Custom Fiberglass Computer Case

[pswart]

Hello,

I searched the forum for a fiberglass custom build case. There does not seem to be any "complete" case build with this material.

I would appreciate any link to information on this topic.

Thanks

[Barrman]

Im not sure you will find any cases made entirley of fiberglass do to the way fiberglass is formed.

If you don't know there are two ways to form fiberglass.

The first and less frequintly used method is vacume forming. This process involves sandwiching fiberglass and resin between two hard forms and then plasing it in a vacume bag. This forces all the air out of the mold and compresses the two forms together to shape the fiberglass. It is extremely unlikly that you would see any one outside of an industrial application using this method to form parts.

The second method is a sort of free hand forming of the fiberglass. In this process a skeleton of the piece you are forming is constructed (usually out of wood) and then a stretchy cloth like stockings is stretched over the skeliton. Then layers of fiberglass and resin are aplied in order to finalize the shape.

With the first method it is very easy to create most any kind of shape you want and therefor could easly be used to construct the parts that would allow you to build a computer, however, like I metioned earlier this process is very involving and expensive so no casual DIYer is going to do this and most companies opt to work with steel/aluminum/platic because it is either cheaper, less fragile, or easier to manufacture than fiberglass. In addition computers are orthoganal objects, making them well suited to the straight lines and 90degree bends that are easy to make in steel or AL. Fiberglass is much more suited to curved or irregular shapes.

The second method of forming fiberglass is great for irregularly shaped closed objects. This would include sub woofer boxes, shrouds and ...? well actually thats all I can think of. and since computers are not sealed cases fiberglass is not very practical, well at least not for the body. It works very well for shrouds



Sorry if this explination is a little jumbled but it is hard to explain the actual process of what can and can't be made easily with fiber glass.

For a quick guide check out the link
http://web.njit.edu/~cas1383/proj/main/

[Dumitru Ivanov]

Thanks for the tips! I'll try making a DIY fiberglass case in a couple of weeks. Wish me luck!