wooden computer cases

[Petsja Bolwer]

hi all,

wooden computer cases, build with classical dovetails in a dozen types of wood you can find at

what do you think?

regards Petsja

[John G]

I am sorry to say but your cases would appear to be quite Illegal in most jusistictions.

Computers are only approved for use under most country rules pertaining to electromagnetic radiation while they have their original cases intact and all securing screws in place as when they were tested for approval.

[rob]

Nice! I might have to build one of these.

If you sell it here in the US, you will have to put a layer of metal on the inside to comply with FCC regulations.

rob

[Chris Friesen]

Is there a law that says you need to have a case at all? What if you just buy all the bits and put them together on your desk?

Chris

[brianlanning]

Scoundrel! I bet you even cut the tags off your mattresses!

Computers will work just fine without the case. My only worry is static electricity since the metal case acts as a ground. I've considered making my own case also. Most metal cases seem inadequate to me. Too many 5.25" openings and not enough 3.5" bays for hard drives. Also, the 3.5" bays are too close together making it hard to get good air flow around the drives. I bet a case made of 3/4" ply or hardwood would be a lot quieter also. I'd make it a cube 24" on a side for extra internal bays, maybe casters or turned feet. I'd probably also cannibalize a couple of existing cases to get certain metal pieces, the backplane where the cards come through is a good example. The 24" capacity of the leigh d4 would come in real handy. I'd also make both sides removable. Sounds like a good project to me.

brian

[Chris Friesen]

Actually, hardwood resonates pretty well, which is why they use it for instruments.

To dampen vibration, you'd be better off with MDF.

There's an article at

which covers the low-noise wood case that a friend of mine built.

Chris

[brianlanning]

I think that only an issue with the low frequencies though. The problem with computers is fan/air noise and the high pitch whine from the hard drives. Also, musical instruments are carefully made with the right wood, right dimentions, right thickness, right holes/openings, and such. I can see how you could get unlucky and happen to produce a box that acoustically good/bad depending on your perspective. I bit of angle-iron on the large flat areas would probably cure that problem.

You've reminded me of david mark's drum table project. I think in that case, the top was only 1/4" thick though.

brian

[John T]

You could also use the original cases metal frame, and put on a wooden exterior.

John

[Mike Patterson]

I saw one recently where a guy hung all the pieces on his wall - functional art!

MP

Mike Patterson Please remove the spamtrap to email me. "I always wanted to be somebody...I should have been more specific..." - Lily Tomlin

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

I think its a gross waste of wood..I mean your painting the darn things, how stupid is that.

-- Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

[brianlanning]

One of my main reasons for doing it though would be to get a case of my own design. If you look at large cases, most of them have 6 5.25" bays and 3 3.5" bays. And the 3.5" bays are so tight together that you really shouldn't be using the middle one. I need a case that's the other way around. I want six hard drives and two optical drives. I shouldn't have to use those silly brackets either. And if I can get a cool looking case that's quieter in the process, that's great.

brian

[Clint]

I don't usually post negative comments on people's work, and I don't really intend this as one. But to me, those "wooden computer cases" look like a pine box with a holes cut in it for the drives. The pine itself lends nothing really to the appeal. Besides the fact that the boxes are made of wood, there's absolutely no appeal to me.

If I was doing this, I'd first of all find a way to hid the drives (a hinged or slide-down door, etc). This would eliminate the ugly plastic on the front. I'd also either build it out of something else (assuming it was available, like walnut, mahogany, cherry) or veneer some nice wood onto the pine box.

Well, those are my suggestions. I had built my computer into a desk drawer at on point, which worked well as a "wooden computer case". Totally out of sight, relatively quiet, no cables all over, etc. Since then, I've changed desks, so I no longer use that case.

[Chris Friesen]

Have you considered mounting your hard drives in the 5.25" bays using elastic suspension? It will substantially reduce the vibration transferred to the case.

Chris

[Petsja Bowler]

[snip]

thanks for all the comment which I will take seriously . Check the site so now and then and you will notice changes. ;-)

As a reaction on the painted cases, these are standard cases which I grind and spray. Special is; I can spray them in allmost any color you like.

As a reaction on the wooden cases, I choose to build some examples of the "tower" model, because a lot of people recognice a pc only when it will have a tower shape and baydrives in it. ;-) but many shapes are possible. A fully usb controlled case is in progress.

Special on the wooden cases are the type of woods. 22 types. all types are special panels. And the construction technique. visitors are mostly charmed by the construction technique of dove and finger tails.

As a reaction on the hardware technique. Customers can order a case on there own specification, or I build a case and a affiliate firm will build the hardware in it. we do this in a co-workship.

excuses for my english language hope these answer will help,

regards Peter

[brianlanning]

I saw the suspended drive at the site you linked to. It's a great idea. I had a compaq computer a few years ago that mounted the hard drive on rubber grommets.

brian

[Greg G]

Well, I used to assemble computers for local businesses. In testing motherboards and such, that's exactly what I did. Motherboard, cards, drives, PS, etc, all laid out bare on a table top

- with no case. With that said however, radio and TV reception within

1/4 block was impossible. They radiate like the Death Star.

The FCC sets standards (common two being Class A and B) that limits the amount of RFI allowed for each class, with Class A being residential and the most stringent, Class B is for workplace machines.

All computers SOLD must adhere to these standards - or that is the theory. Kinda like UL listings these days - it's supposed to pass, but with all the cheap Chinese crap flooding the market, little of it actually WILL pass.

You can build your own computer any way you want, but don't expect the neighbors to be very kind about the RFI interfering with Jerry Springer.

FWIW,

Greg G.

[Brad Bruce]

I think you got the classes switched A is commercial only. B is for residential.

Brad

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Have you not given thought to having a wooden tower?

like the wood will warp out of shape that being from the heat generated internally.

-- Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

[Robert Bonomi]

No, there is no law that says you have to have a case.

*UNLESS* you offer it for sale as a complete machine, that is.

[Rob Mills]

Here's a fellow in Italy making wood radio cases,

Rob Mills