Project - CUBErt

bubba · Post by **bubba** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:46 am

Ok, I have decided to build my own case. Before I get into the case I get a few things out of the way.

Q. Why?
A. I wanted a Lian-Li PC-V300 but I can’t bring my self to pay $100 bucks for a case with no PSU.

Q. Why the name CUBErt?
A. Well, it’s a cube (12” cube to be more accurate) and I was playing Qbert at the time I was thinking of how to lay the case out and thought to myself hey that’ll work.

Ok now on to the Idea.

Well like most folks now day’s spare cash is rare at my house. So most, if not all, of what I will use to make this case will not cost me a dime. How is this you ask, well I work for a company the makes large machinery and we have a nice pile of scrap metal for me to dig through. Also we have a rather large PC bone yard witch came in handy (I’ll explain later).

I’m going to make the frame/skeleton of the case out of 1/4 inch steel brake line of all things. I use it to make scale RC rock crawlers so it should work just fine for my case. It will be skinned with 3/16 or 1/4 inch clear plexi glass. I will also paint the plexi glass with a design yet to be figured out. The paint will be on the inside surface of the plex and this will leave the outside to take the scratches and give the case a gloss look.

Now for the mobo tray, drive cages and IO panel I have gutted and stripped an old HP Brio mATX case. It was a ok looking case but not what I wanted, but what it did have was a removable mobo tray with stand off mount holes already in it. Yippy I didn’t have to make one and since it was in the PC bone yard at work, didn’t cost me a dime.

The design and pictures

The way I have the case laid out at the moment I have room for 2 5.25 bays and space for 2 hard drives. Also still have space for a water cooling if I go that route down the line. It will be tight but it will fit.

I'm still working on the config of the drive cages, next day or two I should have it figured out.

so, am I nuts? should I drop the hole idea? Jsut pucker up and spend the 100 on the lian-li case.

Bio-Hazard · Post by **Bio-Hazard** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:09 am

Sounds like a workable idea, I like the cube idea..............

You might want to use some larger tubing to make it easier to fasten the side pannels to, but if you already have a method figured out that works for you, go with what you've got.................

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:46 am

I just had to bend all new brake lines on a 1995 Ford F150 last night... bleh - so much rust. LOL

Great idea on paper post up pictures when you start it.

pcrobot · Post by **pcrobot** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:16 am

Looks like a fun project!

bubba · Post by **bubba** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:09 am

Bio-Hazard wrote:Sounds like a workable idea, I like the cube idea.............. You might want to use some larger tubing to make it easier to fasten the side pannels to, but if you already have a method figured out that works for you, go with what you've got.................

I'm planing to use hex nuts, braze them to the tube then have a button head cap screw hold the sides on.

as for pictures I plan on it

, as for fun I hope. I enjoy making the RC chassis's

here is the one I'm woring on now.

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:25 am

yeah braze would look really slick on the open chassis... I love the way a rolling chassis looks with tig welds on race cars (and my Jeep). I've never seen brake line used for this stuff, but it looks pretty damn cool.

Dragon_Cooler · Post by **Dragon_Cooler** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:57 am

yours will certainly be better, but here maybe some ideas from some pics i took at quakecon.

[img]ftp://mulanserving.homeftp.net/Quakecon ... G_0523.jpg[/img]

[img]ftp://mulanserving.homeftp.net/Quakecon ... G_0522.jpg[/img]

[img]ftp://mulanserving.homeftp.net/Quakecon ... G_0521.jpg[/img]

bubba · Post by **bubba** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:08 am

Interesting use of copper pipe, I thought about leaving the case exsposed like that but I have a 5yo and 7yo and the last thing I want is their hand in a place that it shouldnt be

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:17 am

I don't like the elbows used... they are the ones that have the solder already pre-applied... I like the smooth look of traditional elbows, but i guess you need to know how to solder... LOL

I was also thinking about the pump... with the radiator mounted overhead the pump has a vertical distance it has to pump... I think having it mounted in line with the pump would be easier on the pump and increase the flow.

Bio-Hazard · Post by **Bio-Hazard** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 3:27 pm

Only proble with having the pump up high is there is the chance of the pump starving it's self in the case of a air bubble. The inlet should always be at least level or be gravity feed, this makes life much easier on the pump than not having it pump up to the radiator.

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 4:34 pm

Ive been reading up about water cooling, going to get a sweet setup with my rig, and the vertical difference wont matter, as the water will flow back down out of the other side of the radiator (i.e. gravity helps again)!

Looks like it'll be a really nice case bubba, look forward to the worklog

Dan

bubba · Post by **bubba** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:07 am

Ok, got started making some parts. I ran out of tube so I'll so looking for more later today

Like any project you need tools, well for now I have: Tape messure, Brakeline bender, Pipe cutter, Drafting triangle, and templates. Oh yeah and a Sharpie.

Now when you bedn the tube the steel will spring back a little so bending a perfect 90 degree bend all the time is not going to happen. That is what the triangle is for. I can stand the tubes up on end and use the 90 degree corner to make sure I have it square. The templates help in marking the bend start, and the tape and pipe cutter should be self explantory (I hope)

Here are the parts I have made so far. Since a lot of the tubing I have was not realy long, and bending a perfect square can be a pain, I'm making the main outside hoops in sections.

Here is one of the outside hoops next to my keyboard, should help put some scale on it.

I also tried to see what would happen if I welded the tubing insted of brazing it. turnd out to be fairly strong, I think I'm going to weld all the main hoops together, then braze the hoops together to make the cage.

Baddad53 · Post by **Baddad53** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:28 pm

Nice work

Just remember dust is not your friend.

Post by **Apoptosis** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:54 pm

too bad you don't have a tig ;)

Pengwin · Post by **Pengwin** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:02 pm

question. are u running dual gfx on tha tMSI mobo? and why are they at the bottom when there is a free 16 slot up there....

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:38 pm

Pengwin wrote:question. are u running dual gfx on tha tMSI mobo? and why are they at the bottom when there is a free 16 slot up there....

Those pics are from QuakeCon, not Bubba's work!

Bubba keep up the good work! Looking good

BTW Catch me if you can ;)

FOLD, FOLD, FOLD

bubba · Post by **bubba** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 5:09 am

yup Pengwin, Kenc is right. That's not my box. Dragon Cooler posted it up for an idea reference because its similar to my design.

Speaking of witch, I worked a little on some of the panel layout for the art work last night. My original design for the art was shot down by the wife. Seems it was not suitable for being in the living room LOL.

so here is what I have now, and meets the approval of the wife. The case itself will be black, and the tribal will (for now) be crome.

The front.

The top.

Pengwin · Post by **Pengwin** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 5:25 am

only 92mm's?? go w/ 120

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 5:42 am

Very impressive, this is going to be one sweet looking case when you've done!

Dan

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 5:49 am

Oh his diagram even shows his CPU temp as 30C... hehe