PC in a pelican case

[commandlion]

Hey guys,

 

I've built a few computers before but I'm totally new to case modding, and I'm mulling over the idea of building my next computer into a pelican case for easy transport. I've seen one guy successfully build his PC into a pelican case (here http://imgur.com/a/7rJ68) and other people try here on the LTT forums. My question is this: how feasible is that build? The guy in the imgur link seemed like he knew what he was doing. If I have no case modding experience but I do have access to tools via my university's makerspace, is this sort of thing out of reach? Would it be easier to just build a small form factor PC in a normal case and carry that normal case in this pelican case? 

 

Thoughts? Any of you tried something like this before?

 

For the curious, here's my current build plan. Note that if I end up going through with the pelican case, I'm (obviously) ditching the NZXT case listed in the build https://pcpartpicker.com/user/chuckdries/saved/#view=dDQtt6

 

Edit: found another

(not worth watching the whole thing but he shows off the layout around the middle)

[Djole123]

Well, I see what are you trying. I reccomend you to get as much of low profile stuff as you can. SFX PSU'S, Mini ITX motherboards, low profile coolers, low profile memory, SSD's and low profile GPU's. I will put a build for you if you want.

[manikyath]

well, when going for excentric case ideas you'll mostly need creativity and pick the right parts for the job.

 

i'd recommend against the tower cooler for obvious concerns in transportation, and offcourse the size.

if you're creative you could make the lid of the case "hold" the tower cooler in place tho.

 

beyond that.. its mostly just down to your creativity for what you're able to do.

 

as for @Djole123 's low profile suggestion.. nah, just get a bigger pelican case. weight wouldnt be much different, and the standard "briefcase" size should fit an ATX mobo with room to spare just fine.

[ShadowCaptain]

get a laptop?

[commandlion]

1 hour ago, ShadowCaptain said:

get a laptop?

Lol I already have a laptop. It’s a good mix of powerful but light but more importantly not powerful enough to totally replace my desktop. That being said, any laptop that powerful would be of the sort that’s way heavier than I like, so my plan is to use my laptop to take notes in class and such, and only move my desktop between my dorm and the newsroom (I’m the graphics editor at my university’s newspaper) on a weekly basis. Yes my laptop does the job and yes they have computers there but I’ll always be happier with my desktop as a graphics workhorse. 

---

So I’ve been been doing a bit of research and I’ve decided on a case. The pelican 1510 is TSA carry on size and basically the perfect size for an ATX motherboard and some room left over for a power supply and whatever, but now I’m thinking about cooling. The. Pelican case is weatherproof, which is awesome and something I don’t want to ruin. Cooling it means either only running the computer with the case open or cutting holes in the side and compromising the waterproofness. Neither of those are ideal. I’d love to stand it up closed like a normal computer case when in use. Does anyone know of any ways to make it so I can open and close the cooling ports? Like I’m thinking of some kind of doors that open when I need to run the computer then I can reseal for transport to keep it waterproof. Any suggestions for how to go about making these doors?

[Scheer]

I always forget the brand of these cases... but its a Pelican clone that is still built fairly well and has a ledge all the way around the inside with screw holes for attaching a plate to it. This would be a much more secure way of attaching the PC to the case, rather than epoxy or drilling holes and having bolts stick out of the case.

 

This is essentially a 50 pound computer that is overnighted across the country on a weekly basis and none of them have broken.

 

[Spotswood]

I just built a frame to go in a Pelican 1670:

[commandlion]

1 hour ago, Spotswood said:

I just built a frame to go in a Pelican 1670:

Awesome! 

 

1. How is your motherboard attached right now?

 

2. what are you doing about cooling?

[Spotswood]

7 hours ago, chuckasaurus rex said:

Awesome! 

 

1. How is your motherboard attached right now?

 

2. what are you doing about cooling?

1. In that pic, the MB was secured with just a couple of screws.

2. A 140mm fan will be attached to the two top rails.

[commandlion]

On 5/4/2016 at 4:43 AM, Spotswood said:

1. In that pic, the MB was secured with just a couple of screws.

2. A 140mm fan will be attached to the two top rails.

I hope you don't mind me asking so many questions, I only have one more: What do you call the pieces of metal you've made that frame out of that have those ridges in them?

[Scheer]

6 hours ago, chuckasaurus rex said:

I hope you don't mind me asking so many questions, I only have one more: What do you call the pieces of metal you've made that frame out of that have those ridges in them?

It is aluminum extrusion, looks to me to be 15mm x 15mm from Misumi.