[Now Building] Self made case: 90° rotated + large fans

[lpdevIT]

Click here to VIEW and DOWNLOAD SketchUp project

Click here to download .stl file

 

     

 

Some specs:

• Not interested in beautiful fancy pc cases; don't care about aesthetics and leds;
• 500mm x 500mm x 250mm (about 19.70" x 19.70" x 9.85");
• Motherboard 90° rotated (I/O on the top - I know, there will be many cables out there);
• 2x Silverstone AP181 front intake, 2x Cooler Master Megaflow 200 rear exhaust;
• Components will be pretty old: i7 2600k, Noctua NH-D15, GTX 1060, Corsair AX750 and so on...
• It will be compatible with many future components;
• Black panels on top, bottom and both sides; front will have metal mesh and dust filter; rear will have only metal mesh;
• About 40mm (1.6") for cable management behind mobo;
• I will screw in some plastic feets to rise the case from the floor;
• There'll be place for HDDs and SSDs
• There'll be holes on the top where the cpu cooler's fan will blow;

I already bought some polypropylene black panels 1mm and some aluminium angle profiles.
I think I'll spend about 100€ for this case.

After cutting the materials, here some steps I'll follow to bring it together:

1. 
   I think getting here is pretty straightforward...
2. 
   I'll make the holes for the I/O shield and PCI cards on the top panel;
3. 
   Then, I'll mount the mobo on its support;
4. 
   At this time, I should be able to put it into the case and then finish with the missing components;

A little detail: I'll use 3 screws and bolts for every corner on the aluminium frame

 

I'm sure I forgot something... I'll update this post

Please, let me know what do you think about this project. If you have any questions or suggestions, I'll be glad to read them.

Thank you for your help and have a nice day!

Luca

 

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I bought:

From local storage:

Aluminium angle profile - 16mm x 1mm x 520cm - 8€

Aluminium flat profile - 15mm x 2mm x 260cm - 4€

Polypropylene black panels - 100cm x 100cm x 1mm - 9.10€ => WON'T USE THEM!!!

TOT +shipping: 25€

 

From Amazon:
Stainless steel galvanized and painted (ral 7016) - about 30€ => WON'T USE THEM: I got some steel panels from a friend for free

 

From Aliexpress:

Power button

Fan anti vibration mounting

Magnet tape

Nylon door handle

Motherboard risers and screws

Dust filter

20x steel corner 30mm

100x M3 5mm black screws

100x M3 thin nut

TOT +shipping: 28.07€

 

From other online shops:
2x Silverstone AP181 - 2x130.30€ => TOT +shipping: 31.50€

 

I'll recycle 200mm CM fan from my case; also I think I'll got HDD and SDD mouting kit from my case.

 

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[BigSmoke908]

looks pretty cool to me, but why do you want it to be 90° rotated? Saving some extra space or just the pure asthetics of cabels on the top? Or better airflow for the GPU?

[tkitch]

FYI:  Be prepared to spend more than you're expecting to finish this.

 

I built a case and the budget kept growing and growing, even if I wasn't upset with it!

 

Don't forget your power / reset buttions and LEDs

[lpdevIT]

14 minutes ago, BigSmoke908 said:

looks pretty cool to me, but why do you want it to be 90° rotated? Saving some extra space or just the pure asthetics of cabels on the top? Or better airflow for the GPU?

Thank you! Basically, the pc will be on the floor, not on my desk. I always hated crouching to plug in some new cables...
Also, I like being able to get veeery long gpus lol I got inspired by Silverstone RV02, which is on top of every Gamersnexus's chart

The only way I figured out to put 4 large fans and have the I/O on the top was the one you see... I don't really like much how cpu cooler's airflow is bottom->top, while the general case flow is front->rear, but that's fine

2 minutes ago, tkitch said:

FYI:  Be prepared to spend more than you're expecting to finish this.

 

I built a case and the budget kept growing and growing, even if I wasn't upset with it!

 

Don't forget your power / reset buttions and LEDs

I'm sure you're right but I'm trying my best not to spend too much money  I already bought a cheap Power+led button, I'll mount it on the top of the case; I won't have any reset button

 

Thank you guys!

[thrasher_565]

i thought about case like this and it just dose not improve the air flow. case that can intake from the bottom to the gpu will be about the same. so the 90 degree would just be for looks then performance.

 

gpus intake from the bottom and out the sides so relocating the gpu is a must if you what better performance or by removing the fans on the gpu and replacing them but( i guess water cooling relocates the heat any way.)

