Scratch Build – In Progress Mobile Family Entertainment Unit (ended)

Introduction​

Well, the needs for having a stationary pc in the house has long passed. With two kids and a fulltime dayjob, there's not much room for any hardcore gaming sessions.

We could have converted to laptop-ism, but since i do manage to squeeze in a couple of hours of gaming here and there - and even the wife likes the performance from my machine, i decided to do something different...

I have build a computer unit on wheels that we can drive to where it's needed, living room couch area, dining area, bedroom, childrens bedroom - and then put it away out of sight when it's not needed.

Hardware specs​

• 3570k @4.2ghz auto volt
• * Cooler Master 240 seidon *
• Gigabyte z77mx-d3h matx
• Gigabyte 660 ti OC (one of 2 cards from sli, the other one has died)
• Corsair 2x4gb low profile 2100mhz
• Silverstone Sx500-lg
• Cooler Master Seidon 240
• 3x Noctua nf-p12 1300 rpm
• Samsung 120gb 840 ssd / 500gb Samsung Spinpoint
• Microsoft all in one media keyboard (for the mobility of the case)
• Microsoft xbox 360 wired controller (for couch gaming )

The build ​

I took this bookcase on wheels that my daughter does not use anymore;


Build an alu frame with help from my dad ;


Migrated my hardware to the new home;


And put the case in the shelve;


Now bare with me here; this was "finished" in a race against the clock, since we don't own a tv and the pc is then used for "Dora the explorer" dvd's and other children sruff - so more pictures will follow as i finish and tidy up the case...

TODO list​

• * Mount hdd's and dvd drive inside the case...!!! *
• Finalize cable management
• Mount mechanical harddrives somehow
• Paint the chassis black
• Actually mount powerbutton... DONE!

 

1000 watts in that little thing? really? You could sell it and buy a brand new one that would be more suitable with the money that thing would fetch.

Love the idea of the portable computer, something i mite think about doing when i move into my new place.

 

i got the psu at a lowered price to run 2 660 ti's in sli - sadly one card has died on me, so yeah, it's way overkill now...

I had an eye on an sfx unit at a lowered price this week, but it went back up again before i got it cleared with my better half

still looking to replace it - though not many people are interested in such a psu at that level of power...
and if so, would buy newer more capable units from other brands...

 

Clever idea. Also I'd always buy the highest wattage PSU possible, even when you don't need it. An underrevved PSU is a cool running PSU is a quiet PSU.

 

thanks mate
The actual looks and the build quality is nothing compared to your work, so luckily it's concealed inside the shelves...

The psu - even in this enclosure makes no sound at all. I was worried that the wooden enclosure might amplify any vibration and sound that the aluminum frame might project - but none of the components make any sound AT ALL

- and ofcourse, if i ever get any money (highly unlikely) i still retain headroom to revert back to sli...

 

True, but it wont be a happy PSU.
Having a overkill PSU means it will never run efficiently.

PSU's are most comfortable running around 75% load. Any lower your efficiently can go below 80%, meaning over 20% of the power used by the PSU is wasted.
If you sold it and got a lower power PSU with platinum rating, it would be something like 92% efficient, only leaving 8% wasted power.

So your 1000w PSU, will be drawing around 300w's in that box, meaning it will cost a lot more to run than it would with a more suitable PSU at around 450w.

Just thought id put that out there lol, really does not matter for this project log.

 

I have no idea if anyone is even interested in something as low tech and non sponsored like this - but here's a small update:

While i had the hw out, i thought i would take a picture of the empty insides. The plate is from an old steel case that was found at the local recycling center, and cannibalized for this project. It is mounted using countersunk screws - just like how the aluminum angles for the frame.


The power button had finally been mounted!
I took the bottom off the steel case. It had 4 big dents in the bottom as feet. Using an angle grinder, the top was taken off of one of the dents, then with the help of a sinking drill, the diameter of the hole was made big enough for a 19mm lamptron vandal switch. A plate with the hole was made to fit the bottom of the case in one corner - using a screw for the frame, another was countersunk to make the plate sit tight like so:


A hole was drilled through the bottom of the bookcase, so the children aren't drawn to the blue ring when the machine is turned on...

 

This is exactly what this site is all about, homebrew modding - keep on sharing.

