Posted July 23, 2020 I'm new to the forum, new to PC building, and new to the LTT fan base, so I did the only logical thing I could think of: I watched every video on multiple LTT channels in the past year, built a 1500 dollar parts list on pcpartpicker, and then set out to make a PC that would be unmistakably my own creation. Thus, after 3 months of work, one trip to the hospital, and a stroke of luck on the COVID-19 stock market, I give you... The Stumputor. I've included a video of the general process, but I'm going to take all the photos I have and make a log of posts that detail the whole process. I haven't assembled all the parts yet, so if you think I'm making bad choices then please let me know! I'm new and appreciate advice! https://pcpartpicker.com/user/sneakyscout007/saved/rzkdD3 Instragram_video_2.mp4 Instragram_video_2.mp4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author And so it begins. Before COVID-19 restricted me to the family farm, I had been planning to use the facilities at my college, University of Tennessee, to build a custom case out of Legos. Then, like the rest of us, my life changed and I lost access to the tools, software and equipment I needed. I am fortunate though to have come from a farming family, and it was at home that the idea hit me to mix my love of nature with my new found love for computers. I set out around the property to find a stump that fit my vision. I didn't want to cut down a new tree and harm the forest, so I needed a stump that was fresh (so that it hadn't rotted) and that had a large enough diameter to fit the parts. After I found the right stump, I spent hours digging out its roots with a shovel and pick-axe, but even with its roots free I couldn't move the stump. I used a tractor to lift it from the ground and move it to our barn where I could start the work of transforming a tree stump into a PC case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 8 minutes ago, SneakyScout007 said: I'm new to the forum, new to PC building, and new to the LTT fan base, so I did the only logical thing I could think of: I watched every video on multiple LTT channels in the past year, built a 1500 parts list on pcpartpicker, and then set out to make a PC that would be unmistakably my own creation. Thus, after 3 months of work, one trip to the hospital, and a stroke of luck on the COVID-19 stock market, I give you... The Stumputor. I've included a video of the general process, but I'm going to take all the photos I have and make a log of posts that detail the whole process. I haven't assembled all the parts yet, so if you think I'm making bad choices then please let me know! I'm new and appreciate advice! https://pcpartpicker.com/user/sneakyscout007/saved/rzkdD3 Instragram_video_2.mp4 Very nice. Everything on your pcpartpicker list looks good to me. The one thing I'm not sure about with this build is airflow. Do you have any room for fans other than on the back of the case? It's hard to see from the video if you put vents anywhere else. I mostly speak from my own past experience from similar problems. My solution may not work for you, but I'll always try my best to help as much as I can. If you want me to see your reply, make sure to quote my comment or mention me @WaggishOhio383, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. -- My PC Build -- Ryzen 7 2700x AsRock B450 Steel Legend XFX RX 590 Fatboy Crucial Ballistix Tactical Tracer RGB 16GB 3200MHz 120GB Crucial BX500 SSD + 2TB Seagate Barracuda HDD Corsair CX650M Phanteks Eclipse P350x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author 2 minutes ago, WaggishOhio383 said: Very nice. Everything on your pcpartpicker list looks good to me. The one thing I'm not sure about with this build is airflow. Do you have any room for fans other than on the back of the case? It's hard to see from the video if you put vents anywhere else. Definitely lots of room for airflow! The bottom is actually an open hole, and there is currently room for three fans to exhaust out the back. Additionally, their is a gap on top between the wood and the glass which should allow for even more airflow. I plan to run some sort of temp checker once I have the system built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 2 minutes ago, SneakyScout007 said: Definitely lots of room for airflow! The bottom is actually an open hole, and there is currently room for three fans to exhaust out the back. Additionally, their is a gap on top between the wood and the glass which should allow for even more airflow. I plan to run some sort of temp checker once I have the system built. Good! Airflow is definitely something to keep in mind, especially considering the pretty powerful CPU and GPU you're putting in this build. I'd assume you're planning on overclocking since you're buying a non-stock CPU cooler? I mostly speak from my own past experience from similar problems. My solution may not work for you, but I'll always try my best to help as much as I can. If you want me to see your reply, make sure to quote my comment or mention me @WaggishOhio383, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. -- My PC Build -- Ryzen 7 2700x AsRock B450 Steel Legend XFX RX 590 Fatboy Crucial Ballistix Tactical Tracer RGB 16GB 3200MHz 120GB Crucial BX500 SSD + 2TB Seagate Barracuda HDD Corsair CX650M Phanteks Eclipse P350x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author 6 minutes ago, WaggishOhio383 said: Good! Airflow is definitely something to keep in mind, especially considering the pretty powerful CPU and GPU you're putting in this build. I'd assume you're planning on overclocking since you're buying a non-stock CPU cooler? I am not sure if I will or not, but I was thinking it would be nice to have that option. I included one mainly because I heard noctua has quiet fans and I like the sound of quiet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author The first thing I did after getting the stump was check to see if it had rotted out internally. Using a chainsaw and the help of my dad, I got into the stump and found that it was partially hollow inside, but the walls were still firm enough for me to continue onward! I then made my first mistake of the project when I went straight into making cuts on the wood. All woodworkers will use the same phrase, "measure twice, cut once," but I had a vision in my mind and nothing done on paper when I jumped straight into my first cuts. The idea was to create one flat surface in the back for me to push up against a wall as well as to pass power and I/O cables. Trouble was, I didn't stop to orient the stump so that the top would be flat and level horizontally and