Case Design for Liquid Cooling

[Gone Cruising]

That list is incomplete. Notably missing are Gone Cruising's acrylic cases and mine:

Count me on the list!!! 4 loops are possible in this case....

[Alexandr0s]

Hey guys, take it easy with the pics . I know you all love showing your SR-2 and 4x 480 rad loving cases, but this is Mick's thread for his case, and not the Liquid Cooling Case Gallery . Even though he's still jerking us off, it's still his thread.

[UrbanSmooth]

These are nice cases, guys. Props to all of you for you creativity. Let's sit back, relax, and enjoy what's coming next...

[danny.nguyen]

I like the mac design case. Where can I order one?

[WHICKED]

Micks case design has give me great inspiration and I have taken some of his ideas and incorporated them within my own designs. However I must say that I agree with 'Whicked's' statements about cost and manufacturing this product. I can't see a major case manufacturer taking this on, if they did it would not be at the top of their priority list. This is most definately not due to the design but rather as whicked quite rightly pointed out the costs involved to produce each case is going to be astronimical, let alone the very limited market avaialable for such a case. The only companies I can see that may take this on are the likes of Danger Den and Mountain Mods where they will design around not having to invest massively in press tooling.

Whicked, I would be interested to know your background as you seem to be knowledgeable within this field! Please pm if you would rather.

My background is I work for a international company (I'd rather not list the name) that deals with 100,000+ per month in computer sales and support. I have access here locally in town to multiple metalworking and design companies. I have modded cases for professional companies here in my local town and for multiple LANFests. As for Micks64 design it is a great design, just a little lacking on portability and standout appearance (on the outside, inside the case is fantastic). My idea is to add a cleaner appearance with some added features that would make the case nicer and more portable for those users that want the case and have tha ability to move it.

If you want to know what I am thinking, take a look at the HP Z800 workstation, but add in the features and details that Mick64 has on the door panels and the internal components. That is what I was going for. Portability and functionality both inside and out.

[Church]

WHICKED: Clean lines/looks is also feature. Too much cheap bling often spoil looks. For example silverstone FT02 & RV02 have almost same inner layout, but i'd gladly pay extra that first one costs for it's clean lines instead of plastic bling front of raven02 case. Minimalistic lines looks more expensive then ricer plastics.

[kinghong1970]

First, a NDA would account for nothing. He does not own a company, therefore he has no entitlement to his product.

Second, he can not copyright his product since he has shared the information publicly.

Third, UK business laws are different than US business laws. Which means NDA, company rights, disclaimers, etc etc... are all for not.

Fourth, I would not steal his design, the design is perfect the way it is. Hence he can "keep" his design. However, improving upon an idea and modifying it so it is not the same, is different. Now a lot of those people will say it is plagarism in a way. Sure, I guess you could say it is. However take a look at all the other case manufactures. Each one copies the same basic layout of each other, aside from Lian Li and MM.

Fifth, I understand the flaming aspect of my comments. But lets be real, a case manufacturer would have been able to fabricate a case within a month. A metal working shop with the necessary tools and materials could do it in 2-3 weeks. And how long has this post/thread been alive.

Would I like to make his case, yes, you bet. Would I like to make the design better, yes, you bet. But as for stealing, signing agreements such as NDA's, etc etc. You need to understand that those do not matter unless he owns a business, but even then NDA's do matter because he is based in the UK.

But from a high level, it looks as though he was going with 5052 aluminum 1/16" GA thick material for the inside, maybe 1/8" thick for the components and outer shell. Cost of materials: 6-7' (feet) x 10-11' (feet) material ~= $334.08, not including labor.

So the case would be around $600-$800 depending on who he goes through. But it might be more since, he would manufacturer it in the UK and then shipping costs are also an issue since tha case itself would weigh 30-55 lbs.

So, $1000 would not be hard to reach.

But like I said, the case is nice, it has a great design. I would make it, and see the costs of it, but there are just some things that make it bland.

Awww WHICKED, i hope you did not take offense... if you were... ... this is the internet and life goes on...

as for NDA... i make all my staff in my company sign NDA that IS legally binding to individuals... but perhaps you just have different set of lawyers...
if you want, i can recommend you to the law firm that has been representing my company for the past 20+ years... talk to the principals of your company or your legal team and have them contact me and i can recommend my lawyers if you... er... they want.

you are right... he has lost grounds on legal claim by publicly posting his design... so yes, trying to get an international patent at this point would be tough.. but then again, he does not have grounds for a patent... maybe a copyright which does not offer much protection...

