Good afternoon, Khabrovsk residents. Thank you very much for the invite! And although it’s not a good idea to start by translating other people’s posts, perhaps someone else will find this homemade project mega-cool.

This is a translation of a post from the Overclock.net forum. User Show4Pro decided to take out all the insides of his super computer and hang everything on the wall. Great idea perfectly executed. For those who are interested in how it was assembled and how it works - welcome to the cat.

The last time I updated my home machine was 1.5 years ago. Well, I thought about upgrading the car to i7 (before that there was Bloomfield), although in fact, more powerful processor I didn't need it. I wanted to buy a new case - Corsair 900D, to replace the 8 year old Super Armor. But I wanted something special, unique. In Battlestations on Reddit, I came across a very simple but elegant solution - a wall computer. And that's where the whole project began.

Accessories:

CPU: Intel Core i7 950
Motherboard: Asus Rampage III Extreme
Video cards: 2 x AMD HD7970
RAM: 6 x 2GB Corsair Dominator
SSD drives: 4 x 120GB Corsair Force GT SSD
HDD drives: 2 x 1TB WD Caviar Black
2TB WD Caviar Green
1.5TB WD Caviar Green
Power supply: Corsair AX1200i
Sound: Creative Sound Blaster Zx

Cooling:

Cooling for CPU:
CPU Water Cooling Radiator EK Supreme HF Full Copper
Pump Swiftech MCP655 /w Speed ​​Control
The cooler itself FrozenQ Liquid Fusion V Series 400 ml Reservoir - Blood Red
XSPC RX360 Performance Triple 120mm Radiator

GPU cooling
Heatsink for video card EK FC7970 - Acetal+EN
The pump and cooler are the same as for the processor.
Swiftech MCP655/w Speed ​​Control
FrozenQ Liquid Fusion V Series 400 ml Reservoir - Blood Red
Water cooling radiator Watercool MO-RA3 9x120 LT Radiator

Other:

Cooling system pipes
Koolance QD4 Quick Discounnect No-Spill Coupling
Bitspower G1/4 Silver Triple Rotary 90deg Compression Fittings
Monsoon Free Center Compression Fittings
Phobya Angled Clip 90° Tubing Guide
Phobya Terminal Strip Tubing Clip/Holder
The cooling tubes themselves (red) PrimoChill Advanced LRT Tubing Bloodshed Red
Phosphorizing refrigerant, blue color EK UV Blue Non-Conductive Fluid

Cables:
Bitfenix Alchemy Premium Sleeved Extensions
Corsair Individually Sleeved Modular Cables

Creation.

To start, I took photos of all the components in their actual sizes and put it all together in Photoshop. This way I was able to move them around the work surface and decide what it would look like. Well, this is also necessary for routing the cooling pipes. Here are a couple of layouts:

I abandoned this because of the empty space in the lower right corner. And the motherboard ended up on the left, although it should be in the very center and attract attention to the entire panel.

There is also a lot of space on the right, although the power supply and motherboard are closer to the center. IN final version cooling tubes stretch along the entire right edge, plus two thermometers appeared there.

I transfer the drawing of the motherboard onto an acrylic sheet.

Since the video adapters will be far from the motherboard, I ordered PCIe slot extenders for each card on eBay. This is me testing how they work. However, later I had huge problems with the cross-function of the cards due to cheap unshielded wires. They ended up on top of each other and created serious interference. The system was stuck loading the BIOS. It was possible to launch it with only one card. In the end, I had to shell out for very expensive cables with good protection. But more on that later.

The goods have arrived!

Most of the water cooling is from Performance-PC. They even gave me a T-shirt and two mouse pads!

Acrylic backing for motherboard.

All acrylic panels are cut at 45° to achieve a glowing edge effect.

The holes are drilled and the fasteners are installed.
TA-dah!!! It turns out that the mother of Rampage III Extreme is eATX format. And this is for the ATX form factor.
I made the correct eATX substrate later.

Time to gut my old dusty case.

In the old computer, the disks are inserted into Vantec HDCS boxes, which make 3 HDD boxes out of 2 5.25" ones.

Video cards.

Supports for all components.

Custom acrylic pump mounts.

Close-up of rough trim done with a table saw. They will need to be sanded later.

There is a triangular cut in the center of each plate. It will reflect light that is projected perpendicularly inside the plate at the edges. Without a cut, the edges barely glow.

Test with the light on on the sound panel.

