EggXpert

Thanks for the kind words aggiedad and yes that is so true.

I agree about finis

you had such a

 

Lol, that was intentional about "finishing what you start." Thanks, I know my humor's dry/bad :).

Very cool background and design for case. I'm not much of an engineer, I'm more 'trouble control' - hey, I used to cause the trouble so at least now I'm making up for it by resolving it. 

I've got lots of ideas, just not much of a desire to do it particularly because I do not work well with small things and get frustrated rather easily :D.

How's it turning out?

Slmclarengt

 

Hey Slm its not going too bad, the main problem is not always having the right tools to do the job and trying to make do with what you have can really screwup the works costing more in the long run cause I get in a hurry and want to get it finished. Then again being forced into retirement due to medical problems does not keep the money rolling in like when I was working 50-60 hours a week so the ability to just go out and buy what I need is not an option anymore.

Ok fellow eggxperts here are the updated photos of my DIY Case the sides have been welded on everything is sanded and mounted all that is left is to polish it and install the mobo and main components when I place my order in May.

http://w223.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w223.photobucket.com/albums/dd82/HOGHAULER/Case/2848098e.pbw

Thanks hopper wait till I get back from vacation next month it will be all polished up and shiny I hope.

Really look great,looks like you thought of everything cable management, cooling and good looks,now what's the price after full production starts

can't wait to see your build ,good job hog

After reviewing all of those images, it looks very nice (and even very clean cut!). Very impressive, very impressive indeed. My friend and I are in the designing process of our own DIY case except we have the added task of making it a very sturdy case that is wall-mountable as for some reason we agreed we want it to be virtually see-through (plexiglass probably) with low weight to hang on the wall (large and quiet fans are part of the build; probably a couple).

Very good job though definitely, especially impressive and spacious interior!

Slmclarengt

Thanks for the thumbs up all, parts $85, welding $140, extra tools $75, 5 fans & 5 filters $65 and an old case to rob the HDD & ODD mounts $10 =$375 + 60 hours of hard work and design time and I'm not done with the work time just the money is through. Slm that is going to be a tough one there to design unless you just build a wall shelf to set it on like in a corner, the weight versus what side you would fasten to the wall would be a limitting factor in the build, add to that the cooling and rear connections and you will be asking for problems. 

Nice build, Hog; it's coming along quite nicely. Makes me wish I had money to start the NAS mod I want to make.

As for slm's wall mounted case, I think that's a really cool idea. If a wall can support a 46" plasma TV, it can surely support a computer. You'll have to make the case long enough (or make a long enough mount for it) so that it stretches between two studs. Hog's points are valid about rear connections, but if you mount it so that the side is on the wall, that shouldn't be an issue

Very nice. I really like that you built this from near scratch. Welders did a very good job.

Thanks CI, just start putting a few $ away and resist the urge to spend it except for on your NAS mod and yes slm's idea is a good one but using a swing arm would work far better than just mounting a Case to the wall. Hey chOpshOp it was built from scratch but the welder did not do a great job, I spent over 10 hours sanding and grinding to get the finished smooth look on it they left about 3/16" bead all the way around the sides and the inside welds still need to be smoothed out some. I would have done the welding myself but did not have the Tig welder or the money to invest in one.

HOGHAULER:

Thanks CI, just start putting a few $ away and resist the urge to spend it except for on your NAS mod and yes slm's idea is a good one but using a swing arm would work far better than just mounting a Case to the wall. Hey chOpshOp it was built from scratch but the welder did not do a great job, I spent over 10 hours sanding and grinding to get the finished smooth look on it they left about 3/16" bead all the way around the sides and the inside welds still need to be smoothed out some. I would have done the welding myself but did not have the Tig welder or the money to invest in one.

Maybe your local Home De(s)pot or sheet metal store rents them?

Right now, my biggest obstacle to trying to save money is that I only get paid once a month...

HOGHAULER:

Thanks CI, just start putting a few $ away and resist the urge to spend it except for on your NAS mod and yes slm's idea is a good one but using a swing arm would work far better than just mounting a Case to the wall. Hey chOpshOp it was built from scratch but the welder did not do a great job, I spent over 10 hours sanding and grinding to get the finished smooth look on it they left about 3/16" bead all the way around the sides and the inside welds still need to be smoothed out some. I would have done the welding myself but did not have the Tig welder or the money to invest in one.

 

Yikes, sorry to hear that. Well, it looks great now! are you going to paint it, or is it staying o'natural? Equipment is a pain sometimes, and frustrating when it keeps you from doing things you could do... I myself could builf some nice components and panels out of ceramic if I had a studio at my disposal.

It will be o'natural with a high polished finish and sealed on the outside still have not decided on the inside was thinking of using a spray rhino liner for protection and to prevent vibration from all those fans or a spray rubber coating, the other choice is just the sanded o'natural or polish it too. CI the cost of renting the Tig welder and buying the rods would far exceed the price of having it done by a shop + I would have to spend a few hours just getting the right settings and the old hand eye cordination back in the groove. Thanks again to all the good folks at eggxpert for their fine opinions of my work and when I get the case completed I will post more PICS!!!

Well folks here is an update ended up having to cancel the high polish finish due to the 6061 aluminum being of poor quality and the welding pitted, it seems the more I sand and polish the more pitts and defects that can be seen which is a big dissapointment to me. However while on vacation in Florida helping out the brother-inlaw at his cabinet shop he gave me some self adhesive wood grain laminate which looks similar to my latest avatar pic and its working find except on the curves so if I can fix that problem I should have it finished in a couple of weeks. I hope!!

Ok folks HH done figured out that problem and has the DIY case 95% finished and its up and running now with some new photos!

http://s223.photobucket.com/albums/dd82/HOGHAULER/Case/?action=view&current=015e4b74.pbw&t=1246402880

Looks amazing, Hog. Congrats on a job well done!

Is it painted or is the brown some sort of veneer?

Thanks but I could have done better if it had not got me so frustrated, The aluminum case is covered with a self sticking wood grain laminate.

nice,more people should finish what they start Good Job

Thanks aggiedad, I do my best and yes we should finish what we start.