Computer Transportation - Custom Foam?

[rustikles]

In my never-ending search for a beautiful custom-built computer, I went with the Corsair 750D as my case of choice for it's excellent ID and ample space for expansion / cables / etc. I didn't, however, account for how much I'd be moving around in the last year and for the next few years to come. Right now, I end of making 2-3 major relocations a year for my job (car drives). In each of these instances, I stay in my new living arrangements for a few months at the very least. Naturally, I simply must bring along my rig.

 

Currently, I brace components internally and just stick my machine (fully assembled) into the cardboard box my case came in, along with the crappy foam it also came with. This is stored horizontally in my trunk for the move. Over time, the foam has really started to degrade and make me worry about integrity / safety. Would it be worth looking into having pieces of closed-cell foam cut to fit my case for added protection? Or maybe someone has a much better method for computer transportation that's fairly inexpensive and easy to apply. 

 

TL;DR - I move around a lot and need a safe way to transport my large computer.

[Fate]

I literally just sit mine in the back of the trunk. I've traveled from Cincinnati to where I live now (4 hours away) probably around 30+ times and I've never had an issue. 

[terrytek]

Do you still have the box and the foam? Transport it in that.

[Pugs501]

Here's a website and you could buy a custom sized case.

http://customdesign.mycasebuilder.com/pages/custom

[d3sl91]

Huge pelican case?

[thekeemo]

Car PC time? Also should be fine if you put it in the seat beside you with a seatbelt

[KirbyTech]

Put it in the back seat and use the seat belt. Did it when I used to live in a different place over an hour away during the week. Did that for about 4 years so I would call it safe.

[Enderman]

just buy a bunch of this and cut it to size yourself:

A wooden, metal, or hard plastic case would be recommended over the stock cardboard box.

[Kherm]

Remember when you transfer your system to take the gpu out. A friend of mine's gpu fell out of the slot while in transit, but luckily it didn't break

[iruixos]

Mine goes in the trunk, and a blanket goes over it if I'm placing items on top. To the side, I'll typically have my travel bag and a pillow when I drive to LAN parties, and I've not had an issue with my computer.

[STRMfrmXMN]

I brought my sleeping bag with me for an overnight LAN party, used the pillow and sleeping bag as cushioning in the trunk. Worked. keep in mind this was in a Prodigy so it was super light.

[-ism]

I would suggest unplugging your GPU because there is literally no reason to leave it in, it takes a whole 2 seconds to remove. The VERY FIRST TIME I ever moved my PC to a friends house I somehow managed to break the SATA connector on the back of my SSD. Had to RMA it, thankfully they gave me a new one. I laid my PC down in the back of my trunk. I would just stick it in the box it came in with the shitty foam and hope for the best, I doubt anything bad will happen to it.

[runit3]

http://www.foambymail.com/PE2-_2/anti-static-polyethylene-foam-2-2lb-pink.html

^that stuff. Cheap, anti-static, and PINK!

[You Scrub....The Floor]

I brought my sleeping bag with me for an overnight LAN party, used the pillow and sleeping bag as cushioning in the trunk. Worked. keep in mind this was in a Prodigy so it was super light.

BITFENIX PRODIGY FOR THE WIN.

 

sorry, please continue your discussion.

[Blecter]

I don't brace the inside at all. Just make sure the case isn't sliding around or getting banged and you'll be fine. I lay mine down the same way as if you were installing a motherboard.

The 6500km drive I did just over a month ago with a gaming rig in the back seat agrees with me. The system was in the back of an extremely loaded down Chevrolet Malibu. Done the same thing in trucks for cross Canada trips in the past too with zero issues.

[Yummychickenblue]

I would just seat-belt it into the passenger seat with twine tying it to the chair just in case you pull a harsh service brake. Also I would remove expansion cards as it could flex if you're driving on bumpy roads or driving like an asshole (cutting sharply into lanes w/o signaling, going full-service throttle, braking hard, etc.)

[smjpl]

@rustikles

 

Car PC time? Also should be fine if you put it in the seat beside you with a seatbelt

 

I have done this a few times. Just remove GPU and possibly your CPU heatsink if it is quite tall + heavy and you expect a somewhat bumpy ride.

[rustikles]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably just keep taking out my GPU and transporting it in the stock box + foam. If it becomes a problem, I'll just buy some chunks of foam and cut them to size.