Custom-made case- need help.

[Trio]

Hello. I Finally have enough money to buy all the computer parts I need to make an oil computer. All that's left is the case that I'm going to have custom made, or make myself.

There's two parts to the case I need: the acrylic (plexiglass) case to hold the mobo and psu, and the metal (aluminum) part above to hold the drives. I have a pretty good idea of how I'll make the acrylic case, but to tell the truth it's the metalic part that will be a bit difficult.

I have no idea how to make the dimensions of the aluminum top. These are the drives I'm planning on using:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151173
DVD- 5.25"

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820132020
Card reader (not needed unless theres a way to extend the audio to the front panel)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...eoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&Page=1&Keywords=
HDD


I need to accommodate all these parts into the top, and need the acrylic case to fit the same dimensions (lengtht x width). So if anyone could help...? Much appreciated. I could also use a safe site to buy aluminum and acrylic (plexiglass), and posibbly have them made by the manufacter and just shipped to me. Thanks a lot.

And one question out of curiousity: will I need heatsinks with fans? Or it doesn't matter since it'll be in oil? I'm asking because of the CPU of course, and the RAM (I want to add heatsinks to reduce more heat).

 

[Twist86]

Keep the heatsinks and fans on reason being is more surface place to cool it down and fans help move oil which is very important...in fact depending on your size you plan to build it on I would use 2 120mm fans or 1 200-240mm fan to help circulate the oil to prevent "dead spots" of no flow it will raise your temps up.

What is the planned size anyways?

 

[Trio]

For the acrylic case? approx. 12x12x12. Maybe smaller if I can find a way. I don't want it to be huge, because then it'll be too heavy and take up too much desk space, lol. (Btw, awesome avatar Twist.)

I have two ways to make thise case.

1. the one I described above (the i/o plate screws into the plexiglass case, and the aluminum top screws into the i/o plate. That way, everything is locked down and there won't be any spills incase someone tips it over or something. i/o plate/ mobo tray will also have a handle so I can pull it out easily)

2. Making it sort of a treasure chest, where there is no top and only the acrylic case, but the drives will be on the sides, covered (sort of) by some sort of puddy. The only problem with this is heat.

And while on that topic, I was wondering where I can buy a good putty? I'm under the impression that it's sort of like clay and forms whatever you want out of it, and hardens, right? That's what I really need, because for the 1st case I need putty to give it a sort of sea rock kind of look, and the 2nd a treasure chest.

 

[ronster667]

go to the pet store and get a fish tank or a plastic cage for crabs for like 15 dollors, then go off of that if i were you i would do somthing like this

 

[Trio]

Well yea, that's how I want to do it, but I actually wanted to engrave the computers name on the front plexiglass, lol. Unless I can do that with a plain fish tank?