Custom Case

[TheGhzGuy]

Hi all,

I'm in the middle of planning out a custom built case. (Hopefully I'll sell it too) Anyone here know of some manufacturing companies for cases? Thanks!

[Muz]

Just cutout some cardboard

[TheGhzGuy]

Just cutout some cardboard

I can't make a full case out of cardboard and expect it to lasr

[Muz]

I can't make a full case out of cardboard and expect it to lasr

Reinforce it with more cardboard.

[Scheer]

Lian Li build the Ncase M1 for some people, but that was likely a rare situation. Still, couldn't hurt to try contacting them about it.

 

Most machine shops should be able to do this for you as well, if you have CAD drawings of it. Just keep in mind that this is likely going to cost around over a thousand dollars just for your first prototype mockup. If there are any complexities like plastic parts and offset stamped pieces (things that will require molds/forms/dies to be built), its probably going to start at $5k.

 

Basically, if you are doing this because you think it will save money, that is not the case. Pun intended.

[TheGhzGuy]

Lian Li build the Ncase M1 for some people, but that was likely a rare situation. Still, couldn't hurt to try contacting them about it.

Most machine shops should be able to do this for you as well, if you have CAD drawings of it. Just keep in mind that this is likely going to cost around over a thousand dollars just for your first prototype mockup. If there are any complexities like plastic parts and offset stamped pieces (things that will require molds/forms/dies to be built), its probably going to start at $5k.

Ok, that's super helpful.

Ill probably try to keep the plastic parts down to a minimum. (Any that I do use, I'll just install myself. Keep costs down) It would most likely use fairly simple shapes. I think the most complicated parts would be the PCI-E slots. How much do you think the cost go down after, say 100 cases?

[Scheer]

Ok, that's super helpful.

Ill probably try to keep the plastic parts down to a minimum. (Any that I do use, I'll just install myself. Keep costs down) It would most likely use fairly simple shapes. I think the most complicated parts would be the PCI-E slots. How much do you think the cost go down after, say 100 cases?

 

I'd take a wild guess and say $500 for a fullsize and $300 for a small case, 100 cases is not very many in the grand scheme of things. Plus it comes down to what materials, accessories, electronics, paint, etc. To go into full production on something you have a lot of retooling to do, and that can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

 

I don't mean to be rude, or seem like I am trying to scare you off of it, I just want to make sure you fully understand what all this would entail.

 

So you start by designing the case, full renders etc, and show it off/ask for advice on the design,etc. 

Then you need roughly $5k in hand to get an initial case made.

Wait a month for the case to be made.

Get the case and spend several weeks/months testing the case to make sure hardware fits and it is up to snuff on the quality you want.

Wait another month for another prototype with revisions done to it.

Retest everything, repeat until you are happy with it.

Somehow, come up with funding to purchase a large quantity of cases. Bank loan/ crowdfund /manufacture net terms.

Start a business, keeping in mind 30% of all profit you make is going to the government.

Deal with unhappy customers, because there will be some no matter what you do/how well you do it. Take losses on returned/damaged cases.

Meanwhile, keeping in mind the entire time that if this fails it could take 5-10 years to dig your self out from under it.

 

 

I could be omitting some big points, or exaggerating some small points, but over all it is going to go somewhat like above.

[TheGhzGuy]

I'd take a wild guess and say $500 for a fullsize and $300 for a small case, 100 cases is not very many in the grand scheme of things. Plus it comes down to what materials, accessories, electronics, paint, etc. To go into full production on something you have a lot of retooling to do, and that can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

 

I don't mean to be rude, or seem like I am trying to scare you off of it, I just want to make sure you fully understand what all this would entail.

 

So you start by designing the case, full renders etc, and show it off/ask for advice on the design,etc. 

Then you need roughly $5k in hand to get an initial case made.

Wait a month for the case to be made.

Get the case and spend several weeks/months testing the case to make sure hardware fits and it is up to snuff on the quality you want.

Wait another month for another prototype with revisions done to it.

Retest everything, repeat until you are happy with it.

Somehow, come up with funding to purchase a large quantity of cases. Bank loan/ crowdfund /manufacture net terms.

Start a business, keeping in mind 30% of all profit you make is going to the government.

Deal with unhappy customers, because there will be some no matter what you do/how well you do it. Take losses on returned/damaged cases.

Meanwhile, keeping in mind the entire time that if this fails it could take 5-10 years to dig your self out from under it.

 

 

I could be omitting some big points, or exaggerating some small points, but over all it is going to go somewhat like above.

Yeah, I was just curious. I assume after a while it would cost around 50 dollars (Eg: Fractal Design Define S)

 

It's ok. The fact you're giving me this info is very helpful. Sharing information is never rude.

 

It would be nice to start a business, issue being, I'm not even out of High School yet. Yeeeaaaah, that's an issue.

I'd probably start off with selling PC's either here or on EBay. Probably here. Who knows.

I might do some of the prototyping myself. Save some money.

Crowdfunding would also be good, it allows people to have a say in what goes into the case. (Kinda like the NCASE M1)

Though I have no experience in business, so there's that issue.

[Benji_w]

Hi all,

I'm in the middle of planning out a custom built case. (Hopefully I'll sell it too) Anyone here know of some manufacturing companies for cases? Thanks!

 

If you're planning a custom built case then you're better hand building it, there is a guy on OCN who has built a case by manufacturing process and it cost him well over $5k if I remember correctly. Not only that but he has tested it with various graphics cards, radiators, fans etc measured noise levels, recorded temps with a thermal camera etc. Building a case isn't as simple as you might think and given you're not out of school yet getting funding would be quite difficult.

[TheGhzGuy]

If you're planning a custom built case then you're better hand building it, there is a guy on OCN who has built a case by manufacturing process and it cost him well over $5k if I remember correctly. Not only that but he has tested it with various graphics cards, radiators, fans etc measured noise levels, recorded temps with a thermal camera etc. Building a case isn't as simple as you might think and given you're not out of school yet getting funding would be quite difficult.

Yeah, I know its far from easy. But hey, I would learn quite a few things about metalworking. (The first concept would be made by me) As for money, I can always build and sell computers on EBay or here and make some money that way.

[Benji_w]

Yeah, I know its far from easy. But hey, I would learn quite a few things about metalworking. (The first concept would be made by me) As for money, I can always build and sell computers on EBay or here and make some money that way.

 

I would highly recommend working with sheets of plastic first as it's easier to cut and glue together, I'm not sure hot much it costs where you're based but here in the UK I can get acrylic sheet easier than metal which is normally in bulk, plus I'd have to bend it and shape it etc which is far more effort then using a heat gun or strip to bend the acrylic.

[CatzRuleZWorld]

You could get some pieces of metal, screws, and spacers from your local hardware store and weld/drill/screw it all together like I did!