# DonInKansas build a low budget tech station.



## DonInKansas (Sep 30, 2009)

So my son was outside playing the other day, and was goofing around under our deck.  He pulled out some scrap wood that has been sitting down there since who knows when.  I took a look at a few of the pieces and wondered, "could I build a tech station out of that instead of putting out mucho dinero for a prebuilt one?"  The answer will probably be no since I can count on one hand the stuff I've built from scratch in my life, but dammit I'm going to give it an effort.  I also have an old beige case I may harvest parts from.

This log will welcome any and all ideas from the community as I'm diving in blind and have minimal idea what I'm doing.  Here's the pictures of the starting parts;  The big piece of wood is 2'x3' roughly and the little one I think I'll be cutting the legs from.


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## DonInKansas (Sep 30, 2009)

*Specs and ideas:*

Dual tiered; mobo on top.

Dimensions:  14"x16.5"x
Paint--Flat black.
Height of tray/cardslot holder: 5.5 inches
What parts to use from case?

--3.5 drive bay
--Possibly mobo tray

Stuff I have:

-Standoffs
-Wood
-Screws
-Gorilla Glue
-Dremel for metal part cutting/cleanup

Stuff I need to buy:

-Paint
-Sandpaper


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## mlee49 (Sep 30, 2009)

Don, Does your mobo have a power on switch?  If not you'll want to stripping them from the case.  

So are you thinking of two tiers or all one level?  I suggest a two tier setup w/mobo on top and room across the bottom for psu, hdd, dvd, ect.  Def. Stain on the legs/exterior, paint may chip off or not handle the heat very well.  

Theres a few places to start, really need CyberDruid or MK to give realistic(creditable) advise. 

Toast to your project


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## [Ion] (Sep 30, 2009)

Subbed, I'm looking forward to this


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## JrRacinFan (Sep 30, 2009)

Not saying the wood wouldn't work, but you would probably be better off using sheets of acrylic. Little bit easier to drill and form. Also wouldn't have to stain /paint it.


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## DonInKansas (Sep 30, 2009)

JrRacinFan said:


> Not saying the wood wouldn't work, but you would probably be better off using sheets of acrylic. Little bit easier to drill and form. Also wouldn't have to stain /paint it.



What part of "low budget" did you not understand, JR?   I've considered acrylic, but don't want to put out any significant amount of cash for this project.  I live an hour from anyplace like a hardware/specialty store to get parts from, so I'm basically doing my best making do with what I have.

The wood is 3/4 inches thick, so I'm not terribly worried about stability and whatnot.


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## JrRacinFan (Sep 30, 2009)

DonInKansas said:


> The wood is 3/4 inches thick



Ahhhh ...

That's the difference maker right there. You should be good to go then. 

Also, the parts you may want to de-rivet (is that a word?): 

-Mobo tray
-Drive bays
-Case speaker
-Case switches

and maybe cut out the psu bay.

EDIT:

I see this as an easy project, although it's going to take a little bit of time and a bit of drilling. If you need any help with this just PM me.


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## DonInKansas (Sep 30, 2009)

JrRacinFan said:


> I see this as an easy project, although it's going to take a little bit of time and a bit of drilling. If you need any help with this just PM me.



That's what I'm hoping. Thanks for the offer; I'd also like to keep a lot of the brainstorming here in posts as well for any other building noobs like me to draw ideas from.


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## sneekypeet (Sep 30, 2009)

after a bit of prep to the board to get it worthy of stain or paint, I still vote for flat black paint. 

1) can keep coating till you are happy
2) fills in imperfections
3) being a matte finish, it should show less snading marks, again imperfections.
4) cuz it looks good? Plus it would be a nice backdrop for all the metal pieces.

Only issue I see is getting the risers to stay put, wood isnt the best for fine threads. IF you have extras, put some superglue on the threads when you install em.

lol.... measure twice, cut once, and dont let your son hold anything near the steps!


