Hand forged computer case

[Herman9k]

Hello guys!

Next autumn I will take my journey-man letter in blacksmithing in sweden, which has a gruelling standard, not in the least in the drawing of the work.

I was thinking of doing a hand forged computer case, but the more i draw, the more questions arise.

I am not an engineer, so i would appreciate the help!

 

#1: Do i have to coat the inside of the case to prevent the metal disturbing the circuits, or can i let the iron be free and glorious?(ofcourse i will be using the proper stand-offs, i'm just weary of the black arts of it all. like quantum. or electro-magnetics.)

 

#2: Is there anyone who can tell me where i can find the small screw-taps required for making motherboard standoffs? (other handy-dandy ways of making it is also welcome)

 

I am still early in the design phase(deadline in november), but i will try to keep you guys updated as i move along!

[hman123467]

1. I reaaaalllyyy wouldnt think so. but I think if you used stand offs you would get away with it. The PSU earths the case btw so make sure the PSU makes enough contact with the case

 

cheers,

hman out  

[QueenDemetria]

6 minutes ago, Herman9k said:

#1: Do i have to coat the inside of the case to prevent the metal disturbing the circuits, or can i let the iron be free and glorious?(ofcourse i will be using the proper stand-offs, i'm just weary of the black arts of it all. like quantum. or electro-magnetics.)

 

#2: Is there anyone who can tell me where i can find the small screw-taps required for making motherboard standoffs? (other handy-dandy ways of making it is also welcome)

Sweet, sounds like a cool project  To answer your questions though:

1. Its fine exposed(or clear coated if you want to prevent rust). As long as you are mounting your motherboard(or any other board) with standoffs you will be fine. Basically, you don't want the PCB flat against the surface, you want some spacing.
2. Not sure TBH(really wish I had a tap + die set myself), but this might help(standoffs and 6-32 computer screws use the same threads): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_case_screws#6-32_screw 

[soup]

1) No, as long as the solder points on the back of the MoBo do not contact the case.

(what the stand-offs are for, brass usually but decreasingly plastic may also be used, remember they are non conductive (very low conductivity in the case of brass).

 

2)Amazon (or the Swedish equivalent of harbor freight, B&Q, Homebase, Screwfix, Toolstation etc)) will have tap sets, remember as the threaded portion does not go all the way through you will need a three die set (tapered, ???, bottoming [seems it's taper, bottoming and plug]) size required is usually M3 ( possibly 6-32 for our leftpondian cousins) As no one (well very few especially at these sizes)makes their own screws prefering to just buy them would stand-offs not be the same idea.  The actual thread is not that important as long as it matches the screw that's holding the MoBo on and it does not 'burst' out of the stand-off

Edited February 17, 2016 by soup
Edted to add red bit

[soup]

5 minutes ago, soup said:

Mods plz delete quote instead of edit.

 

 

[Herman9k]

13 minutes ago, QueenDemetria said:

Sweet, sounds like a cool project  To answer your questions though:

1. Its fine exposed(or clear coated if you want to prevent rust). As long as you are mounting your motherboard(or any other board) with standoffs you will be fine. Basically, you don't want the PCB flat against the surface, you want some spacing.
2. Not sure TBH(really wish I had a tap + die set myself), but this might help(standoffs and 6-32 computer screws use the same threads): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_case_screws#6-32_screw 

Them threads are really stressing me out, those are the most important components of the case at the moment and the ONE thing i have trouble making in-house. I'm thinking of cutting grooves in some 6-32 screws to make my own taps, although i am quite certain the screws are to soft to make efficient taps. alternatively i have to heat the metal which will be threaded.

[Herman9k]

34 minutes ago, soup said:

1) No, as long as the solder points on the back of the MoBo do not contact the case.

(what the stand-offs are for, brass usually but decreasingly plastic may also be used, remember they are non conductive (very low conductivity in the case of brass).

 

2)Amazon (or the Swedish equivalent of harbor freight, B&Q, Homebase, Screwfix, Toolstation etc)) will have tap sets, remember as the threaded portion does not go all the way through you will need a three die set (tapered, ???, bottoming [seems it's taper, bottoming and plug]) size required is usually M3 ( possibly 6-32 for our leftpondian cousins) As no one (well very few especially at these sizes)makes their own screws prefering to just buy them would stand-offs not be the same idea.  The actual thread is not that important as long as it matches the screw that's holding the MoBo on and it does not 'burst' out of the stand-off

sweet, found some alternatives looking for m3-taps! thanks a bunch! 

I'm probably gonna use standard standoffs, i have no desire to fiddle around more than necessesary with such small things. (the journeyman-letter requires me to follow a 0.2 mm tolerance -.-' which i will bullsh*t myself through to the best of my abilities!)

 

one idea i had was simply soldering the MoBo-standoffs in place, with the slight problem of them being brass makes them tricky as fudge to solder.

 

Edit: found iron-standoffs. might just solder the standoffs in place.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Herman9k

[Herman9k]

Spoiler

SPOILER: first sketch of the front. There will probably be no sheet-metal at all used in the case.

Here are what im battling with at the moment, i need to decide if im going with 2x240 radiators or one single 360 radiator.

Since this case will have one single way of mounting components, this decides the dimensions and thus also the finished design.

I'm leaning towards the 360 radiator because it feels a bit cleaner, and it also gives a space behind the radiator where i can stow away the harddrives and possibly the pump and/or cables.

Let me know what you guys think!