Wood Case idea/doodle

[Durvelle27]

Might be possible to make it thinner then, like 14x12 But since I don't have your hardware with me to measure its better to error on too big.

Size doesn't matter lol

 

[Vario]

Thinking about things...
So if you have 3 sides of the bottom taken up by rad where do you think/prefer HDD and PSU and the 5.25 bay should be?

I just don't think a radiator in the front lower chamber is a good idea because then you won't have space for the 5.25. And you'd probably want the 5.25 in front.

Obviously you don't want power supply in front do you? But if you were okay with that then put the 5.25 on the side next to the PSU and put the 3.5s below it.

You'd want the pump in the bottom too...

Maybe ms paint your ideal config for me.
You could do a top down view of the bottom space.

The other idea you could do is have one radiator up top which would also provide airflow to components, the other two still on the bottom with crossflow.

Since I am a WC noob and its your system you should make some diagrams and I'll draft to that.

 

[Durvelle27]

Thinking about things...
So if you have 3 sides of the bottom taken up by rad where do you think/prefer HDD and PSU and the 5.25 bay should be?

I just don't think a radiator in the front lower chamber is a good idea because then you won't have space for the 5.25. And you'd probably want the 5.25 in front.

Obviously you don't want power supply in front do you? But if you were okay with that then put the 5.25 on the side next to the PSU and put the 3.5s below it.

You'd want the pump in the bottom too...

Maybe ms paint your ideal config for me.
You could do a top down view of the bottom space.

The other idea you could do is have one radiator up top which would also provide airflow to components, the other two still on the bottom with crossflow.

Since I am a WC noob and its your system you should make some diagrams and I'll draft to that.

Yea I think case would be bigger than normal to fit rads

I'll see if I can do a sketchup myself of the bottom

 

[Durvelle27]

Tried my best

 

[dr0thegreatest]

I thought wood cases would not be too good due to static? i guess im wrong.

 

[Vario]

Tried my best

That would be pretty enormous. All the radiators side by side need between 15 and 18" of space. Did you want the radiators downfiring? I'd think it would be more efficient to have the radiators crossflow:

How about, looking from the front:
lower left side: 1 radiator (intake)
lower right side: 1 radiator (exhaust)
lower front side: 3x5.25 bay (might as well have two or three, you got the space) and hdd (could use a hot swap bay to make it look clean)
lower rear side: psu, pump
upper front side: 1 radiator (intake)
Upper right side: window
Upper left side: window
Top panel: Window or solid wood, depends on your skill, with vent slits or possibly exhaust fans/ (or a single 200m fan)

with windows:

If you could do me a favor and measure the radiators volume dimensions roughly with fans and hose barbs installed. So I can get an idea of how much depth I need to accomodate. So length, height, depth.

 

[Durvelle27]

I kind wanted glass all around except the back where the motherboard I/O will be. Also only need 1x 5.25 bay and wanted rads hidden. But amazing sketch-ups. I'll measure them once i find the tap measure

 

[D007]

Looks pretty classy with that wood finish.
Wonder how doing with a wood inlay, like the interior of a BMW, would turn out.

 

[Durvelle27]

I kind wanted glass all around except the back where the motherboard I/O will be. Also only need 1x 5.25 bay and wanted rads hidden. But amazing sketch-ups. I'll measure them once i find the tap measure

Update

1st Radiator
11.5" Long
5" Wide
3.5" Thick (With Fans)

2nd Radiator
11" Long
5" Wide
2.5" Thick (with Fans)

3rd Radiator
11" Long
5" Wide
2.5" Thick (With Fans)

 

[Vario]

Update

1st Radiator
11.5" Long
5" Wide
3.5" Thick (With Fans)

2nd Radiator
11" Long
5" Wide
2.5" Thick (with Fans)

3rd Radiator
11" Long
5" Wide
2.5" Thick (With Fans)

Okay cool thanks for the update. So you want the radiators to downfire and be invisible? The consequence is it will be huge and take up a lot of desk real estate. I have no problem designing this for you..

The radiators might end up being invisible but how will they get enough airflow?
Would you intake from the sides of the bottom chamber and exhaust from the radiators downfiring? Then you have visible fans so you might as well just put the radiators on the sides as I suggest.

The radiator dimensions will be very helpful regardless because I can tell how large the chamber needs to be so things can fit without interference.

 

[Durvelle27]

Okay cool thanks for the update. So you want the radiators to downfire and be invisible? The consequence is it will be huge and take up a lot of desk real estate. I have no problem designing this for you..

The radiators might end up being invisible but how will they get enough airflow?
Would you intake from the sides of the bottom chamber and exhaust from the radiators downfiring? Then you have visible fans so you might as well just put the radiators on the sides as I suggest.

The radiator dimensions will be very helpful regardless because I can tell how large the chamber needs to be so things can fit without interference.

My idea was intake from the bottom. Size doesn't concern me really but sketch what you think will work best while looking good.

 

[Vario]

My idea was intake from the bottom. Size doesn't concern me really but sketch what you think will work best while looking good.

And its paramount that the top will be a clear box with no fans, no 5.25 etc? I have a couple ideas for this.