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## JrRacinFan (Sep 30, 2009)

@peet & don

nice suggestion with the flat black!!!

Maybe de-rivet the mobo tray and secure it to the wood.


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## sneekypeet (Sep 30, 2009)

I agree with completely dismantling the case and using everything possible to make life easy with the build. Just get a few drills for the rivots, unless you like to peel the rings off the bits.


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## DonInKansas (Sep 30, 2009)

I like the idea with the flat black.  The wood's kinda.....crackly? with it having been out for a while and I don't think sanding will completely take that away.  The black will flatten that out and hide it well I think.

I think I'll go with the superglued standoffs as opposed to the mobo tray.  This one's kinda ugly to be real honest.


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## sneekypeet (Sep 30, 2009)

paint it too...the expansion slots are a plus!


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## Asylum (Sep 30, 2009)

Looks like a nice cheap and easy enough project.
Before you get ready to cut the boards sit down with a peice of paper and draw out how you think the layout for your parts and hardward should go.
Then check the measurements of the pieces you will be useing from the old case to see if they will fit into your idea.
That will save you alot of time and maybe a mistake when you go to cut and put it together.


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## mlee49 (Sep 30, 2009)

sneekypeet said:


> lol.... *measure twice, cut once*, and dont let your son hold anything near the steps!



Carpenter's Rule to live by


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## Cold Storm (Sep 30, 2009)

mlee49 said:


> Carpenter's Rule to live by



I thought it was, GO HARD, OR, GO HOME... Wait, not in my high school wood class.. 

Don, great idea for stuff that's just laying around. With the Flat black, you be able to have it looking good.


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## DonInKansas (Sep 30, 2009)

Had a few minutes to spare after the baby went down for a nap, so I started sniffing around in the case.  The 3.5 bay was only held in by screws and tabs, so I did some farming.  





A few minutes of wrench-powered steel bending got rid of the extra pieces.  I'll need to drill some screw holes, but it'll work dandy.


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## DonInKansas (Sep 30, 2009)

sneekypeet said:


> paint it too...the expansion slots are a plus!



I was looking around in the case and the expansion slots are separate from the mobo tray.  It'll be possible to use either, or, or neither.  We'll see how it comes along.


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## RX-7 (Sep 30, 2009)

I have a similar case I am modding right now too


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## sneekypeet (Sep 30, 2009)

Nice metal work with a crescent wrench....BTW nice chicken, and Dokken rocks


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## MKmods (Sep 30, 2009)

JrRacinFan said:


> @peet & don
> 
> nice suggestion with the flat black!!!
> 
> Maybe de-rivet the mobo tray and secure it to the wood.



 it looks quite large so you could cut it to size. One of the hard parts is drilling the holes in the right place for the stand offs and getting the I/O panel located correctly. That would resolve those probs
excellent idea.

Use the wood for the bottom, and front/back


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## kyle2020 (Sep 30, 2009)

/subscribed, ghetto ftw


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## DonInKansas (Oct 9, 2009)

More farming from the case.

The case had feet:





Until I stole em; you just push the middles out and they pop out.  Easy install with a hole in the wood I'll wager.






Drilled out the rivets and thieved the mobo tray and the back PCI card/IO panel:










The Mobo tray and back panel are separate pieces but have some grooves that fit them together.  So I drilled some holes in the tray so they can be screwed together and become "one piece" when I'm done.

Before:





After:


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## Cold Storm (Oct 9, 2009)

Looking good Don. Good idea for the screws.


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## MKmods (Oct 9, 2009)

Thanks for those picts, I always wanted to show how to dis assemble a case but never got around to taking the picts.


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## DonInKansas (Oct 10, 2009)

MKmods said:


> Thanks for those picts, I always wanted to show how to dis assemble a case but never got around to taking the picts.



