Scratch Build – In Progress Project: Studded

I'm starting a new mod entirely of diamond steel sheet metal. I want the entire motherboard to be covered with the plating, except for the CPU socket, RAM, and PCIE card just like the new P67 Sabertooth motherboard.



Question: How do I nearly lay sheet metal across the board without causing a short? Is there some kind of substrate I can layer under the Diamond steel so it doesn't come in direct contact with the motherboard?

 

Some form of insulator like thin rubber or plastic should do it, other than that, I don't know.
Anyway, ANOTHER PROJECT? Do you want six of your mods in MOTM at once?

 

a lot of people will just screw a stand off into the motherboard stand off then mount their cover plate onto that. should be enough space to avoid anything coming into contact with the metal plate. otherwise if you need it closer to the board, like kidmod said, something to insulate like rubber or nylon should do it.

 

Personally I wouldn't risk using stand offs... especially not with something as critical as a mobo.

One thing you could do is paint the back side with a thin layer of epoxy. Epoxy is a non conductive resin so no shorts could pass to the steel. Though you would have to make sure you didn't miss any spots. Truthfully I think your best bet is just to put a thin layer of plastic/rubber behind it as Southpaw said. Plenty of non conductive materials that you could use either in a film or a sheet.

 

+1 on the plastic sheet behind it
you should try it on an old mobo first and see how it goes.

 

Yeah, I'm thinking rubber may make it too hot under there

 

I use HDPE plastic binders you get from office supply stores. It's tough enough to withstand all the nasty bumps on the bottom of the mobo.

 

You could use the standoffs that are regularly used below the motherboard to create some space between the motherboard and the sheet metal. Maybe use 2 standoffs on each other, as they nicely screw into each other anyway. Should be a nice and simple solution for your question.

 

Mylar is a very good insulator, which drum heads and I believe clear wrapping is made from.

 

If it's not thick enough, I think mylar would melt. I have some thin plexi I can use. First I need to figure out what motherboard I'm molding this after

 

From here, melting point is >250 degree Celsius.

 

if thats the case I would hope it would be ok otherwise you've got some troublesome temps going on inside that steel box