you you're gonna have a lot of issues making that all out of sheet. it could be strong enough made just from sheet to withstand normal wear and tear and won't collapse under it's own weight. This is also determined by how thick of metal you work with, if you made it out of 1/2" aluminum it would stop small caliber bullets. however the thicker it is the heavier and more difficult it is to work with. Sheet metal becomes relatively rigid and strong when bent and rolled, less so for the non work hardenable alloys. However bend up a shape that complex, or even putting tabs on it to rivit would be a headache in terms of fit up. I strongly reccommend you consider building a frame out of L channel or square tubing and then riveting a "skin" of thinner aluminum sheet onto the surface. Just looking at the sketch you would have to ask yourself how are you going to cut those more complex shapes? and what type of tolerance are you able to maintain. In my experience building a L frame and then putting a skin on top allows a lot more tolerance and lee-way.