 

the idea of the 90 degree is then mb are shorter when there 90 degree then then normal height because of the pci slots.  so that means the air is closer to the mb and cpu making it cooler. ya micro atx only one slot would work but then the gpu length would be a problem any way since the gpu will be longer then an micro atx.

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Segotep-Computer-Graphics-Vertical-Mounting/dp/B086M7KXW7/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=90%2Bdegree%2Bpc%2Bcase&qid=1617141462&sr=8-8&th=1

Edited March 30, 2021 by thrasher_565

[lpdevIT]

15 minutes ago, thrasher_565 said:

i thought about case like this and it just dose not improve the air flow. case that can intake from the bottom to the gpu will be about the same. so the 90 degree would just be for looks then performance.

 

gpus intake from the bottom and out the sides so relocating the gpu is a must if you what better performance or by removing the fans on the gpu and replacing them but( i guess water cooling relocates the heat any way.)

 

the idea of the 90 degree is then mb are shorter when there 90 degree then then normal height because of the pci slots.  so that means the air is closer to the mb and cpu making it cooler. ya micro atx only one slot would work but then the gpu length would be a problem any way since the gpu will be longer then an micro atx.

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Segotep-Computer-Graphics-Vertical-Mounting/dp/B086M7KXW7/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=90%2Bdegree%2Bpc%2Bcase&qid=1617141462&sr=8-8&th=1

Hi, thank you for your message!
The 90 degrees are there because I don't want to crouch to plug in new cables (and it happens a lot).

I'm sorry but I'm pretty sure I didn't understand the other parts of your message.
What were you trying to tell me about gpus? I don't want any liquid cooling in this case

My mobo will be ATX (no microATX); I don't have restrictions in mobo size.

I never heard about Segotep (I think because they don't sell in Europe), I checked the case you linked and I think it's not far away from what I'm building... Just mine is bigger

[thrasher_565]

4 minutes ago, lpdevIT said:

Hi, thank you for your message!
The 90 degrees are there because I don't want to crouch to plug in new cables (and it happens a lot).

I'm sorry but I'm pretty sure I didn't understand the other parts of your message.
What were you trying to tell me about gpus? I don't want any liquid cooling in this case

My mobo will be ATX (no microATX); I don't have restrictions in mobo size.

I never heard about Segotep (I think because they don't sell in Europe), I checked the case you linked and I think it's not far away from what I'm building... Just mine is bigger

ya its ok at the end of the day its your case so w/e you do it be fine.

 

i was just thinking on what is the best air flow for both the gpu and cpu and i cant see it happening with out moving the gpu.

[lpdevIT]

12 minutes ago, thrasher_565 said:

ya its ok at the end of the day its your case so w/e you do it be fine.

 

i was just thinking on what is the best air flow for both the gpu and cpu and i cant see it happening with out moving the gpu.

I’m sorry but I’m not an English native speaker, sometimes I have troubles with the language

 

Where would you move the gpu to get the best airflow? Thank you

[thrasher_565]

5 minutes ago, lpdevIT said:

I’m sorry but I’m not an English native speaker, sometimes I have troubles with the language

 

Where would you move the gpu to get the best airflow? Thank you

well the gpu need air in the fans to get best temps and the cpu cooler would need air in the front and out.

 

so if we take a case to day cpu air in front the case thow the cpu cpu cooler and out the back

 

the gpu would get air in from the bottom of the case and out the sides of the gpu witch some can be sucked thow the cpu, some be trapped being re sucked in the gpu

 

so we would need to move the gpu air wont get sucked thow the cpu cooler and gets full on air.

 

if we take the 01 lian li air case i would move the gpu to the top right so it gets air in front and can go out one side. then i would need a wall of some sort to keep the gpu air in its one compartment.

 

then i would rotate the cpu cooler 90 degrees so it intakes from the bottom and out the top.

[Blue4130]

3 hours ago, lpdevIT said:

 

     

 

Some specs:

• Not interested in beautiful fancy pc cases; don't care about aesthetics and leds;
• 500mm x 500mm x 250mm (about 19.70" x 19.70" x 9.85");
• Motherboard 90° rotated (I/O on the top - I know, there will be many cables out there);
• 2x Silverstone AP181 front intake, 2x Cooler Master Megaflow 200 rear exhaust;
• Components will be pretty old: i7 2600k, Noctua NH-D15, GTX 1060, Corsair AX750 and so on...
• It will be compatible with many future components;
• Black panels on top, bottom and both sides; front will have metal mesh and dust filter; rear will have only metal mesh;
• About 40mm (1.6") for cable management behind mobo;
• I will screw in some plastic feets to rise the case from the floor;
• There'll be place for HDDs and SSDs
• There'll be holes on the top where the cpu cooler's fan will blow;

I already bought some polypropylene black panels 1mm and some aluminium angle profiles.
I think I'll spend about 100€ for this case.

