Help custom case

I have been looking at parts my pc build a for a while now and none of the cases interest me. So I decided i should make my own but I don’t know anything about it so I need some help.

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If your going to make a custom case your options are kind of endless depending on

-budget
-materials available
-tools available

You could start with a open bench frame or backplate, a 3d printed model, a piece of wood, work with acrylic, steel aluminum, or a piece of tech you want to turn into a computer (IE- Old stereo, Sleeper PC, or even a game cube like we saw someone do here). You could also start with literally nothing besides the components and a piece of wood. These factors bring up a few other factors such as:

-Form factor
-Power needed
-Cooling needed
-Use Case

Just use your imagination. What do YOU think would be really cool? Custom building is a labor of love so you really have to love what your making. :slight_smile:

If you need ideas on the other hand I can try to find some pictures I like but thats all googleable.

I hope you get some inspiration and keep us posted on the build. I love seeing projects come together people have a passion for.

What do you intend on putting in the case?

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that’s a really open ended question, as we do not know what tools and means you have available for working on it.

Best suggestion I can come upp with is asking around for a custom case manufacturer if you have the money for it.

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Step 1: Learn to CAD. FreeCAD is a decent hobby software that you will be able to cut your teeth on, but if you can, get something like Solidworks. No commercial CAD software is cheap at the moment though.

Step 2: Download CAD models for PSU, Motherboard, GPU, power switches and fans, to make your life much easier. Hard drives might be interesting too. You can usually find decent parts online these days.

Step 3: Time to make the case! Start with deciding the layout (sandwich like the Loque Ghost / Dan A4, Console like the Skyreach Mini or SFFTime P-ATX, Cube like the Lazer3D LZ7 or Silverstone Sugo SG13, or perhaps a more traditional case). Since you dislike most cases I will assume you want either a small build or something that can fit tonnes of drives or something.

Step 4: With the layout, start with a minimal core. Ignore covers, outside look-and-feel for now. Make your core layout. Motherboard tray? Where do you place the PSU? And so on. Think carefully about things like airflow.

Step 5: Now that you have created your core, think about the material for said core and how to best manufacture it. Make a prototype or two, just to test it, if you can afford it. Raw metalwork at this stage, no paintjobs.

Step 6: Once you are satisfied with the choice of materials, think about the outer shell. Do your dimensions fit? Also consider how to access the insides of the computer, in case you want to add another drive or something of that nature.

Step 7: Once satisfied with the plan, execute. Create a real prototype. Build it. Tweak what doesn’t work. Then, repeat step 7 as often as you’d like.

Time estimated: 18 months to infinity. Take inspiration from all weird boutique cases out there.

Good luck!

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Do you have any prior experience about wood- or metalworking? If you want to be sure about the end result, use materials you have used before, but if you want to try something different then go for it. I’ve built two computer cases from scratch and used aluminium for both projects. I didn’t have any prior experience about the material and my knowledge and skills in crafts weren’t that great either, although I’ve also enjoyed DIYing things etc.

Do you have any ideas what you would like the case to look like? If you can give us some information what you are looking for it will make easier to help you out.

Also keep in mind that you don’t need to settle for stock case, you can always modify them if you find something that you could use as a “canvas” for a case mod.

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With this basic call out, of a custom case…

What material(s) are you entertaining?
Is it a single system configuration intention? Or be adjustable / expansion friendly?
Do you have appropriate tools [or access to them] and knowledge to working them?

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What are your components. Something with only an APU can be put inside an amp enclosure.

Otherwise, with a GPU, you can also fancy putting it in an old radio, or make youself a sffpc.

Depends also what are you looking in term of firm factor and originality.

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Grabcad has 3d components that you can use as a reference.
Unfortunately some of them have wrong dimensions.

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