All panels are sanded with 120 grit wet sandpaper.

Close-up of sanding.

All back panels are pre-drilled.

Under the table is acrylic snow.

Preparing to paint red.
Surprisingly, Corsair included thermal pads on the blades, although they don't get hot at all.

Marking all components on the main board to mark various slots and holes. Board - 1/4" 48 x 30 fiberboard.

All cracks and holes are marked in their places.

I'm getting ready to cut out the slots with a jigsaw.

I glue the frame.

I paint the inner edges black - to match the color of the carbon film.

Soldering LED strips.

Workplace.

LED strips. Temporary fastening.

I glue a giant vinyl film. This was the cruelest part. I almost had a heart attack. How to stick a film on a phone screen, only x1000 more.

No bubbles!

I use aluminum tape to hide the LED on the front side of the panel for hard drives, between them.

My assistant is Tommy.

All substrates are installed in their places on the common board using #10 screws. I screwed them into pre-prepared holes.

Checking the light.

Coolant and cables have arrived. I used Bitfenix for the components and Corsair for the power supply.

On the left is Bitfenix, on the right is Corsair. Bitfenix doesn't have black heat shrink on the ends, so the Corsair looks cooler.

Red zip ties to tie up hanging wires.

Backside. All cables are connected.

We test for leaks while the entire system is lying on the floor - this makes it easier to troubleshoot problems.

First start.

Not loaded. I connected via iROG USB to the laptop to view the download log. It turned out that the system was stuck on the VGA BIOS. I disabled one of the video cards - everything worked. I tried to connect another one - it also works. Both cards are not. Did some research and found that unshielded PCIe extenders with ribbon cables are very susceptible to EMI. I tried to shield them by wrapping them in several layers of aluminum foil.

After 4 layers of foil I was able to get both cards running. But the machine immediately froze as soon as I launched any game or any 3D editor. Moreover, my Soundblaster is also cascaded with a cable to the 3 x1 PCIe slot, and this also greatly interfered with the operation of the video and hung up the system.
As a result, with pain in my heart, I had to order expensive protected extenders for PCIe slots from 3M (approx. $100 each)

Shielded 3M extension cords in place. They turned out to be longer than the previous ones and now both video cards have reached PCIe x16.

Changed the previous sound to SoundBlaster Zx. This one looks amazing!

And finally

On this moment everything works smoothly. The installation has only 2 fans. It barely moves on the PSU, and I installed another one on the chipset - it’s very quiet. The pump runs at the lowest power, so the computer came out quite quiet. The only annoying thing is that it turns out that some components can be heard operating outside the case. In my case, this is the buzzing of the video and 1TV hard drive.

EK UV refrigerant is very sensitive to ultraviolet radiation. I know you shouldn't mix coolants to preserve their properties, but damn if I used it undiluted, I wouldn't be able to see the coils in the reservoir. For both circuits I used about 1/8 of the jar, the rest was distilled water.

From the translator

I in no way claim any authorship of this incredible project. It’s just that I’m a journalist with a degree in electronics engineering, and doing such things is my dream. And to be honest, I would make a table, not a wall. So I decided, suddenly not all Khabrovsk residents are sitting on

...actually it all started many years ago, around 78, when I was four years old... When visiting relatives, they took out a large iron box with tools, light bulbs, switches and similar “trash”, after which throughout the entire “visit” I was neither seen nor heard. By the way, the owner of that box, my uncle, is very straight arms...

Currently, I work as a carpentry foreman. I have been craving for everything that contains microcircuits for a long period of time, but from the moment I purchased my first computer, the thoughts of “doing something with it” systematically appeared in my head. Then I found out what it was modding... And from that moment there is not a day without thinking about it... By the way, this is my first job...

That's probably enough introduction, let's get straight to the point. Every mod I make starts with a lot of thinking about what I want to do. As a rule, I don’t make drawings (but in vain :)), many thoughts come while doing the work. Unfortunately, at the time the mod started, I didn’t think that I would show my work somewhere (on the Internet), so there aren’t very many photos... Well, let’s begin...