After cutting the materials, here some steps I'll follow to bring it together:

1. 
   I think getting here is pretty straightforward...
2. 
   I'll make the holes for the I/O shield and PCI cards on the top panel;
3. 
   Then, I'll mount the mobo on its support;
4. 
   At this time, I should be able to put it into the case and then finish with the missing components;

A little detail: I'll use 3 screws and bolts for every corner on the aluminium frame

 

I'm sure I forgot something... I'll update this post

Please, let me know what do you think about this project. If you have any questions or suggestions, I'll be glad to read them.

Thank you for your help and have a nice day!

Luca

Ouch, speaking from experience, 1mm side panels is thin... 

[OCNewbee]

I think you should use a pcie riser cable and move the GPU elsewhere or reorient your fans to the bottom like the Raven. If you don't want it to be too much like Raven, you could do a complete redesign. For example, I think a dual or triple chamber design could optimize airflow. I think you should keep the CPU separate from the GPU and the PSU. I think they each deserve their own airflow (maybe not the PSU). 

 

Currently, with your design, the heat from the GPU is passed on the CPU. Also, the GPU blocks most of the air flow. Air should flow as linear as possible with little to no impediment.  

 

[lpdevIT]

7 hours ago, thrasher_565 said:

well the gpu need air in the fans to get best temps and the cpu cooler would need air in the front and out.

 

so if we take a case to day cpu air in front the case thow the cpu cpu cooler and out the back

 

the gpu would get air in from the bottom of the case and out the sides of the gpu witch some can be sucked thow the cpu, some be trapped being re sucked in the gpu

 

so we would need to move the gpu air wont get sucked thow the cpu cooler and gets full on air.

 

if we take the 01 lian li air case i would move the gpu to the top right so it gets air in front and can go out one side. then i would need a wall of some sort to keep the gpu air in its one compartment.

 

then i would rotate the cpu cooler 90 degrees so it intakes from the bottom and out the top.

I think your design is quite a bit complex, but thank you for your help! Could you please draw what you’re writing about?

6 hours ago, Blue4130 said:

Ouch, speaking from experience, 1mm side panels is thin... 

You’re 100% right and I’ll regret my choice, but they’re (obviously) the cheapest ones: when I tried them in the shop they looked quite solid...

2 hours ago, OCNewbee said:

I think you should use a pcie riser cable and move the GPU elsewhere or reorient your fans to the bottom like the Raven. If you don't want it to be too much like Raven, you could do a complete redesign. For example, I think a dual or triple chamber design could optimize airflow. I think you should keep the CPU separate from the GPU and the PSU. I think they each deserve their own airflow (maybe not the PSU). 

 

Currently, with your design, the heat from the GPU is passed on the CPU. Also, the GPU blocks most of the air flow. Air should flow as linear as possible with little to no impediment.  

 

Thank you for your help! PSU has its own airflow (intake from the bottom - with dust filter - out from rear).

I don’t want my case to be exactly like Raven; I’m ok with cambers design. So, how do you suggest me to build what you meant? Do you think a small wall between CPU and GPU will be enough?

I’m quite sure my GPU (Zotac 1060 6gb) will blow out hot air from the top (the pci slot), not the sides.

Also, please consider that the GPU in my design is quite bigger than in reality

[thrasher_565]

the gpu is fine not perfect but fine its the cpu were it has to do like a 90+ degree on get in to the cpu heat sink. fans on the bottom would be better imo for the cpu

 

if you made an duel chamber you can control were the air gos and leaves and not have the gou air mix with the cpu air and so on

 

i just watch this video was helpful with airflow and what to do and not to do i didn't no that vertical gpu mount dont work that well.

 

 

[lpdevIT]

1 hour ago, thrasher_565 said:

the gpu is fine not perfect but fine its the cpu were it has to do like a 90+ degree on get in to the cpu heat sink. fans on the bottom would be better imo for the cpu

 

if you made an duel chamber you can control were the air gos and leaves and not have the gou air mix with the cpu air and so on

 

i just watch this video was helpful with airflow and what to do and not to do i didn't no that vertical gpu mount dont work that well.

