Fully Wooden Computer Case "Woody"

[Cjoflorida]

I made a build on the old Linus Tech Tips Form. when it got switched over it was lost. i haven't been able to remake it since i have been busy with school. I created the topic on January 23,2013.

 

I am building a wooden computer case from scratch.
​I'm planning on using it as a media PC in my living room. I know it's over kill for a media pc but i eventually want it to have a
 

 

ASUS Maximus V Formula

i5 3570k
660
a couple terabytes of storage
 
the top and front have two types of wood that are glued together. I used wooden dowels to keep the boards in-place and to keep them even.

 

the front of the cause will be on a hinge to open and close (i'm thinking of using a piano hinge) to allow access to the optical drive. I will be using threaded rods and metal plate to hold the optical drive. the threaded rod is attached to the top of the inside of the case by welding a nut to a washer and putting epoxying the washer to the top. the reason i did this is so that i can unscrew the rod to use it to hold something else up. i'm thinking i will use it to hold my hard drive too and yes i will use some kind of rubber damper so the hard drive wont vibrate the whole case.

 

 

 

 

the side of the case has three holes that were routed into it. the holes will be used for air inlets once i put fans in behind the holes. the side panel has a big hole in it because i cut out part of it so i could make a door using invisible hinges. the door will have a Plexi-glass door.i sill have to plan out where to put the glass and what shape it will be.

 

 

For the motherboard tray i built it out of metal and wood. i bent the metal down so it formed an open box than i screwed wood in to the metal. i used the wood because it will be easy to cut for cable management and i mounted the bracket to the wood and the case. I am using a pvc tube to make the motherboard standoffs.

 

 

In order to mount the rear I/O ports bought a danger den 7 slot I/O Shield. In order to mount it i routed out the hole in the back and went down to hardware store and bought some black wood screws to mount it.

 

[Hoppa]

Wow nice job man, glad you re-posted it.

[sabot]

This is absolutely beautiful! That must have taken a long time to make and build. You did an amazing job, with everything! Cable management, building the case and part selection!

[ooiman92]

Really digging the 'woody' style, would love to be able to build my own case, but no tools :/

[Farncir]

Where did you get your black metal expansion slot bracket, rear io and the power supply bracket from?

Removed it from an old case?

[mvitkun]

this is pretty cool.

[Nicktrance]

I thought this looked familiar :D. Awesome build, it's beautiful :)

[Cjoflorida]

Where did you get your black metal expansion slot bracket, rear io and the power supply bracket from?

Removed it from an old case?

the black metal expansion slot bracket and rear io was from http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=130_314&products_id=27637

i took the power supply bracket out of an old pc and spray painted it black.

[TRCornishboy]

This looks amazing, wouldn't mind of these for myself ;P

[TobyFensome1]

wouldn't temps be hot as wood is a insulator so you would need like double the air flow to get good temps?

[xxmarijn]

wow looks awsome!!

but how are you going to keep the case cool?

[TheArium]

Awesome, really creative and original. Haven't seen that before. It looks good!

[Ngrungebb91]

This is awesome!! BUILD LOG OF THE WEEK LINUS! :)

[alpenwasser]

Pretty damn nice I must say. :)

As things are now the case looks a bit too large for what's inside at the moment, but better

to have a bit too much room for expansion than having to make a new case because you have one

HDD slot too few. :lol:

I really like the bay mounting system in the front, very nifty.

[Cjoflorida]

Pretty damn nice I must say. :)

As things are now the case looks a bit too large for what's inside at the moment, but better

to have a bit too much room for expansion than having to make a new case because you have one

HDD slot too few. :lol:

I really like the bay mounting system in the front, very nifty.

I am planing on adding liquid cooling to the case with 2 rads and a big res.

[alpenwasser]

Excellent plan I would say! :D

[Cjoflorida]

wow looks awsome!!

but how are you going to keep the case cool?

 

 

wouldn't temps be hot as wood is a insulator so you would need like double the air flow to get good temps?

the temps are a little high but that's because i'm using the stock Intel cooler and the two fans in the front aren't very good but i got them for free.i was looking to get some new fans and i'm planing to water cool the computer. i was also thinking about routing vents in the back of the case so air can flow out.

[xxmarijn]

the temps are a little high but that's because i'm using the stock Intel cooler and the two fans in the front aren't very good but i got them for free.i was looking to get some new fans and i'm planing to water cool the computer. i was also thinking about routing vents in the back of the case so air can flow out.

 

I dont know if water and wood is a good option haha :P

[alpenwasser]

I dont know if water and wood is a good option haha :P

Well, humans have been building wooden ships for thousands of years and they usually work

pretty nicely if well taken care of. ;)

[Cjoflorida]

I dont know if water and wood is a good option haha :P

Well, water makes metal rust. ;)

[Leonard]

Wow you got great wood working skills, it looks really good....but i would be afraid to use wood, as wood and heat seem to turn into fire if the heat is not controlled.....sooooooo idk.

[Cjoflorida]

Wow you got great wood working skills, it looks really good....but i would be afraid to use wood, as wood and heat seem to turn into fire if the heat is not controlled.....sooooooo idk.

it wont get nearly hot enough for the wood to catch on fire. I belive the computer will stop working before the wood will burn. i'm not sure but i think wood burns at over 400 degrees fahrenheit. but im not sure

[alpenwasser]

it wont get nearly hot enough for the wood to catch on fire. I belive the computer will stop working before the wood will burn. i'm not sure but i think wood burns at over 400 degrees fahrenheit. but im not sure

The autoignition point of wood depends on both what kind of wood it is and its humidity.

According to this table it seems to start at ~572 F/300 C and then go up from there for

specific kinds of wood.

In any case, unless you have a short in your PSU and the PSU catches fire which then

propagates to the case you're pretty safe I'd say (and I don't think a PSU fire massive

enough to set the case on fire is very likely TBH).

[xxmarijn]

Well, humans have been building wooden ships for thousands of years and they usually work

pretty nicely if well taken care of. ;)

 

 

Well, water makes metal rust. ;)

 

haha okay true true :P

[Cjoflorida]

these are pictures of the computer before it was stained. i just put in parts from an old computer. the computer was so slow that when i played YouTube videos every single video was lagging behind the audio and even on the desk top it would lag. so that made me start looking at motherboards and i chose the ASUS Maximus V Formula because of the upgraded audio since im using it as a low gaming/HTPC. i am planing to keep the motherboard to upgrade my computer for college.

 

I want to radio shack and bought a trigger to use as the power button. in order to mount it i bent a flat pice of metal, drilled a hole in it and then epoxied it to the top of the case.