So first time actually posting something here, hadn't really had anything original to contribute but my latest project is completed and i thought it was worth sharing.
Here's are my build criteria:
-No power brick! i despise them.
-Fits a full size reference design Nvidia card
-Fits standard ITX board
-Reasonable room for expansion/upgrade for storage, ram, gpu, cpu without case redesign
-As compact as possible in thickness- stretch goal of fitting in a tsa friendly 15in laptop bag, so it can stay protected when travelling. My previous build was based on an SG05 which while compact needed to come completely out for carry on inspection. (it does fit!)
-Purpose built design aesthetic, no frills, strong and functional vibe. No unnecessary protrusions.
The hardware i crammed:
-MSI b360i gaming pro ac
-i5 8400, delidded and liquid metal applied (could upgrade later)
-Noctua NH-L9i
-Ballistix 16gb ddr4, single module (could add second module)
-EVGA GTX 1070 OC, with liquid metal and gtx 1080ti vapor chamber cooler installed (could upgrade later)
-FSP flex atx psu, 500w Platinum (FSP500-50FSPT)
-WD black 3d nand 500gb nvme drive (second m.2 slot wide open)
-2tb 2.5in hdd, 7mm height.
Case materials:
Aluminum from onlinemetals.com
-0.08in sheet
-0.5x0.5x0.062in angle
-1.5x0.125in bar (feet)
Everything else:
-like 75 m3 x 4mm flat screws
-1/4in20 stainless screws for feet
-nylon fender washers for feet
-4mm m3 standoffs
-appropriate chrome fan grills
-screenmend mesh
-foam window insulation
-iec c6 power socket
-pcie 16x riser
-usb3.0 header
-illuminated vandal button
-3m cabinet bumpers for foot grips
The lengths i went through...
Smallest possible standoffs meant dremmeling down one of the cpu backplate screws, cpu cooler holding screws, and m.2 standoff on back of mobo. backside of case covered in Kapton tape just in case something flexes and tries to short.
GPU pci bracket removed
Power supply opened and power input pigtail added- no room for internal plug. PSU was not equipped with a pcie connector but two eps 8-pin, so i converted one. Cut all unnecessary cables, leaving only atx, eps, and pcie. Cut to length, sleeved, and crimped.
usb3.0 header disassembled and shortened to length, also added a sata power plug fed from same mobo header
Sata cable cut to length and re-crimped
Construction Techniques:
Aluminum cut to size with an aluminum cutting table saw blade
After rough assembly a 1/8in round over bit in a trim router. Standard woodworking variatey, taken slowly and with plenty of oil.
Fan grill cutouts made by using the outer shroud of discarded fans as a router template, again with a 1/8 roundover.
Screw holes drilled, countersunk and tapped into the angles
Wet sand and polish outside face of all panels (3m aluminum boat polish used)
Thermals (21c ambient):
During torture test of furmark and y-cruncher simultaniously, CPU hovers between 67-75c with all cores boosting to 3.8ghz. GPU overclocked +110 core +550 mem with stock fan curve sits at 79c at 69% fan.
Final Size
56mm thick x 274mm deep x 313mm tall, including feet. 4.8l total!
Photo Album
https://photos.app.******/V9eZmHB2vN6AedKa6
https://photos.app.******/2fWVdA5kwQUyRBSo7
Here's are my build criteria:
-No power brick! i despise them.
-Fits a full size reference design Nvidia card
-Fits standard ITX board
-Reasonable room for expansion/upgrade for storage, ram, gpu, cpu without case redesign
-As compact as possible in thickness- stretch goal of fitting in a tsa friendly 15in laptop bag, so it can stay protected when travelling. My previous build was based on an SG05 which while compact needed to come completely out for carry on inspection. (it does fit!)
-Purpose built design aesthetic, no frills, strong and functional vibe. No unnecessary protrusions.
The hardware i crammed:
-MSI b360i gaming pro ac
-i5 8400, delidded and liquid metal applied (could upgrade later)
-Noctua NH-L9i
-Ballistix 16gb ddr4, single module (could add second module)
-EVGA GTX 1070 OC, with liquid metal and gtx 1080ti vapor chamber cooler installed (could upgrade later)
-FSP flex atx psu, 500w Platinum (FSP500-50FSPT)
-WD black 3d nand 500gb nvme drive (second m.2 slot wide open)
-2tb 2.5in hdd, 7mm height.
Case materials:
Aluminum from onlinemetals.com
-0.08in sheet
-0.5x0.5x0.062in angle
-1.5x0.125in bar (feet)
Everything else:
-like 75 m3 x 4mm flat screws
-1/4in20 stainless screws for feet
-nylon fender washers for feet
-4mm m3 standoffs
-appropriate chrome fan grills
-screenmend mesh
-foam window insulation
-iec c6 power socket
-pcie 16x riser
-usb3.0 header
-illuminated vandal button
-3m cabinet bumpers for foot grips
The lengths i went through...
Smallest possible standoffs meant dremmeling down one of the cpu backplate screws, cpu cooler holding screws, and m.2 standoff on back of mobo. backside of case covered in Kapton tape just in case something flexes and tries to short.
GPU pci bracket removed
Power supply opened and power input pigtail added- no room for internal plug. PSU was not equipped with a pcie connector but two eps 8-pin, so i converted one. Cut all unnecessary cables, leaving only atx, eps, and pcie. Cut to length, sleeved, and crimped.
usb3.0 header disassembled and shortened to length, also added a sata power plug fed from same mobo header
Sata cable cut to length and re-crimped
Construction Techniques:
Aluminum cut to size with an aluminum cutting table saw blade
After rough assembly a 1/8in round over bit in a trim router. Standard woodworking variatey, taken slowly and with plenty of oil.
Fan grill cutouts made by using the outer shroud of discarded fans as a router template, again with a 1/8 roundover.
Screw holes drilled, countersunk and tapped into the angles
Wet sand and polish outside face of all panels (3m aluminum boat polish used)
Thermals (21c ambient):
During torture test of furmark and y-cruncher simultaniously, CPU hovers between 67-75c with all cores boosting to 3.8ghz. GPU overclocked +110 core +550 mem with stock fan curve sits at 79c at 69% fan.
Final Size
56mm thick x 274mm deep x 313mm tall, including feet. 4.8l total!
Photo Album
https://photos.app.******/V9eZmHB2vN6AedKa6
https://photos.app.******/2fWVdA5kwQUyRBSo7