(my background, i own, not work for, an apparel company that made millions of garments and footwear world wide and own patent in manufacturing process on a down jacket, since we're on the topic of backgrounds...)

but then again, i don't think it was his intention to try to dominate the wc'd chassis market worldwide... it just started out of his love and passion... then now to this...

but that is only a minor point... seriously, if you have so much resource at your fingertips... why not just go ahead and get the program and files and models and design your own?

you want to use his design to develop your own modification of it? pm him and ask him directly...
as for him choosing to work with so and so company... that's his choice... for one thing... there's no dishonesty on his behalf...

so, going back to topic... great that you got some resources...
1) down load Google Sketchup and go through the tutorials for about 15 mins...
2) go download some of the already done models of cases and parts here...
3) come up with some designs and post here, i'm sure the XS family would LOVE to give you some of their opinions...
4) give credit to where it's due, even if it's the internet... if you're inspired by Mick's design, do state so... it would be greatly appreciated.
5) if you have the funds to support your build... kudos...
6) pics... post tons of pics bro...
7) no more talk... just do it... we'd love to see what you can come up with... original or not...

just my quick opinions...

[He-ColdFinger]

Is it almost ready???

[WHICKED]

@He-ColdFinger - no, not for some time.

[motas]

Great design. Can you at least tell us if it's a well known and big case manufacturer. Wondering if it will be released in Australia. Also has anyone noticed that every case has a nearly identical layout. Even this one only has minor changes to the regular layout of cases. Bays at the front. Mobo in centre psu below (sometimes above). It is almost identical to my lian li except the rads. Would be handy for watercooling though. Can't wait.

[Nicksen]

How do you know WHICKED?

[hecktic]

wow if i didnt buy the lian li pc-p80 then id definitely buy this

[hecktic]

First, a NDA would account for nothing. He does not own a company, therefore he has no entitlement to his product.

Second, he can not copyright his product since he has shared the information publicly.

Third, UK business laws are different than US business laws. Which means NDA, company rights, disclaimers, etc etc... are all for not.

Fourth, I would not steal his design, the design is perfect the way it is. Hence he can "keep" his design. However, improving upon an idea and modifying it so it is not the same, is different. Now a lot of those people will say it is plagarism in a way. Sure, I guess you could say it is. However take a look at all the other case manufactures. Each one copies the same basic layout of each other, aside from Lian Li and MM.

Fifth, I understand the flaming aspect of my comments. But lets be real, a case manufacturer would have been able to fabricate a case within a month. A metal working shop with the necessary tools and materials could do it in 2-3 weeks. And how long has this post/thread been alive.

Would I like to make his case, yes, you bet. Would I like to make the design better, yes, you bet. But as for stealing, signing agreements such as NDA's, etc etc. You need to understand that those do not matter unless he owns a business, but even then NDA's do matter because he is based in the UK.

But from a high level, it looks as though he was going with 5052 aluminum 1/16" GA thick material for the inside, maybe 1/8" thick for the components and outer shell. Cost of materials: 6-7' (feet) x 10-11' (feet) material ~= $334.08, not including labor.

So the case would be around $600-$800 depending on who he goes through. But it might be more since, he would manufacturer it in the UK and then shipping costs are also an issue since tha case itself would weigh 30-55 lbs.s

So, $1000 would not be hard to reach.

But like I said, the case is nice, it has a great design. I would make it, and see the costs of it, but there are just some things that make it bland.

maybe so, but he can surely just add something unique into the case that will be proprietary to his design ONLY and then head on over to his Patents & Trademark office and secure the legal rights to his design and all of the intellectual property. But again he would have to be the only owner and creator of such a case that is unique only to his design. And that might be hard seeing as at this point its just a case with holes and cuts in certain places that other cases lack or do not feature.

[He-ColdFinger]

@He-ColdFinger - no, not for some time.

How do you know this?

[WHICKED]

Amazing how I get flamed for a simple observation of time....

Anyway, I just feel that this will never be made. Take it or leave it. To much development, all promises, no prototyping.

[ryan92084]

Amazing how I get flamed for a simple observation of time....

Anyway, I just feel that this will never be made. Take it or leave it. To much development, all promises, no prototyping.

nay sayers say nay

you've said your peace, it is likely time to move on to more productive pastures.

[He-ColdFinger]

Is it ready yet?

[h20xide]

Is it ready yet?

Why would you ask that? I don't think it would be kept a secret if it was ready

[Waterlogged]

Is it ready yet?

Wow, almost half your post count is in this topic being an annoying PITA. You need to sit back and be a good bit more patient. You don't seem to get it that Mick will post something when he has something significant to report.

I wonder what a mod would find if they checked your IP, I get this odd feeling they might turn up someone that's already been banned.

[UrbanSmooth]

Yes, of course it's ready. :shakes head:

[ryan92084]

the decision to support the special motherboard over 140 rads (or even one 140 and one 120) still seems to be a mistake imo. The longer it takes to get this case into production the less sense it makes.

[shazza]

Thread cleaned, as requested by several people. No more gun pics and no more personal attacks.

[Mick64]

Thread cleaned, as requested by several people. No more gun pics and no more personal attacks.

Thank you shazza!

I know it's frustrating, but I'm only going to post when I've got something new that's worth posting. I'm probably as frustrated, if not more so, than all those that are interested in this case, but as it is, the manufacture of this case is completely out of my hands......

[eppopipe]

I cant wait to see the case made
Thanks for cleaning up the thread.

[Nicksen]

Thanks for cleaning the thread. And Mick? Well.. I hope this ends well