Hi everyone, Im planign my first ever scratch build so advice will be very well received! Im hoping to create a system based around an MATX board with the emphasis on size and silence but using air cooling. Ive done some very rough sketches basically ending up with a cube a bit wider than a normal MATX case for cable routing. The PSU optical and storage will be underneath the motherboard, the case its self will be made from wood as im better working wood than i am metal. Ill post sketches when i get chance to scan them in but any advice would be very useful!
First advice I can give is to try out Google Sketchup and make a design in there. I is much easier to view and change on the design too.
My advice would be to try to plan the whole case in detail, especially as you state that size is one of the the factors (I assume you want it as small/compact as possible). Sketchup is a very good tool that's pretty easy to learn. I had a basic understanding of it in an hour or so, and I have never worked with 3D modelling before. Regardless of what you sketch with, make sure you get correct measurements for the components that you'll put in the case. Another tip would be to not try to make an too complicated design at first. The case I'm building right now have evolved over more than a year, and the first designs were way too complicated and intricate for a first time builder like me, so I have gradually simplified and refined the design. But that's not saying that you shouldn't aim high, just know your limits and don't try to push them too far.
Thanks guys yeah the idea is keep it small, complex i do a lot of which isnt good. Planning to put a lot of thought into this. Been looking into how to reduce noise by decoupling components using various forms of sound proofing. Material wise as mentioned will be wood, more than likely ply for basic rigidity with perspex windows. I already have a couple of hard drive, optical drives coolers. Monday ive a new AM3+ board arriving for my main rig so ill have the MATX one to play with get a better idea of layout. I will probably use a motherboard tray for ease or work the rest will be custom fabrication. This will be a slow build though, i dont get vast amounts of spare time with work and other commitments. though im hoping to add something a bit interesting to it. I did look at sketchup but i have always built from paper based designs. I will sit down and do some rough design sketches later and upload them when i can.
