Building a computer

[Eagle]

Ok, I know there are people here who've built their own computers, I myself have built a couple, but it's been a few years. This time I intend to build my own case too, which I've never done. Does anybody have any experience with building a case? I was originally going to build it out of steel and aluminum, but after pricing things out, I think I'm going to go with wood. Basically, I need to know the best way of mounting the motherboard, creating a power switch, reset switch, and indicator leds. Any other advice?

[Hexis]

All the switches on an ATX style mainboards are momentary contact switches. You can get any single pole momentary contact switches at radioshack and pretty them up any way you want.

One thing to consider if you are using wood, make sure to ground the components together. The metal case normally does this.

It may significantly easier to buy a check metal case and build a custom wood front panel and facade for the rest. Then you don't have to construct the drive holders and motherboard mount out of a material that's not really suited for it. You can use wood for the external bits that will benefit from looking nice.

Make sure to take a lot of pictures of the process and share. I know I want to see how it goes for you.

[pmstc]

building a case will be alot of work. i was actually planning on doing it but i ended up just buying a high quality lian-li case that I am very pleased with. it is pretty close to what i was going to be building, probably cheaper, and way better than anything i could have made

discouraging comments aside, ;), i think you should be able to find some sort of 'pattern', if you will, that you can print out to help you get the spacing between the mounting holes right. maybe not.. i could just be making that up. if not, it shouldn't be that hard to get it right.

here are some measurments that should be very helpful:
http://www.formfactors.org/developer%5Cspecs%5Catx2_2.pdf
check out page 12, on to about 15. just about every dimension that you will need. break out a ruler and a pencil and go to town!

if you have any more specific questions about case modding, check out the case modding forums over at hardforums
http://hardforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=13

there are alot of experienced people over there that im sure are more than willing to give you a leg up


edit: and like hexis said, the on/off switches and such are very simple circuits. check out radioshack. you can actually turn on the computer by just touching a screwdriver to the on/off power switch jumper. i'm not sure how good that is for the computer, but i do it all the time on my junk boxes without a problem :D

[thecavemankevin]

so, your computer's been giving you wood for so many years you thought you'd return the favor? :D

btw, i should hopefully be able to start putting some specs together for you next week when work slows down enough.

[tribalman]

if you make a wood case. check out the Sangaku and the Yuugou. http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2006/04/06/japanese_case_mod_sangaku/9 http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2007/04/23/yuugou_by_greensabbath/13.

it'll be interesting. if you go wood, it will be a bit more quiet if it is sealed properly, but it won't transfer heat as well. make sure you have enough room and enough ventilation.

if you want some other ideas for great cases, check out Orac3 and WMD.
http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2004/06/09/orac3_part5/21
http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2006/05/22/wmd_part2_g-gnome_case_mod/1