the back would be flat vertically. The result is that in just a few short weeks I would realize that essentially none of the surfaces were oriented quite right, but that's for later in this build log. Anyway, one other mistake happened at this time. I set down an angle grinder with a Lancelot wood cutting attachment (essentially a chain saw blade) on top of the stumps slanted surface. It fell from the stump, turned itself on (never trust a slide switch), and landed on my ANKLE. I quickly turned off the tool, wrapped my bloody foot in a bandanna I been using to protect my face, and called for help. It was nasty business and I won't disgust anyone with more details, but luckily I didn't cut any ligaments and only have a large scar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 ... What the shit? I love it I spent $2500 on building my PC and all i do with it is play no games atm & watch anime at 1080p(finally) watch YT and write essays... nothing, it just sits there collecting dust... Builds: The Toaster Project! Northern Bee! The original LAN PC build log! (Old, dead and replaced by The Toaster Project & 5.0) Spoiler "Here is some advice that might have gotten lost somewhere along the way in your life. #1. Treat others as you would like to be treated. #2. It's best to keep your mouth shut; and appear to be stupid, rather than open it and remove all doubt. #3. There is nothing "wrong" with being wrong. Learning from a mistake can be more valuable than not making one in the first place. Follow these simple rules in life, and I promise you, things magically get easier. " - MageTank 31-10-2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author So, after my foot incident I put down the power tools and got a lot more careful. I started sanding the exterior of the stump to clean off the dirt and remove the bark. I used chisels and sand paper for a while, and later on would go back to using some power tools to remove things more quickly. I also began to plan out what the final design would look like and how I could fit the parts inside. My mock drawings are included here, and I have to acknowledge that I got the DIY test bench design from an LTT video. I also attached a video I took for my schools Instagram discussing my project at an early stage. 8v.mp4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author Here are some more photos from after I sanded the outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author So, I finally got around to actually hollowing it out using chisels and power tools once again. This was hard work because most power tools don't fit in this space. I used a drill with a large bit to make holes in the wood, and then used the angle grinder with the Lancelot attachment to cut out the pieces between the holes. This is also when I realized that nothing was level, and had to substantially shorten the PC to get the cuts anywhere close to the desired shape. You may notice that the rectangular space in the rear is also not vertical, but I couldn't widen it anymore to straighten it so I just cover up that error later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author Now that the tree stump had taken shape, I needed to make the mounting hardware for all the computer parts. An older LTT video showed them making a test bench style setup for free using an old case, and I thought it was perfect for my design. My space was smaller than a standard ATX case, but it was just big enough for an ATX motherboard to lay horizontally inside. I figured that since the stump was so tall I could put the PSU underneath the mother board and, luckily, I was right. I disassembled the case and cut it with an angle grinder so that it would fit inside. The edges were rough and the whole thing felt jank, but once I sat it inside the stump I knew it would work. 36V.mp4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author All that was left was to stain the surface and give myself holes for front I/O. I used a three step process to staining the wood. First I applied a wood stabilizer called Pentacryl. I was later told this is for fresh, wet wood and may not have helped my case, but that's just a part of the learning process. Next, I applied a clear wood stain that would guard against mold and help prepare the wood for a topcoat. The topcoat of choice, the final layer, was polyurethane. The wood was very grainy in some spots, but the polyurethane helped to give the wood a smoother feel and also helps to hold everything together. For the I/O I salvaged what I got off my friends scrap case, shout out to Adam, to get audio, some USB, and a power and reset switch. I drilled holes in the front of the case to pass the cables through, and then used a router to inset the plastic cases of the I/O. This section is one where I wish I had more guidance or more spare parts. I might try to upgrade the I/O in the future and 3D print parts that fit better around the curved surface of the stump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author Finally, I used an piece of table glass from a table my parents were getting rid of for the top of the stump. A glass store in town cut it for cheap to the size and shape I asked for, so it is just how I want it. I also used industrial strength caster wheels with extendable rubber feet on the bottom. The stump is 243 pounds, so I need the rolling wheels to move it. The rubber feet help me guarantee that the top is level, and I am proud to say that really is level. The glass is resting on top of some rubber seals which give a air gap of about 1/4 inch which should help with airflow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author Here is one video that I couldn't get to post that shows the hardware mounting stuff inside the case. https://youtu.be/_vipKlgF4dI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted July 23, 2020 Author And that is as far as I have gotten to date. I plan to buy the actual computer parts in August, and will make another post then once the system is built and tested. My closing thoughts are thought I have made a very imperfect PC case with a lot to be desired, but I did learn a lot about wood working and computer case requirements and for that I am very excited. I am proud of the result, and I hope others see the work and are inspired to do their own cool, creative projects. Thanks for checking this out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted April 3, 2021 Author I did my first test for of all the parts in September of 2020, but the mother board tray was a bit too large. So close! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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