Attaching Two Cases

[mrapples]

im looking into doing a double-wide case mod

what would be the best way to connect two aluminum cases?

i was thinking rivets and maybe some epoxy
would that hold strongly enough for me to transport the case to lans and the like?

also, would it be better to put a plate of sheet metal or something across the seam and use rivets to mount that?

thanks for your responses

[SamHughe]

I think you should do both. Use epoxy to stick two together then, use a metal bar across the cases (on top ot bottom) to ensure durability. If you're good at handy work you can bend the metal bar so that you can use it as a handle when transporting.

[Serra]

I've actually been considering something somewhat similar myself, though more along the size lines of 2 stackers... so portability hasn't been even a slight concern. What I've come up with is that it depends a little on what you plan on doing with it in terms of the mods.

If for example you want to use 1 case for your attachments like hard drives and cd drives and then use the other for your mobo and attached cards, I say use two actually seperate cases and make use latches. The benefits of doing it that way are that you can get better cooling for each box (not that your hard drive box is going to care that much) due to eliminating having as many dead spots, plus you'll gain mobility because you'll be able to just detach them and take them seperately. The trick to this would be to have matching holes in the sides that go together for your cables to run between them with. I was thinking of something like this so that I would have my mobo cooled entirely seperately from a water cooling system, while also having possibly shorter tube lengths and being able to eliminate a lot of sound generation.

On the other side of the coin, if your mod calls for having one giant case with just air between, I'm still a bit of a fan the latch system (if for no other reason than being able to take them apart to be able to reach things better if need be)... but would probably still agree with SamHughe in his assessment. An easier way to do it might just be to drill some holes in the cases and get a metal bar with them and get a nut and bolt solution working, perhaps using an expoxy along the exposed edge just so you don't get dust coming in.

~ Serra

[mrapples]

i was actually thinking a bit earlier that since i would have two unused aluminum sides (the ones on the inside of the cube) i could probably cut one of those and use it as a supporting panel with rivets on the top

thoughts? was that unclear?

[Serra]

I think it would probably work out pretty well. For one thing you would be matching the colour and type of material, and that would help in the looks department. One thing to consider is that while you may just have to cover the top seam, you should probably make sure the bottom plate covers the entire bottom so that it doesn't rock from side to side.

~ Serra

[mrapples]

yeah, but i plan on putting wheels on it, so thats kind of moot in my situation

[Tulatin]

mrapples, you've hit a good idea there. Cut out strips/panels from the side panels and rivet the two together, while it may look industrial, it'll work well. Of course, this is after one case loses it's mobo tray and such

[mrapples]

yeah, hopefully i can pull off a good industrial sort of look

there was some special nut and bolt combo or something of the sort that people used since it looked better than rivets, any ideas for that?

[Anarki]

If you were skilled enough and had the correct welder, you could weld the two cases together!

I love welding, especially all the preperation and the end result after all the hard work :)

[Tulatin]

Yeah, if you use Allen/Hex head/Socket Cap bolts it'll look really nice, and clean to boot. Just use polished silver ones on a jet black case

[n00b 0f l337]

Well if you do get a case that can BTX. Then one ATX one BTX and you get 2 mobo spots and such.

[Tulatin]

Or inverted ATX, a-la some silverstone/thermalrock/enermax cases and the V-Series

[mrapples]

i might be able to swing steel welding, but not aluminum, thats why i am looking at other options

i am liking the idea using the side on top with some bolts and good looking caps/nuts

[Tulatin]

Another thing you could do is hinge it so that one case flips up on top of the other when it's time to work on it. A pain if you're limited for overhead space, but it'd be fun nonetheless.

[SamHughe]

How 'bout putting two cases vertically and making one "super tower". You can cut one case's top and the other's bottom. It should be much easier to connect two together that way.

[mrapples]

Another thing you could do is hinge it so that one case flips up on top of the other when it's time to work on it. A pain if you're limited for overhead space, but it'd be fun nonetheless.
that would be interesting, but with watercooling tubes and cables running between the two it could be complicated

as for the stacking idea, id rather have a cube

[VisiV]

heh, not a bad idea... http://xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=74660 mines not exactly double wide... more than it is double high... lol. I have a way to go on mine, still haven't finished what i want it to look like in my head.

[mrapples]

i like the idea too, but accessibility would be an issue, it would see

also, itll be heavy

i was careful to go with aluminum, because a double steel case would be terribly heavy, not to mention with all the parts and watercooling


anyway, im looking for the best way to setup my components and watercooling in the case, perhaps i should start a new thread for the actual mod

[hhhhbk]

metal sheet at top and bottom which rigidly fixes them together or a box frame around them

if the 2 cases are very strong and have thick walls like an antec 1080 (chieftec dragon) then joins could be fairly successful
but if the cases are thin metal then joins arent likely to hold up awfully well as theyll be flexing all over the place when carried


or try fashioning your own version of the mountain mod ufo
possibly reusing drive caddys and motherboard tray from an existing case

[mrapples]

the case is 1.2mm aluminum, so its nice an strong, as long as my supports and connections are strong, i dont foresee any issues

[Aielman]

Wouldn't it just be easier to get a Mountain Mods UFO (http://mountainmods.com/index.php) insead of trying to manufacture a case? I figure you're probably going to end up spending around $150 for two aluminum cases, plus the materials to put the two together. You can just about get one UFO for that.

peace,
Aielman

[mrapples]

easier yes, but im spending under $90 for all my materials, and im not sure where you saw a ufo for $150, because the cheapest i know of is like $270

[Aielman]

easier yes, but im spending under $90 for all my materials, and im not sure where you saw a ufo for $150, because the cheapest i know of is like $270

I'm making an assumption on your two cases, and didn't type it right. Should've said 2 cases @150 ea. The last decent size all aluminum case I bought cost me $150 with shipping...thus two would be $300 :)

If you already have the cases, it's a poor assumption on my part.

peace,
Aielman

[mrapples]

im actually getting two skyhawk 4610s @ $27 each

[SamHughe]

im actually getting two skyhawk 4610s @ $27 each

Good for you! Cuz spending 300 for a mod attempt (you don't now if it's gonna work or not) would be ridiculous.

BTW, Skyhawk 4620's $24.99 @ Newegg.

http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/11-117-029-01.JPG

[mrapples]

yeah, but i much prefer the look of the 4610 to the 4620, thanks though