building a Polycarbonate case

dmanzdemanz19 · Oct 12, 2004

just was thinking about building a Polycarbonate case so i just need some ideas and some questions answered

first off what is the best way to join the sheets, with some type of glue or should i use screws? and how thick should the sheets be?

also can someone give me a good idea on how to mount the drives and is it ok to mount an mobo tray onto the Polycarbonate?

thanks in advance
dmanz

KKAT · Oct 12, 2004

i think you should slap a huge nalgene sticker on it after you are done.

subtotal · Oct 13, 2004

i think theres a glue you cn use. not sure of the name... might just be for acrylic... try google, there're usually people who've done the same or simlar things before

Sean Lindstrom · Oct 13, 2004

To make clean, quiet, accurate cuts, use this inexpensive tool, with a straightedge. You can scratch clear through a sheet with multiple passes. To true, ease, or polish the edges, use a sheet of sandpaper laid flat on a table. Lap edges on fine pumice to clarify (pumice powder is tons cheaper than glass polishes).

If you're unsure of just what the best (reactive welding) adhesive to use, or even exactly what the material is, you will probably get a good bond by making a solution with the plastic's dust and "common" methyl ethyl keytone (MEK) - a component of fibreglass resin. Anyone who's done fibreglassing will have a half bottle of this stuff, and of course you can generally buy it at big hardware stores.

I'd recommend hunting for the right little syringe of solvent-cement though.

enduro · Oct 13, 2004

Got a question for you guys. Can you make a motherboard backplate out of 1/4 in polycarb? or would it crack if I ever picked my computer up?

Daewood · Oct 13, 2004

try this linky: http://linear1.org/gm/archives/00000136.php

it has a lot of good stuff in it for yah including how to glue plastic together

L&M · Oct 14, 2004

There's even a guide in the "Sticky" section.Go have a look.

dmanzdemanz19 · Oct 14, 2004

thanks for the link Daewood and L&M ive looked at all of the stickys aready but thanks still

Msi. · Oct 14, 2004

Hey, I already asked this question on the forum and droped the Idea, I still have notes on setup and drivebays etc.... pollycarb plastic is WAY BETTER then that retarder plexi glass

the inpact resistance and stuff is a lot higher, though the cost is to. Good luck! if you need any models or Idea I would be glad to help.

Sean Lindstrom · Oct 15, 2004

Msi. said:
pollycarb plastic is WAY BETTER

In my experience, there are always trade-offs. One of plexi's failings is its brittleness, sure, but this is what makes it harder to scratch. Glass shatters more easily still but if used appropriately it could be a viable case material, no? You wouldn't use the same case design for the different materials, nor have the same expectations.

I do think you're right, overall, polycarbonate is nice stuff to build a case with.

Captain Slug · Oct 15, 2004

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=173336

USE POLYCARBONATE. Acrylic is a very fussy material to work with.

violineb · Oct 15, 2004

I wish people would read the stickies more often :-/

Anyway to sum things up. You´ll need to use fastenters if you´re going to build with polycarbonate. That´s one of the pluses of acrylic that you can use disolvent cement and bond it amazingly strong without the use of screws or other fasteners. Polycarbonate is practically indestructable, so that´s definitely a plus if that´s what you want. You simply have to decide and then go for it. Neither is a bad building material.

dmanzdemanz19 · Oct 15, 2004

heres how i think i'am going have my case layout

Captain Slug · Oct 16, 2004

violineb said:
Neither is a bad building material.

Acrylic is just a very tempermental material to work with, especially if you don't have access to a machine shop sized set of tools. This is the primary reason I recommend polycarbonate, which is by-and-large easier to work with using a variety of inexpensive tools. It's just a more forgiving substance.

will-knights · Oct 18, 2004

I used acetone for my acrylic case...you have to hold the pieces together for a while with a fair amount of pressure, but the bond seems to be pretty strong. You might also try smashing up a scrap piece of the plastic and leaving it in a closed jar with some acetone for a while. Supposedly you get a nice glue as a result, though I haven't tried it. I don't know whether the polycarbonate would react the same to the acetone though...

Sean Lindstrom · Oct 19, 2004

I have a good feeling about the acetone + same plastic solution. I'll try it with dust from cutting.

The things that make me feel good.

building a Polycarbonate case

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