Of course, it all started with the search for the case system unit, a damaged case of unknown origin was purchased, which served as the basis of the system unit. The idea was to make a wooden case and, moreover, it would not be embarrassing to show to friends, but since this is my first work, I decided to focus on the classic layout. The hardware was bought all new, here is a list of what was used

CPU Core 2 Duo E8400, 3000 MHz (9 x 333)

Motherboard Asus Maximus Formula

Memory OCZ XTC SLI OCZ2N800SR2G * 2 pcs

Video ATI Radeon HD 3870 (RV670)

Sound adapter Analog Devices AD1988B @ Intel 82801IB ICH9

Sound adapter C-Media CMI8738/C3DX Audio Device

Disk drive ST3500320AS ATA Device (500 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA-II) * 2 pcs

Optical drive TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S202H ATA Device

power unit CHIEFTEC CFT-500-A12S

CPU cooler Noctua NH1-U12P

Fans Thermal Take Cyclo Blue Pattern A2450 * 2pcs

I don't count the numerous LEDs, neon lights, wires, etc. The tools used were those that are available in any carpentry workshop... Unfortunately, I don’t have a Dremel... For now...

Actually, I started by re-gluing the front panel, base and cover of the system unit. The most important thing in carpentry is not to forget the golden rule. measure seven times, then measure again and only then cut, so we’ll cut off all the excess later.

Here is a photo of the future front panel:

I'll make a little clarification. For the top cover and front panel, I re-glued oak panels and drove them to a thickness of about 17-22mm, then glued the slats along the edges. I made markings on the front panel, placing them against the iron frame of the system unit, after which a hole was made for the 120th fan using a ballet dancer and a hand jigsaw. Next we make the side walls from plywood.

The following photos show how the side wall will open. Plus - when you remove the wall it opens good access to all internal components of the system unit, minus – In order to open it completely, you need to move the case away from the wall... Fortunately, you don’t have to open it often...

When the blanks are ready, the fitting of all the parts of the future body to each other begins. And also finishing all sorts of little things...

Subsequently, you should receive a practically assembled body, ready for further processing (grinding, painting)

After some time has passed (there was a lot of work) I begin adjusting the body frame. The thing is that the fans didn't fit in, so I had to cut it a little. Well, since I don’t have a Dremel, we use an angle grinder (don’t forget about Safety precautions)

And cutting off everything that bothered us

Let's start preparing the frame for painting. Due to limited funds, it was decided to limit ourselves to sanding and painting itself...

While the first layer of paint on the side wall is drying, cut out the window (jigsaw, hands) and place the pre-cut glass for gluing

Of course, the painting process takes a lot of time, the intermediate layers need to be sanded (500-600 sandpaper), painted again, etc. and so on. As a result, we get a frame ready for assembly.

But not all parts of the body are ready for assembly, so we are painting the “wooden component”

For unknown reasons, the painting process itself was not photographed, but I can say that everything was painted with DUFA paint. It was opened 4 times with sanding between layers (grit sandpaper 600-800), then it was opened with varnish 2 times... let's start assembling... Photo For some reason they also weren’t done, I can only note that the assembly took place over 2 months (the motherboard was missing, I was waiting for it to be delivered) While I was in “standby mode” I started working on the power supply.

I inserted blue LEDs, cut out a side window, connected a 7-volt fan... In general, standard procedures aimed at “improving the appearance and performance properties” of this device. The fans in the case are also connected to 7 volts (front) and 5 volts (rear). The USB compartment cover is illuminated, and the computer's power button is also located here.

This made it possible not to place the power button directly on the front panel. The DVD-ROM tray is also illuminated and instead of the opening button there is a reed switch (located right behind the stickers that were later removed :))

And finally the final photos

I’m currently hatching plans in my head to build a case based on the Core i7. And, of course, I hope this is not my last article, I’ve also made a test power supply and a mouse (more like testing the veneer technology).

Did: Mikhail Kopylov

After purchasing a new computer or upgrading an old one, a situation often arises that the computer case itself no longer meets certain requirements. This includes the noise level, installation of new parts or an additional power supply, cooling. And in your old building all these innovations cannot be accommodated, or the temperature level simply rises to prohibitive limits. And you begin to look for the most affordable solution to the problem: buying a new case or making it yourself, on your own. This article will look at an example of how to make a computer case with your own hands or improve it. If necessary, you can watch video instructions for making the case, for example:

As you know, when choosing a computer case you need to think not only about the appearance, although an original approach and a non-standard solution are also important. First of all, you need to clearly understand that the case is an integral part of your PC, and not just a beautiful box on the table or under the table. The design of the case must be approached with knowledge of the matter. First you need to find out what types and types of cases there are, their differences and functionality.

