wood case

[fredcoke]

this is a case i have just made
it is a media computer that allso kicks ass as a games machine

[kylepaddock]

I would love a case like that

[Marvin_The_Martian]

Do you have more pictures like a work log or something? It really look like a nice built! What are the specs? In the past wooden cases where not my thing, I still don't like the idea that much but seeing the case from you it looks appealing. I like the darker wood, gives it a more authentic feel imo.

[fredcoke]

computer specs
q6600 intel cpu
ga-p35c-ds3r mobo
4 gig ddr2 1066 memory
bfg 260 gtx oc graphics card
onboard sound
cooling of cpu by bigwater 745
air cooling of the rest
4 120 mm fans @ 5v so slow running
to make the case i got a £15 ali case on line and took it apart for the mobo tray and back plate
also took the harddisk rails out to put in the new case
case is 600mm wide
600mm deep
250mm high
front and side are sold wood
the rest is 18mm mdf
this is to stop vibrations
i am building a case for the rest of the av setup to go under the computer so as not to see the wires at the back
i have conected my 37 inch lg hd tv to the system as a monitor
i will post more pics tomorrowof the inside of the case

[Marvin_The_Martian]

Is onboard sound enough or do you plan on changing that later on? Just curious, I don't have an expensive surround set but if you do, I would likely not settle for onboard sound. That bigwater kit is just for silence right, not performance? I won't get into a discussion about how bad a kit it is, I'm sure others will, but for htpc I don't think it's so bad. Though a good air cooler can be just as good for temps and sound!

Look forward to seeing the pics :)

[fredcoke]

marvin
water cooler keeps the cpu at less the 32 degswhile playing crysis on vhigh and 2*aa 32 fps or more
mobo 35 degs
at rest it is 22 and 28

[Marvin_The_Martian]

Lol fredcoke, click on my signature and try to fold on it, I will bet the temps will skyrocket within a not to long time. Bigwater is a good enough kit for htpc use and gaming it seems, but anything which loads it up for real is another story. Also remember you have a quad core, crysis won't fill that up completely so you can't count crysis as real load test ( unlees that's the heaviest you will do with it ever ).

[fredcoke]

its folding as we speak im part of the custom pc team

[DAK1640]

Very nice work...More pix...Mahagoney???

[Marvin_The_Martian]

I must have some kits mixed up because those temps are super low for fah. I'm running in mid 60's with a koolance 120x2 kit ( pc2-730 in essence a exos2 afaik ) on my g0 q6600.

Do you gpu fold? Enough ventilation? Ow you know I can see for myself when you post the interior pictures :up:

[fredcoke]

marvin
yes i am folding with my 260 gtx card makes sense with 192 cores
just took this on restart bios temps

[Marvin_The_Martian]

Cpu smart fan enabeld?? Htpc I know, but still ;)

On that board, you should be running allot above stock with ease. Though not sure the bigwater will handle a good oc. And bios shots are pretty meaningless for temps, but if you like I will post mine next week when I get back from my break :up: I seen temps in the 20's to, bios = no load at all.

[fredcoke]

here is the inside of the case

[Marvin_The_Martian]

Have you mounted those hdd's with rubber shock obsorbers? If not I would think you would get a nice vibration in that entire case. The tubing and wiring could be neater, but I guess it's not your main focus point. I do like the layout and I think you should post more (high res) pictures ( use imageshack thumbnails to avoid breaking forum layout ).

[JustRob]

WOW! Nice job, I do like your case and think you have done a very excellent job!:clap:

[BreeSpree]

Whoa, from the outside it looks like one of those old radios you might find in your attic.
The inside could use some tidying, but looks very nice and custom.

[Movieman]

Very nicely done..:up:

[fredcoke]

here is some more pictures.
as you can see i have added the rest of the stack.
also put a blowhole in the top with fan.
have started to overclock system.
5%overclock on and is stable so far.
i made the case out of 18mm mdf and wood so as to stop vibes and has worked,
but do plan to shock mount drives and disks when have the time.
only got the bigwater cooler to tryout water cooling for the first time and is easyer than i feared.
do you have any idears on beter systems.

[man_bear_pig]

That is exactly what I play to do with my HTPC case when the mobo gets here next week. Just gonna be air no water. What wood is that looks maybe like cherry? I am probably gonna go with MDF like you did and use the same left over flooring (http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=1642423&postcount=23) I used to make this desk top on the front and sides.

[fredcoke]

the wood is mohogany a hard wood i made it out of a plank 250mm wide by 25mm thick
case is 600mm wide
600mm deep
250 high

[Marvin_The_Martian]

fred the more you show of it the more kudo's you're getting from me :up:

I would indeed love such a build for an htpc, infact in the future I do plan on something simular ( wood case being worked away in the living room as it where part of the furtniture ).

I didn't know the mdf absorbed vibrations on it's own, that's good to know.

About the wc, I got a koolance pc2-720sl for the exact same reasons as you, cheap entry into wc, presassembeld and easy to use. And I needed a case at the time and I got it brand new for 200euro's a long time ( it seems ) back!

If you're using the bios oc profiles that's a nice entry to oc'ing, and I actually wouldn't encourage you to really oc atm untill you get done with the modding as I would love to see it totally finished the way you planned it.

To answer your question about better wc components, there is a great section filled with tests of varieus kit's and materials, blocks and rad's. And tbh, my wc knowledge is basic as well, the comment about the bigwater is because I know someone with that kit and he admittedly called it a pos most of the time. If I look at the space at the back under your 'furniture' you got enough space to go as crazy as your budget allows you to and I'm sure the people in that section will be far better suited to help you decide on items then me :up:

[fredcoke]

thanks man
i have tryed to keep the noise down with this build and i think a good fan controler will make it more so.
the 4 fans on the front push so much air in to the case its like a hair dryer at the back so will slow them down moore.
do you know any good quiert fans in 120mm size?

[Marvin_The_Martian]

I hear good things about the yate loons, I have one but decided to use industrial nmb fans from my local radio shack to replace the stock koolance fans on my rad. The yate is quiet though compared to what I am using now but these are thicker and I think therefore more efficient on a rad.

Vapor has a very good fan roundup you might want to read, shows the audability as well as how much air they move at diffrent voltages.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=170224

[fredcoke]

now that i have been running the system for a week or so(i have put 2gig more of memory in)and this has made it faster at folding.
the temps have settled to 70 c or so as told by core temp monitor.
i am going to change the fans in the hole system as they are all different so mabe zalman zm-f3 120mm fans with a 6 channel fan controler.
if i change them all i will need 9 120mm fans.
and at the same time i am going to hide all the wires in the case and paint the inside black.
this would mean that when you look in the fan holes at the front all you will see is the main parts and green glowing pipes.
whot do you think??????

[fredcoke]

i have painted inside the case,and hidden the wires as much as possible