# My case is too big, and I have a shelf to fill...



## synaesthesia (May 20, 2011)

So why not do something around it? 

I've some uber expensive MotoGP tickets to sell which will net me around £800 but until then, I've nothing to spend.

Reason for wanting to do this is I have a very hyper 2 year old son. He doesn't stop, and he will stop at nothing to get hold of my gadgets 

I have a Zalman GS1000+ case which I must admit is lovely, but damned large and damned heavy. I've had to enclose it into a cabinet I built myself with a lock on the front, and brought the power button out via a length of cat6 (overkill!) to a shelf above my desk.

This is the setup (before I built the cabinet)







And my vague idea is to do something like this:







Closeup of the shelf:






Basically just a motherboard tray and back panel on it's side, attached to a peice of wood which will connect/disconnect from the main shelf easily. I need to design some form of brackets or mounts for the HDD's/DVD drive(s) and PSU but I might just steal those from some old cases. I've just been donated a couple of old (and very smoke-stained beige fronted!) cases which rivetted trays I can use 

Has anyone seen examples of this being done before? I'd like a little inspiration and guidance 

And no, I don't want to strengthen the shelf to put the PC on - I don't fancy jumping to reach my DVD drives


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## TheGrapist (May 20, 2011)

some L brackets would probably be ok for mounting the dvd drive


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## TheoneandonlyMrK (May 20, 2011)

looks a bit gheto at the min bruv why not just attach a taser to pc case that should stop small hands touching it(well the second time anyway)

wont this mean throwing the pc case in the bin then? 
here is some inspiration for ya  http://www.bit-tech.net/news/modding/2011/05/16/amazing-water-cooled-pc-in-a-desk/1

a good site for modded pc builds too

slight idea i had, my mates got a corner desk like that but door fronted, and big enough for a pc to be locked behind anyway idea 2 = doors + lock


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## synaesthesia (May 20, 2011)

Already seen the l3p desk and many similar - the point is this will be out of the way and cost me (next to) nothing.
No need to ditch the case - it'll still go for a fair whack on eBay  (well, unless I decide to use the gubbins from it like the sata hotswap and cages!)


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## TheoneandonlyMrK (May 20, 2011)

id repaint one of them biege boxes youve been given and use that then


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## synaesthesia (May 20, 2011)

That'd look terrible!

Besides, with the long graphics card they'd cause an issue, especially with heat.
I like the "open" look - in fact I'd get an Antec Skeleton if it wasn't a full ATX motherboard.


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## Widjaja (May 20, 2011)

synaesthesia said:


> That'd look terrible!
> 
> Besides, with the long graphics card they'd cause an issue, especially with heat.
> I like the "open" look - in fact I'd get an Antec Skeleton if it wasn't a full ATX motherboard.



Is it possible for you to create a lockable draw to put your case in?
Since you will be getting up each time you need to change a disk.
It's a project I was planning to do as my corner desk has a fair few decent sized draws which a PC could fit into.

I see you are planning on creating another compartment next to your corner desk.
You could set them up with draws as well and place the pc into one of them.
Add some holes out the sides and place grills with fans for ventilation.
You can then have the dvd drive somewhere on your desk.
Add a hidden power and reset switch somewhere near by where you child can not find or get to.


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## synaesthesia (May 20, 2011)

Funnily enough that cabinet is already there with a lockable door on the front, with 3 x 140mm fans in (as described in the first post)
I rarely change discs these days (optical discs? who does any more?  ) and it would be easier than unlocking the cabinet. Plus, if the ODD is facing me I wouldn't need to stand at all.
I've just been looking at things like the Lian Li PC-T60, but seems daft to pay out that much money for the bits of a case noone sees


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## Widjaja (May 21, 2011)

I made a typo.
I was supposed to say lockable draw to put your computer in.
A slide out type draw.

You said you didn't fancy to reach for the DVD drives but now you say you rarely change discs.
But you do not want to strengthen the shelf but you intend to put the PC on it which from what I see would need it for safety.

Then you don't want to pay for another case because no one will see it.

I think this thread maybe at a loss here until the OP stops finding problems to stop the possibilities.


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## micropage7 (May 21, 2011)

thats kinda nice but if you can add glass on that it would be better


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## synaesthesia (May 21, 2011)

Widjaja said:


> I made a typo.
> I was supposed to say lockable draw to put your computer in.
> A slide out type draw.
> 
> ...