Today, only four main types of PC cases are known. There are, of course, many extraordinary solutions, but more on that later. Each of these types has its good and not so good sides, so it is impossible to say for sure which one is the best. Just read their advantages and disadvantages so that you have something to base your design on. Or, if you decide that self-production is not within your capabilities, then the criteria by which you can buy a suitable high-quality case from the manufacturer will be clear to you.

There are vertical (tower) and horizontal (desktop) versions of the cases. Vertical enclosures usually allow you to install large quantity drives and all sorts of other devices, and horizontal ones are more compact.

The first type of case we'll look at is called Small Form Factor.

This type of case is distinguished by its compact dimensions. It is especially convenient for office computers, or for a home PC if you don’t need a particularly powerful system. The dimensions of this case are very small (about 25x25 cm), which allows it to easily fit into any interior and take up minimal space. Such cases have a big disadvantage; such miniaturization requires suitable “filling”, small size parts. It is no longer possible, for example, to insert a modern powerful video card or processor into such a case. In addition, small dimensions can cause cooling problems; components can overheat, causing system failures and breakdowns.

The second type of case is called Mini-Tower Form

Such a case can already be used for a fairly powerful office PC, or for a home media center. Such cases, as a rule, are initially equipped with power supplies with a power of 400W or more. In such a case you can assemble good system with a dual-core processor, install a powerful video card, but many modern components for this option will have to be selected on a “mini” basis. Another inconvenience is the need for monthly dust cleaning.

The third type of case is called Moddle-Tower Form

This type of case is the most popular and widespread. In such a case you can easily fit a good ventilation system, several powerful video cards, and add additional hard drives. This case is well suited for those who are not limited by the size of the system unit. This type of case is difficult to fit into the interior, but it provides good system performance and will satisfy the requirements of even avid gamers.

The fourth type of case is called Big-Tower

It is very rare to find such a case as a home PC. It is noticeably larger than all the others, and its height reaches at least half a meter. This case can not only accommodate about five good video cards or hard drives, it is suitable for creating servers or a computer that controls other computers in the office. This case allows for good ventilation, which will prevent the computer from overheating. Thus, Big-Tower is ideal for the most advanced users who work in the field of IT technology and particularly demanding gamers.

The first point that you need to pay attention to when selecting or designing a case is whether the internal space is sufficient. It is necessary to determine whether you can place devices there for the necessary cooling of the system unit and installation of fans. It is necessary that air circulate freely inside the case, thereby ensuring the cooling of all parts. Pay attention to the power of the power supply unit (PSU) located in the case or purchased separately. It should be sufficient for the planned PC system. You should also pay attention to the location of the power supply in the case. With large power supplies, you need to think about cooling it. The power supply only needs to cool itself.

For optimal cooling and low noise levels, the power supply can be placed in the following configurations.

In the circuit, with the upper location of the power supply, we get the following advantages:

1. Quite low noise level (19 dB) when installing a 430 W power supply, ARX FD1212-S2142E 12V 0.36A 2400 rpm fan;
2. The temperature of the elements increases slightly (+3 degrees in the power supply unit and +1 degree in the case);
3. Standard location;
4. Free air outlet.

This design can be assembled approximately as in the photo below.

The SilverStonetek company has launched the production of cases with a bottom-mounted power supply.

The advantages of this design are:

1. The power supply serves only to cool itself;
2. There is no need to remake the power supply;
3. Low center of gravity for PC case.

The disadvantages include: excessive fan noise and difficult air access to the power supply fan.

The material used to construct the enclosure is primarily aluminum or steel, although many homemade enclosures are made from wood or plexiglass. The advantages of an aluminum case include light weight and good heat dissipation. But such a case bends easily and scratches are common. The cost of aluminum cases is higher than steel ones. The steel body is more reliable and durable. All parts in such a case will be reliably protected. In addition, steel dampens vibrations better, which reduces the noise of the computer.

When considering different case designs, it is important to first determine what connectors and interfaces you will need now and in the future. Many of possible options, for example, you don’t need a thermometer built into the speakers, but others simply need it. Here you need to decide for yourself what design and construction to choose, based on the above. And don't forget about originality...

DIY computer case

So, you decided to make a homemade computer case. This housing should allow you to install any possible components in it, give them fast access and provide good cooling. Housing options are already possible that provide: almost complete noiselessness, high performance, the ability to increase computing potential, and ease of maintenance. True, such a case cannot be made compact.