It was easier than I thought it'd be; 5 minutes with a 1/8" drill bit and it was done.  I even got some souvenirs still on the bit


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## Reefer86 (Oct 10, 2009)

a pair of plyers on the metal shavings and turning on the drill will get them off


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## BUCK NASTY (Oct 10, 2009)

DonInKansas said:


> It was easier than I thought it'd be; 5 minutes with a 1/8" drill bit and it was done.  I even got some souvenirs still on the bit
> 
> http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s207/DonInKansas/IMG_2065.jpg



I love drilling old cases to have a cheap Mobo tray. Way to go Don!!!


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## Chicken Patty (Oct 10, 2009)

this is going to be a fun to watch.  Subscribed.


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## DonInKansas (Oct 16, 2009)

I'm measuring out the board, and going back and forth on whether to just make the station the size of the mobo tray or leave some room around the sides (except where the PCI cards hook on; they will be flush with a side).  Thoughts?


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## [Ion] (Oct 16, 2009)

Go for extra space around the board, it will make routing cables easier   And a place to put extra fans


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## Cold Storm (Oct 16, 2009)

I say extra room also bro.. You got that extra space in order to do what Ion says.. I'm with it 100%.. 

Man, stop doing the log only on your days off! lol


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## DonInKansas (Oct 16, 2009)

Well, I decided to go with the size of the tray.  I'll show you why in a sec.

My buddy at the lumberyard was kind enough to cut up my wood for me.  The saw is the one thing I knew I'd need outsourced help with.





Dry run;  I'll get the sides cut after remeasuring everything after it's put together.









The mobo tray is already 16" long, so I've got overage to play with.  I'm going to cut out the big square in the tray for cable routing.









Next will be everyone's favorite part of woodworking.....


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## Easy Rhino (Oct 16, 2009)

your wife lets you do this kind of work in the kitchen?


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## Cold Storm (Oct 16, 2009)

Hell yea it is my favorite part!! spend hours on one piece while listening to the toons.. You.. give a side to your son, and let him at it! I suggest the bottom of the bottom...


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## DonInKansas (Oct 16, 2009)

Easy Rhino said:


> your wife lets you do this kind of work in the kitchen?



No dude, I only took pictures in the kitchen.  It's where I dropped the stuff after getting back.

And CS, I'm sure my son will be all about the sanding.  He helped momma sand when she repainted his bookshelf.


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## Cold Storm (Oct 16, 2009)

DonInKansas said:


> And CS, I'm sure my son will be all about the sanding.  He helped momma sand when she repainted his bookshelf.



sweetness! 

Now, he wore safety goggles right?

Just, don't let the kid play around to much when your putting it all together.. We all know what happens when they get around that...


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## El_Mayo (Oct 26, 2009)

DonInKansas said:


> The wood is 3/4 inches thick




sorry.. i had nothing to add.. however this does look rather interesting


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## Velvet Wafer (Oct 26, 2009)

sadly i dont have time to do work threads, nor do i have regular acess to a camera, so i cant show my steps. only the finished results.

i like the idea of reusing parts from an old case, that saves you a hell of work, AND looks more professional than selfmade.i appreciate inspirations from your work


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## andrewsmc (Oct 27, 2009)

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM....................     workstation


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## DonInKansas (Oct 27, 2009)

lol.......

I got a little painting done today, but no pics taken yet; got sidetracked.  More coming soon.


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## lilkiduno (Oct 27, 2009)

well good luck there Don. subbed and ready to see the great work from a fellow kansan!


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## t_ski (Nov 3, 2009)

Here's the second one of these I built (I'm actually using it right now for my main rig):

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=66317

The original version is somewhere in the thread.  Avert your eyes if you have a sensitive stomach.


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## Yukikaze (Nov 25, 2009)

Subscribed !


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## d3fct (Nov 27, 2009)

looks  very nice, good idea im a carpenter i throw away pieces of wood that size everyday, and never gave a thought to build a tech station.


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## HalfAHertz (Nov 27, 2009)

great work, keep it up!

Subbed


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## Ahhzz (Dec 16, 2009)

/tag


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## [Ion] (Dec 22, 2009)

Any updates?


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