PC.ZIP - Very compact ATX rig

[sirtoby]

Hello there.

I recently got hold of an case from a prebuilt HP computer.

 

 

I quite like it for its compactness (only 20L volume) and I plan on putting my rig into it (currently in Bitfenix Comrade. Too big.). My only issue is, that it only accepts µAtx motherboards. My plans are to change that. This includes to move the psu mount to the front as well as to redo the front since it is scratched up.

To do list:

- Get rid of the unnecessary stuff

- Move the PSU

- add MB mounts

- Add fan mounts to the top

- Drill holes for fan

- Redo the front (wood or stainless steel)

- Repainting

- find a mounting spot for 2 2.5" SSDs

- Find a mounting spot for a 3.5" HDD

 

The Hardware I will try to cram in there will be:

Gigabyte H77-DS3H

Intel i5-3570k @ stock

Gigabyte HD 7870

2x Adata SP900 64GB in Raid0

WD Green 3TB HDD

Corsair CX500 PSU

Alpenföhn Wasser (Aio watercoolerooler)

 

 

Update #0 - How recursion works

Update #1 - removing bits

Update #2 - Adding a fan mount

Update #3 - Mounting the psu

Update #4 - Adding PCIe slots

[ImBleu]

Looks very interesting. Following.

[TheKDub]

Clever name!

 

 

Good luck modding that case! (I'm sure you could find a similar one that is ready for a custom pc elsewhere)

[sirtoby]

Clever name!

 

 

Good luck modding that case! (I'm sure you could find a similar one that is ready for a custom pc elsewhere)

Thanks. why buing a finished case, when you can mod one? 

[ALXAndy]

Hells to the yeah. I love seeing crappy cases modded up to high standards.

 

Watching this one !

[sirtoby]

UPDATE 1: 

 

I started to remove unnecessary bits from the case like the HDD tray.

Before:

 

After:

 

The hardware is just an example.

[Speedyv]

Stealth!

 

Those things have no cable management space though.

[sirtoby]

Stealth!

 

Those things have no cable management space though.

I thought about a modular psu, but my CX works perfectly fine and as long as there is no window, you can't see the mess.

[sirtoby]

Update 2:

 

Today I went on and drilled some ventilation holes for a fan in the rear top of the case. I will mount a 120mm fan in there. Some of the holes were a bit off, but that isn't important. I will put a magnetic dust filter over them anyways.

 

[ungreedy]

Update 2:

 

 like that graph paper idea!

[sirtoby]

Update 3:

Now, let's mount the power supply to the front.

 

 

 

 

PSU is just a placeholder, since I didn't wanted to destroy the cable management in my main rig by pulling the psu out...

[sirtoby]

Update 4:

 

Hey there, it's update time.

I'm currently waiting for the motherboard standoffs, I ordered off Ebay. They ship from England, but they should arrive this week. Meanwhile, I'm working on the PCIe slots. I decided to add two more for a total of 6 PCIe slots. I made a timelapse of the process. Unfortunately my camera's battery decided to die after an hour, so the last bit of film is lost. Doesn't matter though, since most of the work was successfully captured. 

 

 

 

[sirtoby]

I'm alive! sorry for the long silence. I was moving houses in December and that took up all my time. I now have a lot more space and can work indoors. I still need to thing of a solution for the front panel. I've been thinking about ordering a router for quite some time now, so a wooden frontpanel may be possible.

[DJ46]

Interesting. I'm currently in the process of making a custom wooden case with basically the same layout using one of the HP prebuilts as a donor case. Mine will be as small as possible though (only <19cm wide mATX boards).

 

How do plan to route the PSU power cord?

My case has sidepanels that go 3cm past the bottom panel (to be used as sort of case feet). When I add the thickness of the bottom panel (8mm) to those 3cm, I have enough space for a right angle power cord.

[sirtoby]

I'm going to get some Feet for speakers like these (german amazon) which will elevate the case around 2 cm. So this should give me some room for a right angled power cord.