The computer case can be made of wood using the technology given below.

The diagram shows the location of the main components and the circulation of air flows.

Working drawings of such a building can be downloaded. http://www.easycom.com.ua/downloads/skvorechnik_001.zip

Or look at the picture below.

The computer case is assembled from six walls and one transverse shelf in the middle part. The upper part of the case will house the motherboard, processor fan, video adapters, and the lower part will house all the drives, floppy drive, card reader, hard drives and power supply. It was decided to equip the lower part with only one fan of size 120x120x25 mm, since there will be only one element that needs forced ventilation - this is the power supply. IN top part For normal cooling of video cards and the processor, you need to install at least three fans with a standard size of 120x120x25 mm. They are ideally placed on the front wall of the future case.

The choice of housing material is determined by your capabilities. Plexiglas or acrylic are quite expensive. Iron sheets, from which it is theoretically possible to make the same case, are unacceptable, as they will greatly increase the weight of the case. Already with a sheet thickness of only 2 mm. The manufactured case will most likely exceed 40 kg. Moreover, the metal is difficult to process and its cost is also quite high.

In our version, chipboard will be used to make the body. These are sawdust, pressed into sheets measuring 2660x1660x16 mm (W.D.H.) and impregnated with special glue.

The body parts are marked according to the drawings provided and cut out. There is nothing complicated about this, and you can order it from those who make furniture. If you decide to cut out the blanks yourself, then you will need the necessary tools: a jigsaw and wood files.

You should end up with something like this. Finish the edges of the workpieces well sandpaper.

When all the blanks are made, you can begin assembling the body itself. It is necessary to connect and secure the parts according to the drawings. A homemade computer case in a partially assembled form will look something like this.

Due to the fact that the front panel will be used not only as an “air intake”, but on it will be located the power buttons, restart the computer and all the main indicators (hard drives and the entire system), they must be embedded in a wooden panel. It is necessary to make holes for all ports, power and reset buttons, and indication LEDs. Everything must be done carefully and strictly in size.

LEDs cannot operate directly from the motherboard connector; they must be connected to it in series with a resistance value of 480-500 Ohms and a power dissipation of 0.25 W. All these parts can be purchased at any radio store. Wires for connecting buttons and LEDs with motherboard, are soldered into the Q-Connector, which comes complete with ASUS boards. Heat shrinkage is used as an insulating material. This is a tube made of a special material (polyvinyl chloride), which can change its geometric shape (diameter) when heated. In practice, a piece of such a tube is put on a wire, soldered to another and the piece of tube is moved to the soldering site. After which it is warmed up a little with a lighter. After this, the tube tapers around the soldering area and forms good insulation. The shrinkage rate reaches up to 30%.

This means that if the diameter of the tube is 6 mm, then when heated it will change its value to almost 4 mm. Such a tube can also be bought in any radio stores, and the price is only 2-4 UAH per meter. It is advisable to use such an insulating material to carry out all work related to the installation of wires for the manufacture of this housing.

On the rear wall of the case there are connectors for input and output of power from the ~220 V network and an illuminated power switch.

You should pay special attention to the choice of case fans. They must meet aesthetic requirements, since they will always be in plain sight. After all, the front panel is the one that gets the most attention. It is necessary to select the most quiet fans, suited to your performance. Therefore, options such as “grill” grates were immediately eliminated.

The Thermaltake Cyclo 12cm Red Pattern fan or similar fan is good for this solution. His choice was determined not only technical characteristics, which can be the envy of many fans. This fan operates at a speed of 1500 rpm and the noise level generated is not higher than 17 dB, which is characterized as extremely quiet. Another advantage is its unique animated lighting.

However, you can choose a more “advanced” model from this series of fans, Thermaltake Cyclo 12cm Logo Fan. In this model, as in Thermaltake Cyclo 12cm Red Pattern, there are no various animated emblems, but the Thermaltake logo is “written”, the approximate temperature of the passing air is shown (built-in temperature sensor), and the relative noise level that the fan creates is also displayed.

All these fans are mounted on the front panel using wood screws approximately like this:

To avoid the problem of bending the motherboard PCB, which occurs due to the rigid mounting of the cooler without a special pressure plate, you need to replace this pressure plate with something. You can select felt of the required thickness (about 7-8 mm) and cut a square with dimensions slightly larger than the holes for mounting the cooler of the Socket LGA 775 processor socket. If you look at the height of the stand for mounting the motherboard, the felt is 1-2 mm higher than it, which gives the necessary rigidity when bending the textolite of the mother board. Felt can be bought in many construction stores or secondhand in markets. The cost of such a piece will be approximately 5 to 20 UAH.