I think you've misread somewhere - I've not said anything about reaching for the dvd drives at all! 
The point of putting the kit on the shelf in a minimalistic fashion was to minimise the weight - the case is always a huge bulk of that weight and the shelf will easily take the innards without strengthening. 

I've had another vague idea to make it a little easier, attaching "runnings" underneath the shelf with a couple of clips, so the whole thing can come away from the wall for even easier access, without risk of it happening accidentally. I'm going to start mockups today with the old cases I have lying around.


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## HammerON (May 21, 2011)

http://www.highspeedpc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=TopTechSTD

Love mine


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## synaesthesia (May 21, 2011)

Been looking at exactly the same techstation myself but at the same time thinking I could so easily build it!


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## HammerON (May 21, 2011)

True you could and some have on TPU.


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## Widjaja (May 21, 2011)

I must have mis-read -_-"
Sorry OP

HammerON's suggestion would be perfect IMO.
Looks like it would really suit what you want.
I think eRocker was using a Techstation at one stage.


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## t_ski (May 21, 2011)

HammerON said:


> True you could and some have on TPU.



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


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## TheoneandonlyMrK (May 21, 2011)

dunno about a tec station if your not swapping bits often, id invest in some thinish perspex or acrylic and put a lid on it as dusts a mofo and it would allow filter fitting, tec stations are gr8 but its gona be a dust magnet plus if permanent spidy could come along and ruin something imho.


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## silkstone (May 21, 2011)

synaesthesia said:


> And no, I don't want to strengthen the shelf to put the PC on - I don't fancy jumping to reach my DVD drives





synaesthesia said:


> I think you've misread somewhere - I've not said anything about reaching for the dvd drives at all!





Widjaja said:


> I must have mis-read -_-"
> Sorry OP



He didn't mis-read, i read the same thing.

It should all be pretty simple to do, if i were you i'd build a perspex box to hold it all, use one of those old motherboard trays and screw it all in. you wouldn't have to worry about running wires anywhere outside the box, apart from your power connector. You could easily make enclosures for your disks inside the box and perspex is cheap as chips.


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## synaesthesia (May 21, 2011)

Dammit, I can't even read my own typing. It's been one hell of a week (getting my vip F1 and motoGP tickets and attending opening of the new Silverstone pit complex, for the motor racing fans!) and my head still hasn't recovered.
My apologies! :

I think you might be right on the perspex/dust front, and it won't take much to just build it as planned and box it in, so to speak. 

I've mocked up the tray and back panel already this morning and although it's a rough join, that won't be noticed where it's mounted to wood. Also considering painting it roughly too with some metallic black I have left over from painting my lawnmower


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## silkstone (May 21, 2011)

synaesthesia said:


> Dammit, I can't even read my own typing. It's been one hell of a week (getting my vip F1 and motoGP tickets and attending opening of the new Silverstone pit complex, for the motor racing fans!) and my head still hasn't recovered.
> My apologies! :
> 
> I think you might be right on the perspex/dust front, and it won't take much to just build it as planned and box it in, so to speak.
> ...



That would look pretty cool if you use clear perspex, you'd have to do some decent cable management to make it all look nice tho.
something like a black perspex box would look pretty ominous. Some red fans and your son would be too scared to go anywhere close too it, even if it's on a shelf.... just tell him there's a ghost inside


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## Funtoss (May 21, 2011)

Wow what did you use to make those shelf pictures with hardware?


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## theonedub (May 21, 2011)

Funtoss said:


> Wow what did you use to make those shelf pictures with hardware?



Guessing Sketchup.


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## synaesthesia (May 22, 2011)

It was indeed Sketchup, it's the perfect tool for servicing my OCD with the need to plan everything 

Now also looking at something like the Lian-Li PCA05NB as a "tidier" solution which might make the open shelf thing temporary. Nice little case by the looks of it, and very lightweight (3.5kg instead of my current 14kg case)
And just to be sure, will replace the L brackets with something that'll take a bit more load


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## sneekypeet (May 31, 2011)

your shelf concept drawing is almost the exact layout of an NZXT Panzerbox, of course its over $100, but it does seem to offer what you drew in case form


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## synaesthesia (May 31, 2011)

Heh, never seen the Panzerbox - looks a neat case 

However, after attempting to get what I wanted put together, it worked (and it's still working now) but it's extremely ghetto. Positively though, after a little ebay wonder, I've gotten a shiny new PC-A05NB and Corsair H60 cooler 

Time to ebay the Zalman GS1000 and the Beast Therein that is the Scythe Mugen. I'll miss that bugger


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