Maximum PC

This is my first major modding project. I'd done enough cutting holes in things, rigging up lights and etc that I decided that what I would do next is build a case pretty much from scratch out of aluminum. I will be welding the major framework and using screws to hold the panels on. The framework will be constructed out of 1"x"1 1/16in thick square tubing. (even though extrusion is shown in the drawing I am using sq tubing)

Here is a back quarter view.


I have designed the entire case using Autodesk Inventor Pro 2011

I liked the vertical motherboard mounting style of the raven 2 so I decided to implement that in my design.


I divided the case into thermally isolated chambers for the motherboard, power supply and optical drives, and hard drives.

I will be using a 7in MIMO USB monitor which I have integrated into the case.

Just got home and was greeted with boxes of my aluminum tubing and sheet metal. I will start cutting all the parts out tomorrow.

Lookin' good like it should!

no comments? feedback?.... anything?

We're waiting for pictures.

As an engineer I feel like that's a really advanced case unless you have all of the right tools, as in an entire functioning machine shop or access to good NC programmers. But Good luck!

If you can I would recommend installing ceramic plates to isolate sectors of the PC like you wanted to do, ceramic has a very low thermal conductivity where as aluminum is pretty high, meaning that your idea of separating out the sections could be moot if your using aluminum (depending on the thickness, but regardless ceramic divisions would be better. If you don't know how to work with ceramic that well, use stainless steel for the divisions which is still has MUCH less thermal conductivity as aluminum does.

Acrylic glass is another better option that's easier then ceramic and probably better. But can be more fragile then ceramic plates.

The high school has a machine shop which I used to band saw the extrusion to size. I am going to get a local machine shop to laser cut the plates.

Those who were waiting for pictures... well here they are!

The 2 frame pieces are now welded:

Looking great so far! I don't see anything you need to improve atm.

Looks very nice.

What are the dimensions of the case?

here they are:

Sweet! That looks like it is going to be heavy as fawk!

actually not really. The frame you see in the picture weighs only about 8 pounds. Its 1/16 inch thick wall square tubing. Really light. But the plates, screws, hardware and etc will add some.

Wednesday I'm going to the shop to watch the CNC laser cut out the plate material. I will get some pictures of that

Wow, that's really nice work so far, seeing the specs is nice as well, hopefully you don't do pure aluminum or at least do certain parts in stainless steel or ceramic or acrylic.

BTW nice welds if you did those /respect

I didn't do the welds. Sorry for not mentioning that. They took a professional 4 hours to do.

after school today I get to watch a CNC laser cut out the aluminum plates out.

I will definitely post pics of it.

The plates have all been lasered. Here are some pics of the hot action.

I'm also uploading a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd0PaFXRxIE

Man, those machines are so damn cool! can't wait to see more pics

I took the plates and just tried laying them out on the frame by hand.

here are pics:

Looks like a couple of them got tweeked.

yeah some got tweaked in shipping. Oh well. Its not too bad