At the very end of the entire rough processing of the case, it is necessary to make all the necessary holes in the motherboard shelf, through which power wires, cables for hard drives, floppy drives, etc. will pass. First, you need to temporarily screw motherboard into place and mark and sign with a marker all the locations of the connectors. Then, using an electric drill and a file, all these holes are made.

The easiest way to cover a homemade computer case is to cover the outside of the case with self-adhesive tape. This material is made of thick paper or special rubberized oilcloth. The color scheme is limited only by your imagination or the store’s assortment (from pure white to various photo wallpapers). This self-adhesive is sold in rolls per linear meter. There are two types of roll widths: 450 mm and 550 mm. The cost depends on the complexity of the design and width and is usually in the range of 11 – 22 UAH per linear meter. For the manufacture of this case, a shiny black “self-adhesive” was chosen. After making calculations based on the drawings, it was determined that five meters of “self-adhesive” would be needed to cover the entire body.

To process the cutouts, a different material will be used, double-sided tape with a foam base.

It is necessary as a seal in places where vibrating components (hard drives, drives) come into contact with the walls of the case. The foam rubber from which the strips are made, 14-18 mm wide and 2 mm thick, is very soft in consistency and compresses to 0.5 mm, while also having the ability to spring. All this is very good for the seal. The presence of an adhesive substance on both sides allows this seal to be firmly secured, and individual components to be secured with its help.

All that remains is to make a “basket” for mounting all the drives, hard drives, floppy drive and card reader. Using a standard “basket”, which is installed in serial cases, is difficult and inconvenient due to the non-standard location installed devices. You can use a piece of plexiglass 4 mm thick for these purposes. You won't need much of it, about a meter per meter. The cutting of such material is carried out using a manual grinder or grinder. It is not difficult to do all this work. Then you need to drill the required holes in the workpieces. Plexiglas is a rather fragile material and sometimes crumbles if handled carelessly. To drill a hole with a diameter of 3.5 mm in it, you need to perform this operation in three or four passes, starting with a drill with a diameter of 1 mm and ending with a 3.6 mm one. You must remember to drill out a “socket” for the bolt head to hide it. To do this, you need a drill of the same diameter as the head. All drives, floppy drives and card reader are secured using the same double-sided tape seal.

To prevent hard drives from transmitting their vibration to the basket, thereby increasing the noise level, you can secure them with four erasers.

When all these operations are completed, you can assemble the body. Collected Bottom part case, with a “basket”, hard drives, drives, card reader, floppy drive and installed power supply looks something like this:

When fully assembled, this case will look like this:

After testing the computer's operation, a homemade computer case showed good temperature performance. The cost of a homemade case turned out to be significantly lower than specialized Middle Tower or Full Tower cases. In order to make a computer case with your own hands, you only need certain skills in working with a soldering iron and a special tool.

A little background from the author about how and why he decided to do his own computer modding.
According to the author, his system was updated 1.5 years ago, and he decided to change the processor to a more powerful one, as well as change his old Super Armor case to the new Corsair 900D, and this seemed to be enough, but the author decided not to stop there , since he wanted something unusual and special, out of all the variety of options, he liked the idea of ​​a wall-mounted computer. This is how this difficult project began.

Let's move on to the creation process.
The author began by taking photographs of all components in their actual size, and used Photoshop program, so he could move all the parts around the workspace and see what it might look like. There are several such examples in the photo. By distributing all the components, the author wanted to achieve maximum filling of the free space. In the final version, the cooling tubes will stretch along the entire right edge, and two additional thermometers will be placed.

Next, an acrylic sheet of plastic was taken, onto which the drawing of the motherboard was transferred. Since the video card will be located at a sufficient distance from the motherboard, I had to buy extension cables for the PCIe slot; it is recommended to buy more expensive cables, since they have more good protection, and they will not cause interference.

This is what some of the ordered components look like.

We cut all the panels at an angle of 45 degrees, this is necessary so that the glow at the edges is more effective.

Now it's time to tear up your old computer.

On the old hard computer The disks were placed in special Vantec HDCS boxes; they make 3 HDD boxes from 2 5.25" ones.

