Project: Briefcase Computer #2 - Universal Edition

[Manicdan]

Well I am at it again. A friend asked me to build him a custom computer in a briefcase just like my own. Unfortunately mine is way too much upkeep for an average user and its not compatible with every ATX part out there.

So with the removal of the monitor I can take the same case and fit in ALOT more stuff.

12" x 9.6" ATX Motherboard
GPUs up to 11" in all 7 slots
PSUs up to 8" long
2x 3.5" HDD slots
Full size Optical Drive


So far I have completed the renderings and parts list for putting it all together. The frame will be made from .220 acrylic held together with 3/4"x3/4" aluminum L beams 1/8" thick painted black (net sure yet if I want glossy or flat). Bolts will be flush 6-32 black oxide machine screws and black oxide nylon locknuts.

There's still so much more to go over and I should save that for the actual build. I should have it done in about a month and cost is around 350$ minus labor.

So here's some pictures.



http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/1971/pc41520110004.png

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/8074/pc41520110007.png

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/4513/pc41520110006.png

http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/830/pc41520110005.png

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/3176/pc41520110008.png

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/3286/pc41520110009.png

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/1866/pc41520110010.png

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/472/pc41520110011.png

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http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/9427/pc41520110021.png

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/6826/pc41520110022.png

http://img858.imageshack.us/img858/2033/pc41520110023.png

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/6193/pc41520110026.png

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http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/5568/pc41520110032.png

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/843/pc41620110000.png

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http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/3782/pc41620110005.png

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/9367/pc41620110006.png

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/6682/pc41620110007.png

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http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/5387/pc41620110002.png

http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/6761/pc41620110004.png

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/4853/pc41520110031.png

[http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/8219/pc41520110033.png

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/1994/pc41520110034.png




http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/8531/pciebeam.png

http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/7818/cddrive.png

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/3411/cdrackhinge.png

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/1531/portsa.png

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/5965/videocards.png

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/6595/psuk.png

[Frag Maniac]

Wow, that's pretty cool. A very chic LAN party rig.

[MrGuMbY18]

That awesome, i cant wait to see the build :)

[Manicdan]

The only update i have for today is that i lost 20$ with my very first cut

I bought the acrylic, lexan, and aluminum on sunday from a local hardware store. and my table saw is good for 30" cuts, but to do anything more than 15" you have to extend the table and use the second ruler for the rest. well its not 15 its 16" and even though i measured before i cut with a separate tape measure, i still cut the base 1" too short. 20.75" looked right when the tape measure is upside down. so a 20$ sheet of lexan is now set aside as scrap and i will start up again next weekend.

i was hoping to have the main box (outside walls and base) done, but sadly no, lol

[Frag Maniac]

I think the ultimate would be just riveting in alu rails, racks, shelves, partitions, etc and use the alu case itself as one big heatsink. There are lots of alu cases in that size range from $40 to $80.

[Manicdan]

i did look into rivets, but the research i did showed that i would have cracked the acrylic to hell, and i wasnt ready to try something completely new for someone elses build.

and you do know this case is going to support 1200+w of computer parts? not sure any case would be a good enough heatsink for that, lol

[TJ TRICHEESE]

i think it would look better if it had a black alu/delrin top instead of acrylic,just my 2c

[Manicdan]

this case is not quite for as much show as my current one

there will be 3 fans on the top, 2 intake, one for cpu directly, one by the gpu/psu, and the exhaust by the gpu exhausts. so the cooling is designed to work optimally while the briefcase is closed, and there will be a side port for all the wires, and im not sure if i found anything i like yet which is why theres no drawings for it. however the airflow is open enough that it should work quite well with the case open, and the components were arranged so that you can access them with the PC on and not be scared of frying yourself/computer.

also i can easily swap out some pieces for derlin. i just checked mcmaster and its 26$ for 12" x 12" and 1/4" thick. acrylic is 13$ for the same specs. (i paid 18$ for 18x24 sheets at home depot) and you might change your mind after seeing photos. the top cover (i assume you mean the one with the hole cut for a fan) is also somewhat the side panel window to see the cpu section, and covering that with something opaque could end up making it not user friendly. once built i can cover it with black paper to show how it kinda would look with derlin.

if anyone else has suggestions, get them in quick, the build goes into overdrive this friday!

[Frag Maniac]

i did look into rivets, but the research i did showed that i would have cracked the acrylic to hell, and i wasnt ready to try something completely new for someone elses build.

and you do know this case is going to support 1200+w of computer parts? not sure any case would be a good enough heatsink for that, lol

Well I wasn't aware the project was for someone else, but the fact is lining an alu case with plastic just traps heat vs dissipating it, and rivets work quite well with alu. If anything that much wattage worth of parts would be better cooled with an all alu case. It's also not hard to find alu scrap in everything from sheet, to rods to tubes to angle & bar stock in metal yards too.

The only thing is you'd have to be SURE of your design before you start cutting vent holes and riveting straight into the case, but you seem to be pretty good at the design end. You could also make a cardboard mock up to try the idea with first to make sure it works. Just trying to offer alternative ideas, and it would probably be cheaper, lighter, more space efficient, and less labor too.

In general I think stuffing a gaming PC into an alu briefcase is a great idea. I just think it's a shame to somewhat lose the benefits of the alu that's all. I'm not suggesting you radically change the one you're already working on, just maybe consider it for the next one. If this idea catches on, it could be big. Only thing is airports might get scared they're briefcase bombs instead of mere gaming PCs. LOL

Airport security says, "Is that Duke Nukem in your case sir, or are you just unhappy to see me?"

[TJ TRICHEESE]

Yea i didn't think about it as a window, its kind of nice to see shiny hardwares :D

[Manicdan]

snip

1200w of heat is actually not that scary once you think about airflow. even in this warm weather i still use a heater in the bathroom and at 1500w its probably 100CFM and not scolding hot at all. so i can be pretty sure the temp inside the case will never go past 90F with a decent fan (nothing extreme, 2000rpms)

and yeah i love to make mock ups out of cardboard first.

and i would love to make an all aluminum box from scratch, this whole thing is going into its own briefcase thats made of some process board material thats quite nice. rugged, light, semi flexible.

yeah the next one will definilty need to be something like a custom box+case out of aluminum, once i practice with this first (i use to use 100% acrylic and im shifting over slowly)

[kikicoco1334]

Dude that' is so wos up!

[eskamobob1]

Any updates? I am looking to build something similar and am trying to get ideas :)