SG05 Modification. Poorman's Vertical Case

myfirstpcyay

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Mar 7, 2018
82
97
So originally I wanted The Breath Case (I still do) - but at the moment the PC build's cost was going up and up. And then it hit me, I'll just mod the SG05 for the time being! Was able to pick it up for $40 too :D

The goal here is to mount the PSU to the front of the case, and stuff the biggest cooler I can in it. The case starts out at 10.8L, and I think I can get it down to 9L at the lowest (was going to be lower, but then I realized the GPU cable was the limiting factor.

Build...

CPU: Ryzen 5 1600
Cooler: Scythe Kabuto 3 (~125mm tall - should be just about flush with the GPU height)
Mobo: ASROCK AB350 ITX
PSU: Corsair SF600
GPU: EVGA GTX 1080 SC
Storage: 250GB NVMe, X GB SSD at some point
RAM: Ballistics 8GB DDR4-2400 x1

and other odds and ends when we get there...

The case with everything taken off.


Removed the side support bars.


Started cutting...


More cutting...


More cutting...


Put the side bars back on (also flatted the one next to the gpu for added clearance)


That's where we are for now.

Next steps - add reinforcement bars to close out the top (which will become the "front"), paint, and then install parts. The last step will be the custom cover which I'm still figuring out.
 
Last edited:

myfirstpcyay

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Mar 7, 2018
82
97
Added some supports back in. Now it feels solid...at least solid enough to have it stand straight up and not worry about it crumbling.



Trying to decide if I need to trip that psu exhaust. Probably will. Then it's off to clean, sand, clean, and paint.

Current dimensions are...

272 x 220 x 152mm ~ 9.1L

Not too shabby. Adding the cover will (if I'm PERFECT) with 1mm thick material will make it 9.2L. Adding some 5mm feet makes it become...9.4L.

We shall see how this goes...not sure if I need to add more support around the PSU or GPU mounting area.
 
Last edited:

myfirstpcyay

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Mar 7, 2018
82
97
Actually, does anyone know how much room a PSU needs to effectively breath on the intake side? Thanks! I was thinking 5mm - but is there a lesser amount that's still good?
 

jtd871

SFF Guru
Jun 22, 2015
1,166
851
Somebody did a study on case feet height with case fan exhaust, but I can't remember who or which case it was. Maybe it was @Necere during the design of the M1 or @dondan for A4. @K888D ?! You know you've read too many blogs when you can't remember which one you were reading!
Edit: I'll just link @PlayfulPhoenix too in case it was the Cerberus.
 
  • Like
Reactions: K888D

myfirstpcyay

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Mar 7, 2018
82
97
Man you had me worried. I thought to myself "Oh God, did I do all this for nothing?" But then I saw it was 17L. Phew! :)

I'll have to look at those other cases to see what gap is good.
 

Necere

Shrink Ray Wielder
NCASE
Feb 22, 2015
1,719
3,281
Somebody did a study on case feet height with case fan exhaust, but I can't remember who or which case it was. Maybe it was @Necere during the design of the M1 or @dondan for A4. @K888D ?! You know you've read too many blogs when you can't remember which one you were reading!
Edit: I'll just link @PlayfulPhoenix too in case it was the Cerberus.
It was @K888D. The tests are on his website. There's a reduction in airflow with a much larger gap than you'd think (beyond the maximum distance tested - 150mm - in most cases), but it seems to drop off a cliff at a distance below 30 to 40% of the fan's diameter. It can make designing good airflow into an SFF case quite a challenge, to say the least.
 
  • Like
Reactions: owliwar and K888D

myfirstpcyay

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Mar 7, 2018
82
97
Wow. Thanks for the link. That's sort of disheartening and wild that a foam wall placed 1 foot away was able to have an effect. It was encouraging as the SF600's fan is 92mm so it would have a better chance than the others (also makes sense that my INWIN301 with intakes on the bottom didn't do much to cool the GPU until I raised the case about 1.5"). Although I'm not liking the need to lift the case ~ 1" to get ~65% of the potential performance of the fan.

Edit: Just realized - that after I build and see how much room I have I could technically keep the same orientation, and just lift the PSU within the case ~1cm, shroud it, and only lift the case 1cm to net ~2cm of distance.

Or...I flip the PSU over to help exhaust (shudders).
 
Last edited:

myfirstpcyay

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Mar 7, 2018
82
97
...and painted.



Cleaned up a few edges - added a support brace for the PSU that's only locked in up top. Hopefully it still fits. I've decided on the cover - just need to get the material and get to cutting and bending.
 