To properly reflect light, a triangular cut is made in the center of the plates; without it, the edges glow slightly.

All panels must be sanded with 120 grit wet sandpaper.

When the markings are ready, we cut out special slots with an electric jigsaw.

Then the frame is glued.

The inside of the cutouts was painted black, specifically to match the color of the carbon sticker.

Now we move on to soldering the LED strips, temporarily fix them with electrical tape, and see what happens.

It's time to glue the vinyl film, be patient, as the process is very stressful.

Using aluminum tape, cover the LED backlight for hard drives.

After the coolant and the required number of wires have been received, we begin the connection. To prevent the wires from sagging, a tie was used.

Check the water cooling for leaks.

We are starting the system for the first time.
The first launch was unsuccessful, the system constantly hung, two video cards refused to work, the fault was with PCIe extenders with ribbon cables, which turned out to be very susceptible to electromagnetic interference. There was an attempt to make additional protection using foil, but this did not give much result.

The only thing that helped solve this problem was buying a very expensive cables who had the necessary protection.

A few final words.
The wall computer turned out to be quite quiet, the whole system works smoothly, the desired result has been achieved!
The author provides a photo report of the finished modding.

Most users who have mastered a computer at an amateur level have a hard time imagining a situation when they need to change its case. However, it occurs quite often. For example, you may connect a new power supply to your system, as a result of which the old case simply won’t fit or will become so hot that it becomes impossible to use it. What to do in such a case? The easiest way is to buy a new case, but it is much cheaper and more convenient (and, of course, more interesting) to make it yourself. In this article we will look at how to make a PC case with your own hands.

Types of PC cases and their features

Since we have decided to do something on our own, first we need to decide what exactly should happen in the end. To do this, you need to figure out what kind of computer cases even exist. There are four types in total:

1.Moddle-Tower Form
The most popular type today. Best suited for avid PC enthusiasts and gamers who don't care how a new case fits into their room. But in exchange for a damaged design, they get the chance to use additional hard drives or install several video cards at once. Well, to protect against overheating, it is strongly recommended to install a good ventilation system in such a model.

2.Small Form Factor
The main advantage is its small size, suitable for use at home or in a cramped office where desk space is limited. This is where the advantages of this model end. But there are shortcomings. Firstly, due to the close proximity of parts to each other, the case can become very hot and after some time the entire computer threatens to simply fail. Secondly, you will have to work hard to select components of such a small size and assemble exactly the version of the system that you need.

3.Mini Tower Form
A more rational and powerful (power supply - from 400 W) option than the previous one. Based on such a case, you can equip a normal system with a dual-core processor. It is also suitable for gamers, because it allows you to install normal video card. However, you will still have to struggle with the details, since many of them will still belong to the same mini-version mentioned above.

4. Big-Tower
The vertical model, extremely bulky (height no less than 50 cm) and voluminous (can accommodate, for example, five hard drives), requires the installation of high-quality ventilation, otherwise it will simply overheat and break. Of course, it is useless for a layman. But for the office, a completely workable option is in the form of a control computer. Also suitable IT specialists and especially passionate lovers computer games installing more than three video cards at once.

Advantages of a homemade case:

• Often costs less than standard store options.
• It can accommodate any filling and additional elements that you want to install on your computer.
• It can be made from non-standard materials (let’s assume you are a supporter of environmental cleanliness and definitely want a wooden case).
• It is unique and looks the way you want, since in this case you are both a master and a designer at the same time.

DIY computer case. Preparatory stage

So, we found out what types of cases there are and chose the type that suits us most. Before you begin active work, it is worth answering several important questions. This will help to avoid mistakes and, accordingly, multiple rework in the future.

The first question is whether the internal space of the case is enough for what you plan to place there. At the same time, do not forget about the ventilation system; it requires that there be at least a minimum distance between the parts of the system for air flow.

Special attention should be paid to the power supply. Not only does it itself take up some space inside the PC case, it also needs to be cooled additionally due to its high power. In addition, the power supply can become a source of terrible noise that will haunt all the inhabitants of your apartment.

There are two ways out of this situation. We can place the power supply in the upper part of the case, which is generally recognized as a standard option. At the same time, the noise level will be significantly reduced, and the elements will heat up by a maximum of 3° due to the free flow of air. The option with a lower location also occurs, although not as often. However, it is less good, since the noise in this case is much more audible, and overheating situations occur more often.

