jvance.com

1. Case
2. Parts
3. Hardware Test
4. Assembly
5. Conclusion

I created the front from a scrap piece of black plexi-glass found at a local glass supplier: Eastern Shore Glass.  They cut it for me by scoring and snapping it. They were extremely nice and helpful. I got two pre-cut pieces and some scrap all for $8.

I drilled holes in the plexiglass for the buttons and LEDs.

 

Drilling a hole in plexiglass greater than 1/4" is tricky.  I needed to start with a smaller bit and keep increasing the size to keep shards from breaking off.

On the back side of the black plexiglass I created a frame from aluminum that I could use to mount it to the case. I used brass screws to match the case feet.

Working with aluminum is fun as it is a fairly soft metal that is easy to drill and cut.

The buttons are held in place with wood and hot glue. The LEDs are simply hot glued in place.

I bolted the plexiglass aluminum frame to the case.  On the bottom of the case, I drilled and cut holes for air intake.  The cool air enters from below and travels across the motherboard to exit out the rear via fans.  There are no vents on the top or sides.

I mounted the power supply in the case using a single bolt which keeps it from sliding backward when plugging in.  I used wood spacers covered with a thin layer of foam to allow the PSU to be sandwiched between the top and bottom of the case.  A small bracket made from aluminum provides enough friction to keep the PSU firmly in place.

Update: I've since removed the power supply circuit board from the casing and created a new solid backplate so I could reduce the number of fans needed in the case.  I also added additional holes below the PSU circuit board to bring in cool air.

I mounted the motherboard by drilling four holes and using small bolts.  The rubber feet act as standoffs to raise the motherboard up to the desired height.  It also allows air to easily travel below and around the board.

In the next part, I'll mount the fans, round the edges of the plexiglass and show the final photos of it in action.