For those making clear cases...

[_Will_]

methylene chloride

My friend is in Science Olypiad and is constructing a gravity propelled car out of plexiglass and he used this to bind the corners together. You can usually find it at a custom plastics shop.


Anyway, unlike hot glue or plastic welding, using this material makes VERY clean corners. If you want to get rid of any visual residue you can cook it a little bit with a blow-torch and its almost invisable. The bonds are just as strong as if you welded it. My friend threw it hard against the wall a few times and it held fast. It can only be used on acrylic, however.

Also, whenever I see clear cases down all I see is CLEAR clear. Why doesn't anyone use the many other shades of colors offered? I think a clear blue/red/black case with lots of bright LED's would look amazing...

And for those thinking that cost might be prohibitive plexiglass and the above chemicals aren't very expensive. Plexiglass is only around $3-4 a square foot for 1/4 inch. $5 for a bottle of the bonding material. Not that bad...

[Wonko The Sane]

Would 1/4" plexi be strong enough? i was looking at some and it seems really wobly at 1/4", but it was a pretty big sheet i was looking at too (about 2'x4').

[FrozenInHI]

yeah, 1/4" isn't strong enough to support all the weight of the components, i tried building one and it was very bendy! lol. anyhow, if you use 1/2" or 3/8" it will work fine, i did that and it was perfect. then i decided i didnt like all the dust collecting in it so i ditched it.

[trey_w]

the best way to bond plexi is with fermaldahide

it causes a bond and seal like no other way, and it looks flawless

i learned this trick from my professor who worked at Nasa where they made plexi or lexon cases for certain projects

[Wonko The Sane]

would 1/4 lexan be strong enough?

[trey_w]

nope

i would go with at least 1/2

i would personally use 3\4 inch

[Strangelove]

Originally posted by _Will_

Also, whenever I see clear cases down all I see is CLEAR clear. Why doesn't anyone use the many other shades of colors offered? I think a clear blue/red/black case with lots of bright LED's would look amazing...


Well is't not blue or red, but check out this mod (http://bit-tech.net/article/63/)!! :D Looks very cool!!

[orangezero]

just my opinion,

but i recently built a case with 1/8 plexi or maybe even .093. it was a small case but i think it is fine. actually, my motherboard holes weren't perfect and the little flexure it allowed was helpful. i will probaly move up to 1/4 since there are other things i want to change also, but i think 1/2 would be overkill unless you are making a big towere or something.

also, a guy at a plastics store told me acetone would work also, just be careful around flames with most of these chemicals. also, acetone will take longer to set than most professional chemicals.

i used the pro stuff and it is awesome and really easy to use. i could bend a piece after i fixed them together. i think i could have snapped it with enough force, but it might snap on the straight piece and the corner would hold.

have fun

[Kingslayer]

I'm planning on building 3 clear cases. My buddy works for a glass company and got a 4x8 sheet of 1/8" lexan. Looking at it, 1/8 is plenty. I don't know what he wants to use as a sealer for the edges, he has some kind of glue that dries totally clear and the fumes from it wont turn the glass colored, much like the way super glue will. I'll let you guys know what we use.

And I have seen a few colored plexi cases out there. IMHO that defeats the purpose. You build a clear case so you can see your stuff. What is the point of buying that Soyo Black Pearl Dragon mobo only to put it in a beige or colored plexi case so you cant see it?

[Johnathan]

Kingslayer, I don't think he meant making the case a solid color. I think he meant using semi-transparent tint.

I would like to build one and use some candy paints on it (you can see through them). I think it would be killer.

My current rig is painted with House of Kolors 'Chromacolor'. It changes colors from purple to orange. Really cool.

[_Will_]

Originally posted by Johnathan
Kingslayer, I don't think he meant making the case a solid color. I think he meant using semi-transparent tint.

I would like to build one and use some candy paints on it (you can see through them). I think it would be killer.

My current rig is painted with House of Kolors 'Chromacolor'. It changes colors from purple to orange. Really cool.

Yup, thats what I meant, light still transparent tint. I don't think a full color would look too pretty.

3/4 inch plexi really seems like overkill. Not only that but a full-size tower of that thickness would just weigh a ton. You'd have to prop it up on wheels if you wanted to move it anywhere...(well maybe not but it'd still be HEAVY)

[Kingslayer]

I know what he meant.

And look at some of the color tinted plexi...if you bought stuff to fill that case because of it's color, all is lost with tinted plexiglass. Yes you can still see in it, but it's like being color blind when you look at the components inside.

[Wonko The Sane]

This is what i was thinking of doing: all lexan/plexi case dimensions: 16" wide, 36" tall, 30" deep. drives and motherboard going on 1 side, other side for radiators, peltier ps. maybe use 1/2" lexan on bottom and 1/4 on sides/top? any ideas?

[Rooster]

http://www.clear-viewtech.com/
for colored cases

[Über~PhLuBB]

Man, I've come so close to making a Lexan case at least 3 times, on 3 separate occations.

But each and every time, I come back to the fact that EMI would be HORRIBLE. Unless scientists create an almost-transparent mesh of copper (or other highly conductive) wire that I could drape along the inside of my case, then screw it. Not wirth the possible problems.

[Kingslayer]

So....exactly how much EMI interference do you have in your home.

Almost 0.

Most people that overclock run with their side open. No EMI shield there....no problems there either.

If you have enough EMI interference in your home to cause problems with your computer you need to move out from under those high voltage powerlines, they cause cancer.