Stupid Boy
04-27-06, 05:39 PM
I already received the parts for my new mini-ITX system, but I still haven't decided on exactly how to make my case.
I want to do something like this (http://how2dostuff.blogspot.com/2006/02/how-to-make-secret-hollow-book.html), but I'll use a Dremel of course. The problem is cooling.
My system is going to be totally silent; have an EPIA 5000 (http://damnsmalllinux.org/store/motherboards/EPIA_5000) mobo and a 45W PicoPSU (http://damnsmalllinux.org/store/itx_power/pico_power), and I'm not adding any fans, so I have to have a logical airflow pattern.
My grandfather will give me as many big, old textbooks as I need, so I can use as many books as I need, but I would like to use as few as possible so that my case takes up as little space as possible.
I obviously will need holes in the case for cooling and for wires. I don't care what the side opposite the spine (I don't know what the name is.) looks like, but all the other sides have to look normal.
How much airflow would I need in order to cool the system, and how do you think I could achieve this without making any obvious holes?
I have a bunch of ideas, but there are a few main ones that I'm considering. I would appreciate any advice you could give me.
1. One book
The book would look very similar to the one in the guide above except that I would cut all the way to the edge of the long side. Of course, I would have some kind of inner case to hold the motherboard. Do you think I would have enough airflow in this situation? Maybe I should ask a physics or math teacher about this.
2. Two books
This would be the same as the one-book scenario except that the mobo could be placed at a slight incline and the hole could be bigger.
3. Three or more books
Three or four books would be stacked on top of each other, and the board would be placed inside the books parallel to the books' spines.
Of course, I still could change the case completely. If you have any other cool mini-ITX case ideas that you want to tell me, I'll certainly consider them.
I want to do something like this (http://how2dostuff.blogspot.com/2006/02/how-to-make-secret-hollow-book.html), but I'll use a Dremel of course. The problem is cooling.
My system is going to be totally silent; have an EPIA 5000 (http://damnsmalllinux.org/store/motherboards/EPIA_5000) mobo and a 45W PicoPSU (http://damnsmalllinux.org/store/itx_power/pico_power), and I'm not adding any fans, so I have to have a logical airflow pattern.
My grandfather will give me as many big, old textbooks as I need, so I can use as many books as I need, but I would like to use as few as possible so that my case takes up as little space as possible.
I obviously will need holes in the case for cooling and for wires. I don't care what the side opposite the spine (I don't know what the name is.) looks like, but all the other sides have to look normal.
How much airflow would I need in order to cool the system, and how do you think I could achieve this without making any obvious holes?
I have a bunch of ideas, but there are a few main ones that I'm considering. I would appreciate any advice you could give me.
1. One book
The book would look very similar to the one in the guide above except that I would cut all the way to the edge of the long side. Of course, I would have some kind of inner case to hold the motherboard. Do you think I would have enough airflow in this situation? Maybe I should ask a physics or math teacher about this.
2. Two books
This would be the same as the one-book scenario except that the mobo could be placed at a slight incline and the hole could be bigger.
3. Three or more books
Three or four books would be stacked on top of each other, and the board would be placed inside the books parallel to the books' spines.
Of course, I still could change the case completely. If you have any other cool mini-ITX case ideas that you want to tell me, I'll certainly consider them.