How come no one builds their pc cases anymore?

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mikekosk

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Sep 24, 2006
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really, in the spirit of DIY, how come nobody does it? my case, whch i made 2 years ago is a 3ft brushed aluminum cube and a cheapy antec motherboard tray. it offers so much more flexibility than a standerd case. If you ask at home depot, they can actually make the frame for you, leaving you with cutting out the holes
 
A lot of people simply do not want to be bothered with building their own case.Including me.lol.Anyways,I think most either have no time or no inclination to build a case.But hey,good food for thought.Maybe we can get a contest going.Find a company like evga or ocz to sponsor it.Goodluck.

Dahak


AMD X2-4400+@2.4 S-939
EVGA NF4 SLI MB
2X7800GT IN SLI
2X1GIG DDR IN DC MODE
WD300GIG HD
EXTREME 19IN.MONITOR 1280X1024
ACE 520WATT PSU
COOLERMASTER MINI R120
 
I've modded my own cases a bit e.g. cutting holes for, and installing top fan, perspex window /w side fan and installing mirrors in the case and stuff but building a case from scratch seems like a bit too much of an effort. None the less it would feel good to know that you've done it. However the next case i buy will not be touched, hopeing for a P180-B, something almost perfect that wont need changes (im over pretty lights and clear cases, looking for something stylish and quiet :wink: ).
 
I've thought about it, One of my friends sandblasts glass and plexiglass, lexan.

I was thinking about building one out of glass but I haven't figured out how do design it to secure everything inside. Maybe a lexan chassis so it would be clear... Any Ideas?

Does anyone know how to make a computer case EMP proof?
 
One of my ambitions has always been (since i started building pc's about 8 years ago anyway) to build a computer with no case, simply having all the components mounted onto the ugliest, flat piece of plywood i could find, and then hang/mount the plywood on my wall. I'm sure nothing somebody hasn't already thought of and done no doubt. I just thought it would be a cool idea.

It would be fun to answer the question, "What's THAT!?"


"Oh, that's my computer," I'd casually say.

Of course this is something that I'll probably always dream about but never actually do. So hopefully someone will read this and actually do it.

Good post.
 
I mounted a PC in a VB flat once... Had to open up one side for the cables. Other than that, worked fine for a month until my case arrived.

Looking back, that was a piece of shite case, should have stuck with the VB flat. (Come to think of it, I need to get another VB flat and ditch this current shite excuse for a case!)
 
My god! That's ingenious! WIll have to do that on the next build!!! Will have to add dead rodents for an authentic feel. Sorry, not just saying this I WILL DO THIS 😀 ON MY NEXT BUILD! No if's or but's, will do this!

Don't even need to worry bout size, just find some timber and then place to you heart content!! If it's too small then add some more timber.
 
If you were going to go through all that trouble and build your own case, why not go all the way, make a larger box, get a wall-mounted A/C unit, and attach it... voila, best cooling system ever...

Or the PC in a minifridge... as long as you can get around the condensation issue...
 
Not gonna build me own case...Gonna put components onto a piece of timber and then mount it on the wall!

What would be best is to find a piece that's a bit worse for ware and have it's own rustic effect.
 
Like a lot of things that people used to do a lot of ...such as working on their own cars and modding them....many people just lack the time, tools and patience to design their own cases.

Lets face it, it is just easier to get precisely machined prebuilt boxes where everything just fits the first time.

When I was a kid they had shop classes in school...now neither of my kids has a shop class in their school...nor do they have a drafting or mechanical drawing course, these used to be required courses...now you hardly ever see them.

Yeah yeah I know....Im old.
 
You can look here I can't verify how accurate the information is but its a start.

http://www.aussurvivalist.com/nuclear/empprotection.htm

You could also probally try what I belive is called a Faraday (I have no idea how to spell that) Screen, similar to what was seen in Enemy of the State also used on mythbusters, it is just a large metal screen that blocks radio waves again I am no electrical engineer but since and EMP is from my understanding a super powerfull radio wave blast that screen should provide some protection. Also I would think that just unplugging what you dont want destroyed should also help protect you from an EMP provided the EMP is not really really powerful. I don't know how accurate any of the above info is but it seems possible that some or all of it would work.
 
Best way to prevent a EMP is too retaliate first... therefore nuke all the countries with nukes, and then you don't have to worry about it anymore.
 
I've thought about it, One of my friends sandblasts glass and plexiglass, lexan.

I was thinking about building one out of glass but I haven't figured out how do design it to secure everything inside. Maybe a lexan chassis so it would be clear... Any Ideas?

Does anyone know how to make a computer case EMP proof?
Click to expand...

Use wires. Lots of them. That would work.
 
I'm wondering if they make the cases out of metal in order to keep out radio waves or to keep in the radio frequencies generated by the PC electronics...
 
really, in the spirit of DIY, how come nobody does it? my case, whch i made 2 years ago is a 3ft brushed aluminum cube and a cheapy antec motherboard tray. it offers so much more flexibility than a standerd case. If you ask at home depot, they can actually make the frame for you, leaving you with cutting out the holes
Click to expand...
And what made ya' wimp out and use a pre-made motherboard tray?

Oh well, it's just a whole lot of work really, much easier to buy something made in mass quantities by hoardes of underpaid offshore labor I suppose.

Getting the motherboard and PSU to sit right isn't too challenging. Making the rear apron for the expansion cards is a bit more challening. And fashioning support for the various storage bits can be quite a bit of effort as well.

And not all of us have regular access to a machine shop!

Your post gives me plenty of interesting ideas, none of which I would be able to pursue really, but I'm thinking of wooden computer cases to emulate the appearance of early 20th century radio receiver consoles. Or even bakelite with some Art Deco touches, for folks who wax nostalgic over that era. A retro case with flickery orange neon bulbs, dim yellowish incandescent backlighting and brass accents would really stand out uniquely in this day of colorful, comical plastic cases and super contemporary brushed aluminum alloys.

Easiest thing would probably be to buy a case, keep the framework and internals, and either bond a facade to the case or toss it entirely and build a new exterior completely.

If someone here builds this, mention my name as your inspiration and email pictures to me!

Additionally this topic has grown a few tangents, one in particular being EMP and RFI. With that, one thing that bothers me greatly about the use of acrylics for case exteriors, is that unless it's treated with some kind of conductive coating (like IBM pioneered with the PS/2 I think), these computers end up generating huge amounts of electrical interference and can disturb reception in nearby radio devices. Consider that today's processor frequencies are very close to the radio frequencies of 802.11g and Bluetooth. Don't assume that just because you don't listen to radio and your TV is on cable, that you're immune. Besides, if your neighbor can no longer watch Desperate Housewives he or she is legally entitled to bug the crap out of you until the situation is rectified.

And here's a few links for the paranoid...

http://www.unitedstatesaction.com/emp-terror.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu-metal

http://www.cecer.army.mil/facts/sheets/FL16.html

-Brad
 
Personally, and I target no one in particular, I think most people lack the capacity to do it. It sounds worse that what I intended but that's how I feel.
 
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