Concept mATX Wood-Case Dual GPU Orthrus-Like

[dennisnowack]

Hi there!

My first case was a cardboard-case and it was really reliable for around 15 months of traveling mostly 3 weekends per month. Here is a Video if you are interested... it is german, but you can see the "fully gaffered" cardboard-case.
... my goal right now is, to re-create this kind-of case, at least regarding it's "dimensions".

I have spent tons of hours for searching for a case that fits my wishes, but didn't found anything. Because ALL must fit into a 85L backpack, the dimensions are really important. it's ok to be looong and a bit wide but therefore NOT too deep, because otherwise it will crash the display that is in the backpack, too. As a visual artist I do want to be able to have two GPUs, for getting as much projectors and LED walls connected as possible. So, I do need to stay with mATX. Then I found the Orthrus-Project, but wasn't able to find anything like this that can be bought.

So, last but not least I came up with my conclusion to build an own case, something inbetween the Orthrus and my Cardboard-Case (which is gone since some weeks, because of stability-reasons after 15 months) - right now I am using Sharkoon CA-M but I don't want to use it way longer, because of the dimensions and the resulting pressure in the backpack that leads only to one half of my mobile 19'' TFT display... the cardboard-case was great, because it had the same size as the TFT and wasn't really thick (as you can see in the video), so the pressure was low and spread all over the TFT, no need to worry about damages.

So... I need to decide...
Shall I go for cardboard again, but this time more stable cardboard? would that be possible?
Shall I go for a wood case made up of thin wood-plates?

Can you help me regarding best fitting materials for those cases?

best wishes from western germany,
Dennis

 

[Thehack]

Hi there!

My first case was a cardboard-case and it was really reliable for around 15 months of traveling mostly 3 weekends per month. Here is a Video if you are interested... it is german, but you can see the "fully gaffered" cardboard-case.
... my goal right now is, to re-create this kind-of case, at least regarding it's "dimensions".

I have spent tons of hours for searching for a case that fits my wishes, but didn't found anything. Because ALL must fit into a 85L backpack, the dimensions are really important. it's ok to be looong and a bit wide but therefore NOT too deep, because otherwise it will crash the display that is in the backpack, too. As a visual artist I do want to be able to have two GPUs, for getting as much projectors and LED walls connected as possible. So, I do need to stay with mATX. Then I found the Orthrus-Project, but wasn't able to find anything like this that can be bought.

So, last but not least I came up with my conclusion to build an own case, something inbetween the Orthrus and my Cardboard-Case (which is gone since some weeks, because of stability-reasons after 15 months) - right now I am using Sharkoon CA-M but I don't want to use it way longer, because of the dimensions and the resulting pressure in the backpack that leads only to one half of my mobile 19'' TFT display... the cardboard-case was great, because it had the same size as the TFT and wasn't really thick (as you can see in the video), so the pressure was low and spread all over the TFT, no need to worry about damages.

So... I need to decide...
Shall I go for cardboard again, but this time more stable cardboard? would that be possible?
Shall I go for a wood case made up of thin wood-plates?

Can you help me regarding best fitting materials for those cases?

best wishes from western germany,
Dennis

Is the issue a matter of number of video outputs? Do you need performance on those outputs?

 

[dennisnowack]

Is the issue a matter of number of video outputs? Do you need performance on those outputs?

yes and no... I do need at least one strong GPU, the one I do own right now (1070). And as soon as I will gor for a second GPU, that one is "only" for a bunch of FHD / UHD / 4K Video outputs. Right now I have a Capture Card in the second slot, but can sell that one soon, thanks to NDI - and change it for the second GPU.

 

[Thehack]

yes and no... I do need at least one strong GPU, the one I do own right now (1070). And as soon as I will gor for a second GPU, that one is "only" for a bunch of FHD / UHD / 4K Video outputs. Right now I have a Capture Card in the second slot, but can sell that one soon, thanks to NDI - and change it for the second GPU.