 

 

Great idea! I think dual chambers is the best to gain control over air. But, right now is pretty hard to achieve that design with my configuration.
I saw the video you linked: the results for that case are great gpu temps and bad cpu temps; at about 23rd minute, he suggests to rotate the cpu cooler so that it pushes air out of the rear; also, he states that it'd be better to open a hole in the rear of the case to let hot air go out.
If you rotate that case 90° you basically get mine. The only difference is its gpu facing the side of the case instead of facing the front (after rotated): that's ok, maybe I'll try that configuration to achieve better thermals. I think with the configuration I posted in the first message it's easier to put a barrier between gpu and cpu so that their flow don't mess up.

sorry for my poor Photoshop skills

 

If you want to check out real hardware size and spacing right now, you can open this image

[OCNewbee]

4 hours ago, lpdevIT said:

Great idea! I think dual chambers is the best to gain control over air. But, right now is pretty hard to achieve that design with my configuration.
I saw the video you linked: the results for that case are great gpu temps and bad cpu temps; at about 23rd minute, he suggests to rotate the cpu cooler so that it pushes air out of the rear; also, he states that it'd be better to open a hole in the rear of the case to let hot air go out.
If you rotate that case 90° you basically get mine. The only difference is its gpu facing the side of the case instead of facing the front (after rotated): that's ok, maybe I'll try that configuration to achieve better thermals. I think with the configuration I posted in the first message it's easier to put a barrier between gpu and cpu so that their flow don't mess up.

sorry for my poor Photoshop skills

 

If you want to check out real hardware size and spacing right now, you can open this image

I just drew this in 2 minutes so sorry for the poor design. But if you made a triple chamber like this, it would be epic.

[freeagent]

16 hours ago, lpdevIT said:

Thank you! Basically, the pc will be on the floor, not on my desk. I always hated crouching to plug in some new cables...
Also, I like being able to get veeery long gpus lol I got inspired by Silverstone RV02, which is on top of every Gamersnexus's chart

The only way I figured out to put 4 large fans and have the I/O on the top was the one you see... I don't really like much how cpu cooler's airflow is bottom->top, while the general case flow is front->rear, but that's fine

I'm sure you're right but I'm trying my best not to spend too much money  I already bought a cheap Power+led button, I'll mount it on the top of the case; I won't have any reset button

 

Thank you guys!

What makes that case the king of airflow are the fans

 

He didn't like the Meshify C that much, and it was because of the fans

 

Airflow is everything! You will not get that performance with a bunch of 60cfm Noctuas.

 

Here is my Meshify with all the cfm's.

 

October 27, 2019 - YouTube

 

Other than that, I think you design looks ok, my only concern is the direction of the CPU fans in relation to the case fans.

 

 

[lpdevIT]

2 hours ago, OCNewbee said:

I just drew this in 2 minutes so sorry for the poor design. But if you made a triple chamber like this, it would be epic.

Mmmm this sounds super interesting, thank you! The big one for the mb and cpu; one of the other for the gpu; what about the third one? psu? I don't think psu will have any thermal problems.
The main problem is about size: with this design I won't be able to use large (180/200mm) fans, unless I want my case to be larger then my desk
I'm trying to weld your design with my initial idea; I'm quite sure I'll try some barrer between cpu and gpu, but that would block the airflow... mmm

1 hour ago, freeagent said:

What makes that case the king of airflow are the fans

 

He didn't like the Meshify C that much, and it was because of the fans

 

Airflow is everything! You will not get that performance with a bunch of 60cfm Noctuas.

 

Here is my Meshify with all the cfm's.

 

October 27, 2019 - YouTube

 

Other than that, I think you design looks ok, my only concern is the direction of the CPU fans in relation to the case fans.

 

 

Yes I'm sure that using great fans will improve any case airflow.

I checked out your video: wow, your pc looks incredibly windy lol do you have any other pics or specs?

I understand your concern and I'm not sure about that fans direction; but, as you can see in this previous post, even in that Gamersnexus review they suggest mounting the fans in that direction

[freeagent]

30 minutes ago, lpdevIT said:

Yes I'm sure that using great fans will improve any case airflow.

I checked out your video: wow, your pc looks incredibly windy lol do you have any other pics or specs?

I understand your concern and I'm not sure about that fans direction; but, as you can see in this previous post, even in that Gamersnexus review they suggest mounting the fans in that direction

Yes, exactly. Its mostly the fan that will dictate things. 

Lol that is full speed, I don't run like that all the time, just when I am benching or stress testing, otherwise it is very quiet.

That picture has been clipped, I am not entirely sure what I am looking at.. which way is up? 

Either way, it probably doesn't matter much, its not like the Noctua fans throw a bunch of air around.

