And here are the rest of the pieces (still not with me so I can't assemble it yet)
The motherboard tray looks a little wonky near the top but let's hope it holds up better than it looks.
Prototype MT5: 5.4L Expandable case for mini GPUs
- Thread starter CC Ricers
- Start date
And here are the rest of the pieces (still not with me so I can't assemble it yet)
The motherboard tray looks a little wonky near the top but let's hope it holds up better than it looks.
And here are the rest of the pieces (still not with me so I can't assemble it yet)
The motherboard tray looks a little wonky near the top but let's hope it holds up better than it looks.
Just... wow. I think you make the best 3D printed cases out there!
Thanks eveyrone, and yes it's printed in ABS. It's not quite matte white but a halfway satin-like gloss. It looks better in person and I will take better photos of the case assembly.
Finally got tracking information for the parts.. they weren't shipped out until today. Really can't wait till I can get a printer, as it will really cut back on lead times and shipping times in getting those cases made.
Small update: I made tweaks to the GPU side chamber resulting in being able to fit the HD-PLEX 400W AC-DC and will probably need a very low profile C8 connector similar to how it's used in the S4 Mini. This raises the GPU by some 12mm but it's a nice to have option for higher-powered builds.
Small update: I made tweaks to the GPU side chamber resulting in being able to fit the HD-PLEX 400W AC-DC and will probably need a very low profile C8 connector similar to how it's used in the S4 Mini. This raises the GPU by some 12mm but it's a nice to have option for higher-powered builds.
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Yes, the DC-ATX would go on the motherboard side. It's still a tight fit nonetheless so I'd recommend a card width of 170mm or less. The Dynamo 360 should fit too whenever it's back in stock.
I think where the slanted section of the line on the front looks wonky that far into the face of the chassis. The way the line flowed before the change looked way better I know that’s such a small thing to point out but the power button off center on the front just looks weird to me :/ I love the benefit of the change but not the aesthetic
I agree with you, the slanted portion had to be moved up but it makes the location of the power button more awkward since it doesn't flow so well. It can't work either by swapping PSU and power button either because it would require making the case some 1cm taller.
The only workaround is to place the power button on either left or right side of the case, or on the top, and that's more of a subjective design taste.
However I'm keeping the previous design in order to support less powerful brickless builds, so this design can be considered an alternative version for those that want to use the 400W AC-DC power supply. That's the nice thing about 3D prints- you can have make some quick changes to a design and have it produced with less time to set up.
True, how well do you think the abs would hold up to painting? I may spring on one of these the 2 piece design makes getting the 2 tone color for a case I want easier to achieve which is the main reason I’m digging this good job on another successful design
True, how well do you think the abs would hold up to painting? I may spring on one of these the 2 piece design makes getting the 2 tone color for a case I want easier to achieve which is the main reason I’m digging this good job on another successful design
It would make a lot more sense to print different colors though. Plastic isn't easy to paint without good primer and some paints may actually dissolve ABS. Tolerances might also become a problem.
Problem is finding the right color. If this were nylon I’d just dye it but it’s not :/
Thanks! I hope it can turn out to be popular with 4 Liter brick builds and also some brickless builds.
I received the final parts in the mail and while I didn't have enough time this afternoon to try building the case, I did do some test fits to make sure the sides are flush with each other.
The parts came out mostly well, but the motherboard tray was a little too large in one of the attachment tabs. I had an older version made for the GPU end of the case, and forgot that the tabs were updated, because the tray was made to fit the newer revision.. whoops. This is just for one corner, and I could likely just cut off some excess material with a mini handsaw I have.
To address @W1NNING's post, printing in the desired color is easier to do, but I don't know what kind of color you're looking to get. Sounds like it's not a common shade for filament to print with. If that is the case, you will just need to use the standard procedure of painting plastic (which I don't know much about).
Printing in nylon, while easier to dye, is also more expensive. Depends on the part to be printed, though.
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Honestly like a Tiffany blue or similar really lol sounds silly but one half that and one half like a light shade of grey would be beautiful.
That makes more sense- I think that color is harder to come by as printer filament.
I've had someone suggest to me if I could make a larger version that can accommodate slightly larger cards and a SFX PSU. I've made some calculations and this would be somewhat larger than the MI-6 case, just with the same layout. It's in the territory of 8 liters. If I were going to make a larger variant of this case, I think having SFX support would be enough to create meaningful demand at this size.
I've had someone suggest to me if I could make a larger version that can accommodate slightly larger cards and a SFX PSU. I've made some calculations and this would be somewhat larger than the MI-6 case, just with the same layout. It's in the territory of 8 liters. If I were going to make a larger variant of this case, I think having SFX support would be enough to create meaningful demand at this size.
I've set up the case in "bench" mode yesterday and installed the GPU and motherboard. It was tough lining up some of the screws to the motherboard due to very tight spaces, but they're now put together.
It's running great in this setup, and mostly happy with how the case turned out. Can't upload pictures yet but that's pretty much all I can say for now.
EDIT: Also, I'm wondering how I'm going to kick off production of these cases to drum up initial sales. I've spotted a few makers and case modders using Patreon to help fund their efforts. Should I try out Patreon? Crowdfunding? Something else?
It's running great in this setup, and mostly happy with how the case turned out. Can't upload pictures yet but that's pretty much all I can say for now.
EDIT: Also, I'm wondering how I'm going to kick off production of these cases to drum up initial sales. I've spotted a few makers and case modders using Patreon to help fund their efforts. Should I try out Patreon? Crowdfunding? Something else?
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