The only thing is it might look really good but you will need air flow over the mobo and ram etc, because the plexiglass wood combo won't dissipate heat like a metal case would. The top might become a "greenhouse"

Also you would need in excess of 2 feet square for the lower chamber, which would be huge. If you take a tape measure and measure this out you will find that it is gonna take up your whole desk.

if you use 3 of these types of grill
http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g/c..._Accessories-Radiator_Grills_-_240-Page1.html
You could get a very nice look and you can mount the grill to the wood, the radiator to the grill, so it looks professional.
Like this
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/2...pes_-_Black_Powder_Coat.html?tl=c637s2282b189
which has extra holes for mounting the radiator grill to the case.

 

[Durvelle27]

Must be clear yes and no i don't mind fans but no 5.25.

2 feet is about one i was thinking before

Also i like that grill you linked. Maybe that could work with rads mounted on the bottom sides

 

[Vario]

Must be clear yes and no i don't mind fans but no 5.25.

2 feet is about one i was thinking before

Also i like that grill you linked. Maybe that could work with rads mounted on the bottom sides

I have a couple of those I used for my wood itx wood project and they look really nice against the wood grain. The 2x120mm panel I have been using as a fan/radiator placeholder in above sketchup is the same dimensions because I measured it off my rad grill.
Yes that was what I was thinking, it would look clean, you dont see the rads or the fans you see the black rad grills against the wood grain, makes it look very nice and finished.

I kinda scrapped this project because it ended up being enormous for an itx, but I liked how it was going.

The power switch plate i used is from MNPCTech.
http://mnpctech.com/pc-switch-plates/22mm-22mm-switch-plate/

 

[Durvelle27]

I have a couple of those I used for my wood itx wood project and they look really nice against the wood grain. The 2x120mm panel I have been using as a fan/radiator placeholder in above sketchup is the same dimensions because I measured it off my rad grill.
Yes that was what I was thinking, it would look clean, you dont see the rads or the fans you see the black rad grills against the wood grain, makes it look very nice and finished.

Nice that's similar to what I was thinking.

 

[Vario]

Nice that's similar to what I was thinking.

Yep it looks pretty sharp, also the wood works as a nice deadener for noise. That wood is 1/2" Pine. I don't know if I'd have used pine the second time around, maybe 1/2" oak plywood.

 

[Durvelle27]

Yep it looks pretty sharp, also the wood works as a nice deadener for noise. That wood is 1/2" Pine. I don't know if I'd have used pine the second time around, maybe 1/2" oak plywood.

So like that. One in the front and others on left and right sides.

 

[Vario]

So like that. One in the front and others on left and right sides.

Awesome that was what I was thinking too.
rear view with no back panel on lower chamber

front view

could you measure the pump dimensions please? Also do you have a HDD cage you plan to use?

 

[Durvelle27]

Awesome that was what I was thinking too.

Awesome can't wait to see it. I'm getting excited lol

 

[Vario]

I'll probably scale up the design to fit the 5.25 bay on the front. Do you want it sideways in the front (as in 90 degree mount and to the left or right of radiator) or above radiator or below etc? maybe mspaint it onto my sketchup.

Also I am thinking that the back panel for the lower chamber would be removable but the others (Front,Left,Right) are glued in.

The question I have is how hard it will be to get to the HDDs. The easy way out is to velcro them all together in the bottom I guess. Hard way is to either make or buy or salvage a cage and throw it in next to the power supply. I am sure if I scale the design up 2-3" cubed there will be plenty of space. You could do 2 of these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0034XRDV4/?tag=tec06d-20 side by side. Not sure the best way to retain them in. I have one of those cages, I could measure and mock it up in sketchup. I am just not sure how to mount it in such a way that you can easily remove it.
The easiest way is get some velcro tape and tape them all together in a stack then tape that to the floor of the case.

I also wonder how to mount an externally accessible 5.25 and make it look good. Obvious way is to just make a cut out but you have to have steady hands with a jigsaw to make the square cut out hole look nice and even. Of course a scroll saw would be nice.

 

[Durvelle27]

I'll probably scale up the design to fit the 5.25 bay on the front. Do you want it sideways in the front (as in 90 degree mount and to the left or right of radiator) or above radiator or below etc? maybe mspaint it onto my sketchup.

Also I am thinking that the back panel for the lower chamber would be removable but the others (Front,Left,Right) are glued in.

The question I have is how hard it will be to get to the HDDs. The easy way out is to velcro them all together in the bottom I guess. Hard way is to either make or buy or salvage a cage and throw it in next to the power supply. I am sure if I scale the design up 2-3" cubed there will be plenty of space. You could do 2 of these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0034XRDV4/?tag=tec06d-20 side by side. Not sure the best way to retain them in. I have one of those cages, I could measure and mock it up in sketchup. I am just not sure how to mount it in such a way that you can easily remove it.
The easiest way is get some velcro tape and tape them all together in a stack then tape that to the floor of the case.

I also wonder how to mount an externally accessible 5.25 and make it look good. Obvious way is to just make a cut out but you have to have steady hands with a jigsaw to make the square cut out hole look nice and even. Of course a scroll saw would be nice.

below radiator

I have 2x HDD cages i was gonna use

 

[de.das.dude]

wood wont like heights. why not mmake a desk since it will be from scratch?

 

[Vario]

below radiator

I have 2x HDD cages i was gonna use

Can you measure the cages for me and post their dimensions?

 

[Durvelle27]

Can you measure the cages for me and post their dimensions?

5.5" Tall
5 3/4" Wide
6" Thick

 

[Vario]

5.5" Tall
5 3/4" Wide
6" Thick

Awesome, is this with all drives loaded in the cage? Can you give me that measurement if not?