 

I think your render is alright, I am genuinely interested in how this will turn out

 

The fans I was using were 120x38s running at 12v and moving about 110cfm. I had 5 in the case, as well as a 92x35 4k screamer . That little guy moves more air than my TY-143  

 

4 intake, 3 exhaust in total. Right now I just have 3 in 1 out.

 

Good luck and keep us posted! 

 

Will you be doing the layout and fab work?

 

[lpdevIT]

9 minutes ago, freeagent said:

Yes, exactly. Its mostly the fan that will dictate things. 

Lol that is full speed, I don't run like that all the time, just when I am benching or stress testing, otherwise it is very quiet.

That picture has been clipped, I am not entirely sure what I am looking at.. which way is up? 

Either way, it probably doesn't matter much, its not like the Noctua fans throw a bunch of air around.

 

I think your render is alright, I am genuinely interested in how this will turn out

 

The fans I was using were 120x38s running at 12v and moving about 110cfm. I had 5 in the case, as well as a 92x35 4k screamer . That little guy moves more air than my TY-143  

 

4 intake, 3 exhaust in total. Right now I just have 3 in 1 out.

 

Good luck and keep us posted! 

 

Will you be doing the layout and fab work?

 

Yeah, that's pretty loud but I'm sure that at low rpm it'll be ok

I got this pic from the video of Gamersnexus reviewing the Cooler Master SL600M, I rotated 90° clockwise and that's it: it looks quite similar to what I'm building...

 

Thank you for your interest! I'll get some materials (aluminium profiles, plastic panels and fans) in a few days. Then I can start measuring and cutting but I have to wait for the other parts (shipping from China...)

Hey, that's a big number of small fans! They will sound like a shuttle take off

 

I'm sorry but I didn't understand your last sentence ("Will you be doing the layout and fab work?"): what do you mean?

[freeagent]

Oh sorry, I used to work with sheet metal. A layout is what the case will look like on flat unformed metal. It’s a drawing of all of the features that need to be cut and formed. But you just answered that.. sweet!

[thrasher_565]

3 hours ago, freeagent said:

What makes that case the king of airflow are the fans

 

He didn't like the Meshify C that much, and it was because of the fans

 

Airflow is everything! You will not get that performance with a bunch of 60cfm Noctuas.

 

Here is my Meshify with all the cfm's.

 

October 27, 2019 - YouTube

 

Other than that, I think you design looks ok, my only concern is the direction of the CPU fans in relation to the case fans.

 

 

keep in mind he test with stock fans with the case in w/e it was factory installed and he only test with 3 fans 2 front and 1 back only so take it with a box of salt. and there locked a 55%

https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/3477-case-fan-standardization-tests-noise-normalized-thermals

 

[freeagent]

6 minutes ago, thrasher_565 said:

keep in mind he test with stock fans with the case in w/e it was factory installed and he only test with 3 fans 2 front and 1 back only so take it with a box of salt. and there locked a 55%

https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/3477-case-fan-standardization-tests-noise-normalized-thermals

 

 I have some FD fans in my sons rig, can barely hear them at 100%, so why 55% I have no idea..

 

I am using server fans, totally not a realistic comparo unless I run them at 5v or something. But even then they still push a good amount.

 

Been running since 2006 and still waiting for them to die so I can replace them

[thrasher_565]

10 minutes ago, freeagent said:

 I have some FD fans in my sons rig, can barely hear them at 100%, so why 55% I have no idea..

 

I am using server fans, totally not a realistic comparo unless I run them at 5v or something. But even then they still push a good amount.

 

Been running since 2006 and still waiting for them to die so I can replace them

its a test bench so he can test it in all case. so he uses 55% witch is probly round the 40db mark were most people are ok about.

[lpdevIT]

54 minutes ago, thrasher_565 said:

keep in mind he test with stock fans with the case in w/e it was factory installed and he only test with 3 fans 2 front and 1 back only so take it with a box of salt. and there locked a 55%

https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/3477-case-fan-standardization-tests-noise-normalized-thermals

 

Mmm yes I know their tests methods, but why should I keep it in mind with my project?

 

At the end, am I fine with building as in the original post or should I change anything?

[thrasher_565]

2 hours ago, lpdevIT said:

Mmm yes I know their tests methods, but why should I keep it in mind with my project?

 

At the end, am I fine with building as in the original post or should I change anything?

i was just saying take his is case temps with a box of salt. more fans better fans and more rpm would get better temps in his case test  he picked 3 fans as most case can mout 2 up front and 1 in back.

 

nothing to do with your build. i was just pointing out on when you look as best air flow charts from him thow temps are based off his test rig only.

Edited March 31, 2021 by thrasher_565