How tf do you custom case builders afford it?

[kenblu24]

I was quoted about 150 USD for a custom sheet metal part pictured below, which is the price of a decent full-size case. How on earth do you crazy people afford what I'm assuming is $600+ for a whole custom-made case? Are you doing the fab work yourself? Sponsors? Are you just a baller?

 

[The Sloth]

 

 

[kenblu24]

3 minutes ago, The Sloth said:

 

 

Okay I guess if I think of custom building as a hobby, 600 for a single component makes a bit more sense, especially if I'm considering the crazy amounts people here spend on their watercooling. 

[Streetguru]

17 minutes ago, kenblu24 said:

 

Well there's a lot of manual labor involved there, you'd be better off just 3D printing something potentially... Or just getting the main pieces laser cut or something and riveting them together with brackets.

[kenblu24]

1 minute ago, Streetguru said:

Well there's a lot of manual labor involved there, you'd be better off just 3D printing something potentially... Or just getting the main pieces laser cut or something and riveting them together with brackets.

What material is that? Do you have any concerns about heat?

 

Yea I was planning on 3D printing most of it, but the PCI card mounting bracket standards were really designed for sheet metal. But I don't want to pay 150 for that, so I guess I don't really need the strength or rigidity that much. 

 

[Streetguru]

Just now, kenblu24 said:

 

It's PLA, it should be fine, it's not like the air is going to get that hot.

 

The Red is SPLA and needs higher temps to print

[W-L]

40 minutes ago, kenblu24 said:

I was quoted about 150 USD for a custom sheet metal part pictured below, which is the price of a decent full-size case. How on earth do you crazy people afford what I'm assuming is $600+ for a whole custom-made case? Are you doing the fab work yourself? Sponsors? Are you just a baller?

150USD is pretty fair price especially for a one off part, I used to work in shop that did sheet metal and time on our automated punch press was upwards of $100/hr not including programming fees. Material is cheap programming and machine time is not. 

 

If you want something similar there are common case parts you can purchase from places like mountain mods. 

https://www.mountainmods.com/product_info.php?products_id=56

https://www.mountainmods.com/product_info.php?products_id=486

[Mick Naughty]

A job normally. $600 isn’t much at all. For anything. 

[artuc]

26 minutes ago, Mick Naughty said:

A job normally. $600 isn’t much at all. For anything. 

Yeah, it is a lot even if you have a job.

 

Just depends on circumstances, mortgage and kids here. Family, house and car are the priorities for money.

 

For the OP definitely comes down to labour cost a lot of the time to make custom fabrication. Tends to be cheaper for bulk orders as that cost is spread over the whole job.

 

 

 

 

[Mick Naughty]

54 minutes ago, artuc said:

Yeah, it is a lot even if you have a job.

 

Just depends on circumstances, mortgage and kids here. Family, house and car are the priorities for money.

 

For the OP definitely comes down to labour cost a lot of the time to make custom fabrication. Tends to be cheaper for bulk orders as that cost is spread over the whole job.

 

 

 

 

Well gpu’s cost more. So does water cooling. Should be a factor in any build. Just like any other hobby. 
If you have so much other stuff going on that you can’t afford it, it shouldn’t really be a question how. How does anyone buy anything really. 

[RollinLower]

15 hours ago, Streetguru said:

Well there's a lot of manual labor involved there, you'd be better off just 3D printing something potentially... Or just getting the main pieces laser cut or something and riveting them together with brackets.

-snip-

oi! you got a license for that there logo?!

[startrek03]

I want to try to bend sheet metal myself. It's probably gonna be a bit tricky, but I think (or better hope) I can do it.

[W-L]

1 hour ago, startrek03 said:

I want to try to bend sheet metal myself. It's probably gonna be a bit tricky, but I think (or better hope) I can do it.

I would recommend aluminum it will be easier to bend and cut if you want to make something custom. Ideally if you can get tools a vice with a metal brake attachment work really well.

[startrek03]

1 minute ago, W-L said:

I would recommend aluminum it will be easier to bend and cut if you want to make something custom. Ideally if you can get tools a vice with a metal brake attachment work really well.

I'll definitely think about that