NateDawg72

Master of Cramming
Aug 11, 2016
398
302
Love that you are doing this. I considered turning my SG13 vertical in the past, but it is cool to see someone actually doing it. Looking forward to any progress :)
 

myfirstpcyay

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Mar 7, 2018
82
97
Big progress!

I know I should of built and tested everything outside first but...I couldn't help it.

Components...



Not gonna lie. The CPU cooler was a FPITA to install. But I finally got it. Everything cleared. For anyone curious, this is the only configuration that clears this mobo and case...



Don't forget the IO...don't want that to happen again...



PSU fits...only 2 screws lined up though.



Mobo assembly in. I think it fits XD. Got lucky on my measurements...



Everything's in! 24pin cable was another FPITA. Had to twist the cable since the PSU is directed that way. Borrowed the power switch from the actual case.



Wife was using the computer desk...so I had to make a really sketchy setup to see if everything's alive.



IT LIVES!!!



Just realized I didn't show the case cover progress. Either way. I definitely lucked out. Everything seems to run so far. Will test more later this week.
 

myfirstpcyay

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Mar 7, 2018
82
97
Started with this...



A couple of smacks, cuts and bends later...I really couldn't have asked for it to come out better...for my "first time" working with sheet metal.



Test fits...



The black line is the cutout for the power switch. Needed to see where all the wires were to make sure I don't put it in the way.

Initial scale. Bummed I didn't have a Coke or beer. I need to fix that. This is it for now...



Next steps will be to finish up the cover and have better glamour shots :) and a proper Coke can reference.
 

jtd871

SFF Guru
Jun 22, 2015
1,166
851
Man you had me worried. I thought to myself "Oh God, did I do all this for nothing?" But then I saw it was 17L. Phew! :)
I'll have to look at those other cases to see what gap is good.

It's essentially the same layout as the SG05 turned vertical with standoffs on the top and bottom for cable management and airflow.
 

Necere

Shrink Ray Wielder
NCASE
Feb 22, 2015
1,719
3,281
It's essentially the same layout as the SG05 turned vertical with standoffs on the top and bottom for cable management and airflow.
I believe the FT03-Mini re-uses much of the SG05/06's tooling for the internal chassis. Silverstone does this quite a bit across their various cases.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Phuncz

myfirstpcyay

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Mar 7, 2018
82
97
It's essentially the same layout as the SG05 turned vertical with standoffs on the top and bottom for cable management and airflow.

Understood. Good to see that I'm still ~7L less :D Also was going more for volume+features+price vs layout. Everything ~10L or less that allowed a larger cooler and full sized GPU was >$100 or closer to $200.

That looks so neato, love the mesh cover. SG Meshify 13V? I need updates asap!

Thanks! Just about done. Was going to go for deep red - but ended up with going black since I still have that can around. Worst case - I'll do red later when I feel like changing things up. Also, updates on what?

I ended up putting ~20mm under the case via the cover, and then I added the rubber stoppers that came with the case originally. Should be about 25mm when all is said and done. Good enough for me!
 
Last edited:

myfirstpcyay

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Mar 7, 2018
82
97
I was hoping to be able to transfer my 3.5" hdd - but that doesn't look like it'll fit anywhere. I ALMOST thought of putting it underneath - or even behind it. I think now it's time to look for a 2.5" hdd.

Anyone know why my NVMe feels like it boots slower than the ssd I have on my other PC? The "windows" icon shows up for a little while whereas my other computer, it just goes from mobologo screen --> enter your password.
 

Choidebu

"Banned"
Aug 16, 2017
1,196
1,204
Anyone know why my NVMe feels like it boots slower than the ssd I have on my other PC? The "windows" icon shows up for a little while whereas my other computer, it just goes from mobologo screen --> enter your password.
Is your other PC an intel one? AMD system bios boots slower than intel. I learned about it in this forum somewhere. Just the bios. My celeron NUC boots faster than my current R5 1600 build. Like 10 secs faster.
 

myfirstpcyay

Average Stuffer
Original poster
Mar 7, 2018
82
97
Is your other PC an intel one? AMD system bios boots slower than intel. I learned about it in this forum somewhere. Just the bios. My celeron NUC boots faster than my current R5 1600 build. Like 10 secs faster.

Damn you're right. It is (was) - i5-6400. Well that's a bummer. Need to keep looking around if there's anything I can do to at least improve it. Haven't ran diagnostics yet.
 

Max78

Chassis Packer
Jan 12, 2018
16
26
Nice build!

I really like the idea of the perforated cover!

If you still have enough height and your width is the same as my SG13 then your 3.5" HDD should fit left to right with some right angle connectors and massaging of the upper support piece lower flange.

You would also have to remove that tab that protrudes into the case on the left.