Case Theme Suggestions? (Colors/designs)

[DevilishBooster]

So, I was helping my grandma move stuff around this weekend and she asked my to toss this in the recycling bin. It's one of those "at home" salon-style hair dryer/steamer perm things from the 70s. Of course I immediately saw the potential for a mITX project. Thought I would open it up to suggestions for the colors/designs. Since I'm just starting out with modding/case building it can't be anything crazy complicated that would require mass amounts of carving and molding and what-not, but cut-outs should be pretty easy. So, whadda ya'll think?

[MrYuriy]

Cool case. PSU, Cooler & a Fan pre-installed. Can't beat that.

 

Change nothing. Just SLI 2 980's in it. #WIN

[DevilishBooster]

Cool case. PSU, Cooler & a Fan pre-installed. Can't beat that.

 

Change nothing. Just SLI 2 980's in it. #WIN

 

Lol, I'll keep that option in mind.

[brob]

If memory serves these units are horribly loud when working. But the case looks very promising.

 

One could carve out an exhaust in the depression below the handle. Remove the ducting and have the top mounted a few cm above its nominal position to allow for intake.

 

I would leave the color as is and not carve out any external opening for the i/o. Instead I'd run all the cables in through a single small channel. Assuming there is enough internal clearance.

[DevilishBooster]

If memory serves these units are horribly loud when working. But the case looks very promising.

 

One could carve out an exhaust in the depression below the handle. Remove the ducting and have the top mounted a few cm above its nominal position to allow for intake.

 

I would leave the color as is and not carve out any external opening for the i/o. Instead I'd run all the cables in through a single small channel. Assuming there is enough internal clearance.

 

I actually thought about the single fan exhaust with the intake being a "ring gap" all the way around.

As for the cables, you're saying I should run them out through the "intake" instead of cutting or drilling to have the I/O accessible from the outside? I can dig that. My initial thought was putting case feet on the bottom, cutting out the middle of the bottom, and having the I/O recessed a little to give clearance for the connectors, but I'm not sure how well that would work either. I think it ultimately will come down to how I have to mount the mobo...

[brob]

I actually thought about the single fan exhaust with the intake being a "ring gap" all the way around.

As for the cables, you're saying I should run them out through the "intake" instead of cutting or drilling to have the I/O accessible from the outside? I can dig that. My initial thought was putting case feet on the bottom, cutting out the middle of the bottom, and having the I/O recessed a little to give clearance for the connectors, but I'm not sure how well that would work either. I think it ultimately will come down to how I have to mount the mobo...

 

I like the idea of a vertically mounted (or canted) motherboard with the cables coming in from the bottom. You could even put a channel in from the side, possible hanging down or cut into the bottom. With a fan in the bottom, cool air could be nicely directed over the gpu and motherboard. This solves the problem of getting good cooling over the motherboard if the top exhaust is used.

[DevilishBooster]

I like the idea of a vertically mounted (or canted) motherboard with the cables coming in from the bottom. You could even put a channel in from the side, possible hanging down or cut into the bottom. With a fan in the bottom, cool air could be nicely directed over the gpu and motherboard. This solves the problem of getting good cooling over the motherboard if the top exhaust is used.

 

Here's what I have to work with for the bottom half. I'm really liking the ring-gap idea for the intake, although it would probably have to be unfiltered. I'm thinking brass spacers to support the top half so that it matches the brass clasp ring holding the two top pieces together.

[DevilishBooster]

I like the idea of a vertically mounted (or canted) motherboard with the cables coming in from the bottom. You could even put a channel in from the side, possible hanging down or cut into the bottom. With a fan in the bottom, cool air could be nicely directed over the gpu and motherboard. This solves the problem of getting good cooling over the motherboard if the top exhaust is used.

 

I think the next step is going to be trimming out the excess in the bottom half and the top inner shell so that I can do a cardboard mock-up. What I would really like to do is use a tower cooler like the Evo 212 to help move air up through the case.

[brob]

I think the next step is going to be trimming out the excess in the bottom half and the top inner shell so that I can do a cardboard mock-up. What I would really like to do is use a tower cooler like the Evo 212 to help move air up through the case.

 

Sounds like you are on the right track. Good thinking on the tower cooler.

 

Ring gap would be excellent. I think it will maximize intake potential.

 

You may want to give some thought to structural integrity before removing what appear to be air channel structures.

[DevilishBooster]

Sounds like you are on the right track. Good thinking on the tower cooler.

 

Ring gap would be excellent. I think it will maximize intake potential.

 

You may want to give some thought to structural integrity before removing what appear to be air channel structures.

 

That's the channel that the steam followed from the reservoir/boiler up to the hood. It was only structural in that this metal plate was screwed down to, which held the fan and motor (pic 1). The top section of the bottom half screwed down to separate posts (larger separate posts in pic 2). Since there really isn't anything to mount the mobo/tray to, (let alone support the weight of possibly a small graphics card like this), I'm thinking of cutting a full circle of sheet steel to cover the entire lower half out to the four larger posts so that it's sandwiched in between the two parts to provide the structural support. If that makes sense...