Custom Hardwood Case, with Legos inside!

[RabidRedRabbit]

First post,  here it goes! Hopefully more to follow.

 

I have decided to build my own case completely from scratch out of various hardwoods. It is going to be a relatively small form factor (mATX) case with a minimalist outward appearance, a hidden inlet on the bottom, and only one outlet in the top (around the "rear" I/O and through the PSU). The CPU and GPU will be water cooled through a single loop and radiator at the inlet, and I have been throwing everything together in SolidWorks to ensure all the parts fit, but I am left with a few questions.

 

My biggest question is: How should I approach building the backplate with areas to mount the PSU, PCI slots, etc. such that there is enough ventilation to not limit airflow and enough structure to survive travel?  MDF?

 

Ideas I would like to run past you all: I am thinking I will just make the motherboard tray out of clear, technic legos (the ones with the holes in the side for airflow and unlimited cable routing options). I am using clear legos because of the significantly higher melting point to completely avoid any issues with that. Does anyone have any experience with using legos in a case? I am trying to make clear components a theme inside the case, so what lego glue dries crystal clear?

 

Continuing on the lego theme, what is the best way to securely mount the motherboard standoffs to the legos? The lego walls are pretty thin and plastic is soft, I fear it would not be secure enough to survive LAN party trips. How can I reinforce this?

[RightfulNerd]

Only problem is its going to be heavy and a fire risk

[werto165]

Only problem is its going to be heavy and a fire risk

I thought that wood is pretty hard to set on fire with pc components.

[Kyuubixchidori]

I can promise you its not a fire risk. not even remotely, so dont worry about that. paper, IE, wood, burns at 412 F. hardware cant get that hot

[RightfulNerd]

fair enough I just saw sparks + wood = flames haha

[W-L]

First post,  here it goes! Hopefully more to follow.

 

I have decided to build my own case completely from scratch out of various hardwoods. It is going to be a relatively small form factor (mATX) case with a minimalist outward appearance, a hidden inlet on the bottom, and only one outlet in the top (around the "rear" I/O and through the PSU). The CPU and GPU will be water cooled through a single loop and radiator at the inlet, and I have been throwing everything together in SolidWorks to ensure all the parts fit, but I am left with a few questions.

 

My biggest question is: How should I approach building the backplate with areas to mount the PSU, PCI slots, etc. such that there is enough ventilation to not limit airflow and enough structure to survive travel?  MDF?

 

Ideas I would like to run past you all: I am thinking I will just make the motherboard tray out of clear, technic legos (the ones with the holes in the side for airflow and unlimited cable routing options). I am using clear legos because of the significantly higher melting point to completely avoid any issues with that. Does anyone have any experience with using legos in a case? I am trying to make clear components a theme inside the case, so what lego glue dries crystal clear?

 

Continuing on the lego theme, what is the best way to securely mount the motherboard standoffs to the legos? The lego walls are pretty thin and plastic is soft, I fear it would not be secure enough to survive LAN party trips. How can I reinforce this?

 

I wouldn't worry about fire it's not that easy to set wood on fire thorough just the heat of computer components, it takes a lot more than that.

 

As for the legos if you plan to use that to create a motherboard tray and want to glue it together try looking into Weld On acrylic adhesive since most clear lego parts are polycarbonate they will glue the same. 

If you are worried about it being not strong enough having an entire sheet of legos you could use an acrylic sheet and cut cable routing holes and add standoffs as an alternative.

[RabidRedRabbit]

Only problem is its going to be heavy and a fire risk

I have been working with wood for over a decade so fire was never a concern, especially since none of the components will come in direct contact with wood.

 

try looking into Weld On acrylic adhesive since most clear lego parts are polycarbonate they will glue the same. 

If you are worried about it being not strong enough having and entire sheet of legos you could use an acrylic sheet and cut cable routing holes and add standoffs as an alternative.

Two good ideas, the clear legos are made from polycarbonate so weld on should be perfect, and if that fails I now have an acrylic sheet as a backup.