Most sponsored builds are rubbish anyway, usually just a newly painted high end case with components being added, this is more like what we want to see on bit-tech.

 

Well, at least that is encouraging

 

unexpected update

So, my little boy fell asleep in my arms after finishing his bottle, which meant that i could squeeze in time for a little addition to the shelving unit. And since the weather has suddenly turned decent here, i took it outside

"If you like it then you should put a handle on it"

 

This is an excellent mod mate
Love it.

Much prefer a functional mod than a ooh-look-shiny-mod...

 

Thanks, a comment like that is very encouraging


At the moment i know that this is not much of an actual build log, but rather a look at what i have already made. I do have a couple of pictures of the process of building the aluminum frame itself - and it seems there might be interest in this build after all - atleast enough to warrent a more detailed look at the heart of the mod. I will take some time to resize the pictures i have, and make a more detailed build update.

 

1k+ views! - really didn't think that would happen...

Well, there seems to be a moderate interest in this build, so i'm going to show a little more of the build-process, so i guess it's:

Backlog Time!

This is the last desk setup i had. Stationary, way too big and in the way


This is how the whole idea started out. The pc was being packed away - because the desk was too big, and we needed the space for a shelving unit - so i made this temporary setup


Once the gears started turning, i made a cardboard model to see what measure of space i was dealing with




Fast forward a couple of months, and i successfully sourced some aluminum angle (30x30x3mm) for a very nice price - which meant the actual construction began


the front and back are 2 lengths with 3 snippets cut out, which are then bend into a rectangle


these 2 rectangles are then connected in each corner to make a cube like shape
each corner is bolted with countersunk screws.

Here you can see a corner. This shows, the mesh used on the front and back. It shows the countersunk screws which holds the frame together. And lastly it shows how i cable manage the insides of the case: 2 small holes are drilled, a cable twister is then inserted


Hardware update
I have finally found a buyer for my 1kw psu, my old tower, some extra fans i had and a fan controller. Together this allowed me to place an order on a Silverstone sx500-lg.
The smaller size of the new psu means, that i will be able to move some components around inside the case, and squeeze in some extra harddrives

 

Sweet! Well played that man. Love the alu work

 

Not really an update, more an excitement status of 11!

Got my new psu - currently trying to decide if i want to keep the positioning or maybe spruce things up a bit. The smaller size opens up for some new possibilities:


The 500w suits the build a lot more than 1kw - as mentioned above - and the chances of me ever going to sli / xfire again, are slim to none...

Additionally i tried to capture a picture of my vandal switch through the bottom of the case. So far the placement has worked great - my daughter knows where it is, but she can't quite figure out what i'm doing when i turn on the machine:

 

Nice solid project.

 

Thank you
Trying my best to make what i got work out.

I really wish i had taken some more pictures during the build - especially of the powerbutton plate, but maybe in another build in the future. For now i have 3 steel feet left to make "countersunk vandal switch mounts" out of

Next work update will hopefully happen some time in the weekend.
TODO Update:

• mount monitor more solidly
• mount plate on the back of the book case to hide external cables
• cable manage the room next to the computer (houses external hdd's and a powerbar)
• show of more of the exterior
• make a final mount of my new psu

 

F*ck!

SORRY FOR ALL THE RANDOM UPDATES!!!

the cogs have started turning again...

i find myself very inspired by random log-obsession - specifically scratch builds - and after building this, i am feeling more and more confident.

i need to build myself a suitcase pc, aint no doubt about it!
i do not have a flight case laying about (i would want it to be sturdy and padded) or a pci-e riser (wouldn't want a suitcase of abnormal height...) - so i will start sourcing new material for such a build...

i will however finish this build in the meantime - and i may have a potential new owner for this build! - but that's getting ahead of myself...

enough with all the smileys, i'm off to studying suitcase builds

 

First off, my wireless accessories;


Actual update time!
I have made a hardmount of the monitor using an old dual monitor table stand i have from an old setup;

I also mounted the cutout for the puter as a double purpose cable shroud / management
* EDIT * and ziptied my wireless usb modem on top of the monitor arm - out of reach of little fingers;


And i mounted a powerbar in the side room and am using the screwmountings for the backplate as cable posts;

 

Lovely work