An easy way to do this, if you don't need above a 1050 Ti, is to use a mATX board and use 2 low profile cards.

you can check out:

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/t...pporting-two-gpus-and-two-240-radiators.7011/

 

[dennisnowack]

An easy way to do this, if you don't need above a 1050 Ti, is to use a mATX board and use 2 low profile cards.

you can check out:

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/t...pporting-two-gpus-and-two-240-radiators.7011/

thx ... but it is like I said above... I do need to have ONE strong card. only the second card doesn't matter that much. And in both cases (lol haha) I do need a custom build, so no matter what I will go for (1 "big" plus 1 "small" or any other combination). I do need to take the step into a cusom case. So, I wanted to hear about your material-suggestions regarding my two ways and which way is more preferable... mdf for a wood case? or go with more stable cardboard (or any way to make cardboard more stable for our builds?) ? and so on ^^ but thanks for the link, at least it is an inspiration ^^

 

[Thehack]

thx ... but it is like I said above... I do need to have ONE strong card. only the second card doesn't matter that much. And in both cases (lol haha) I do need a custom build, so no matter what I will go for (1 "big" plus 1 "small" or any other combination). I do need to take the step into a cusom case. So, I wanted to hear about your material-suggestions regarding my two ways and which way is more preferable... mdf for a wood case? or go with more stable cardboard (or any way to make cardboard more stable for our builds?) ? and so on ^^ but thanks for the link, at least it is an inspiration ^^

I was just suggesting that 1050ti can be considered strong, because compared to just rendering cards it is easily 5x more powerful. Regardless.

I think material should be secondary to the function of design. You should start with how you want it to be laid out, then choose your material. If it is a slim mATX size, then you can go with laser cut wood.

If you want to spend more money and go for a more complex design that requires stronger parts, then the answer would be a metal chassis.

I think material choice is secondary to budget, your own construction ability, and your design requirements. It make more sense if you decide on those things before choosing your material.

But if I was building from scratch then I'd choose laser cut 1/8 (3mm) wood. Cardboard doesn't make sense if you want a stable case for moving around.

 

[dennisnowack]

I was just suggesting that 1050ti can be considered strong, because compared to just rendering cards it is easily 5x more powerful. Regardless.

I think material should be secondary to the function of design. You should start with how you want it to be laid out, then choose your material. If it is a slim mATX size, then you can go with laser cut wood.

If you want to spend more money and go for a more complex design that requires stronger parts, then the answer would be a metal chassis.

I think material choice is secondary to budget, your own construction ability, and your design requirements. It make more sense if you decide on those things before choosing your material.

But if I was building from scratch then I'd choose laser cut 1/8 (3mm) wood. Cardboard doesn't make sense if you want a stable case for moving around.

ahhh okay, I understand - sorry and thanks ^^ but... no way to go under my 1070 ;-) I tried to build all components out of cardboard to play around with a design, I really need to refresh my CAD skills, 10-15 years ago haha... I came up with a really neat solution. If you look down to the mainboard, I want to place both GPU's with their cooler in the same direction like the CPU cooler, at the same height, that fits that both GPU's can sit above the mainboard, with the second lower sitting GPU lapping a bit over. that overlapping is great because it is the same length like the longer side of an HDD, so that one will take its place right down there. for powering I want to use an SFX that will find it's place in our "imagination" in the lower right corner. It can fit there because I am only using 1070 ITX small-length cards, otherwise it can even be placed slights above the mainbaord at the upper-right corner, with it's cooler in the same direction like all the other ones. So I can end up with around nearly neat 16:9 dimensions, so that the front of the case can house a whole 15''-16'' TFT (either a mobile display usb-c or simply a maked panel with an lvds controller). sooo... that's the plan... I saw we have enough stuff to work with wood here where I live, no reason to wait any more... thx, I will take a look at those 3mm wood, starting next week early on

 

[dennisnowack]

Here are some Images, next step create that setup digital...

The PSU shall sit on top of the RAM, the 2 HDD's right below the MB and 2 SSD's on top of those HDD's

The two GPU's shall sit on top of the MB with risers and with this on top of the 4 disks.

the perspective of the two pictures above is from the backside. the front shall house my 15,6'' TFT (panel), but I realize while pushing it over, I've re-placed the parts in a wrong way... but doesn't change anything for the dimensions.

I do even need a small case-fan, especially if the case shall house the TFT. But between GPU(s) and PSU seems to be enough space, because I am using 1070 ITX card(s).

I think I will start next week. But I am completely unsure how to create it looking stunning and beautiful haha ^^