Having dealt with the internal space of the planned building, we move on to the second issue of the preparatory stage. It also concerns appearance and functionality: what material to use for the job?

Most often, computer cases are made of steel or aluminum. In this case, in the first case we will get a durable and quieter model, in the second - a lightweight one that does not heat up so quickly. Of course, each option has its drawbacks. Thus, aluminum cases are not resistant to mechanical damage and are quite expensive, and steel ones are very heavy.
In addition to metal, you can use wood or plexiglass/acrylic for work. Next, we’ll look at and explain in clear Russian how to make a computer case from these materials.

Making a computer case from wood

Let's consider an option in which the body is made of chipboard. This model is good because it is quite light and versatile, i.e. everyone is present inside necessary components, no frills. We assemble the case from six walls; there is also a transverse partition in the middle part of the case, which will divide it into two parts. At the top we place video adapters, a motherboard and fans for processors and a video card (there must be several of them, otherwise overheating cannot be avoided!) on the front wall. At the bottom there will be a hard drive (one or more, depending on your desire), a power supply with a fan, a disk drive, a card reader, plus all the drives.

We prepare the walls using a special wood saw and a jigsaw (it is better to smooth the edges with sandpaper to make joining the parts easier). Then we fasten the parts together and end up with a six-wall structure. Don't forget to make all the necessary holes for buttons and ports on the front of the case! Otherwise, your computer, for example, will simply be impossible to turn on due to the lack of a power button. When distributing wires, do not forget about insulation! The easiest way to ensure this is with heat shrink (this is a polyvinyl chloride tube that changes its diameter as the temperature rises: it is put on the place where the wires are soldered and heated with a lighter, which is why it fits tightly to the wires and gives a good insulating effect).

When installing fans at the top, do not forget about their design! Because There will be more than one cooling device; the option with “holes” on the front panel will no longer be available (ugly and inconvenient). It is better to install a good fan like Termaltake, which will last a long time and will not damage appearance housings.

Don't forget about the holes for the connectors of internal devices (for example, a hard drive) with the motherboard! After applying complete preliminary markings and cutting out the holes, you can start designing and cover our body with self-adhesive rubberized film. To avoid problems in places with particularly heavy wear (for example, at wire connection points), it is better to cover the cutouts for holes and drives on top of the film with double-sided foam tape.

The final stage of creation is the installation of a “basket” for hard drives, floppy drives, etc. We make it from plexiglass, and we fix the drives using the same tape on foam rubber. After creating this last part, we begin assembly and after a while we are already admiring the exclusive case we have created.

How to make a computer case from plexiglass

The main disadvantage of this option is the high cost. But from a design point of view, it is very attractive: you can come up with any shape, and even add lighting effects and other innovations.

When working, remember that plexiglass is a fragile material, so be careful. For work we will need plexiglass of different thicknesses, from 5 to 10 mm. We first make the side walls from it (the size depends on your needs), then the top and bottom covers (the thickness of the bottom should be greater). Please note that the size of the lids must be absolutely the same, otherwise you will have problems with assembly later! Then we make vertical racks (preferably thicker too, from plexiglass 10 mm). We connect ready-made parts. You can attach legs to the bottom so as not to scratch our body and spoil its appearance.

When installing the rear wall, do not forget about the holes for the drive wires. For this reason, it is better to secure the motherboard inside in advance, marking on it the places of future connection with all the necessary parts. This way we will save time and know in advance which holes to make and where exactly. The easiest way to place the board itself is on a cut piece of plexiglass of medium thickness, securing it with dichloroethane.

Next, we install shelves inside for hard drives and drives. It is better to make them from thin 5 mm plexiglass. If you want to make the structure more rigid, you can cover the sides of the boxes for the drives with thicker plexiglass, but this is optional.

Let's start installing the front wall. Here, do not forget about the hole for the indicator (for greater beauty, you can insert a piece of glass of a different color there using the same dichloroethane) and on/off buttons, etc. (you can take ready-made buttons from another case, place a board with LEDs under them, and after that insert the entire structure into our creation). All this beauty can be placed either horizontally or vertically as standard, it looks beautiful and unusual, like our entire future building as a whole.

So, all the walls are ready, you can start assembling. Let us add that since the case is planned to be completely transparent, any LEDs and other lighting elements can be installed inside. In any case, it will look beautiful, but the choice of color, flashing mode and other innovations is purely a matter of your taste and imagination.