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[Project] Custom Cascade Cart/Case

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MattNo5ss

5up3r m0d3r4t0r
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
I'm going to start building a custom cart/case for my cascade. I plan on making it simple, easy to assemble and disassemble, have a small footprint, and be functional. Looks aren't a huge concern to me, the previously mentioned qualities are the priority.

Planned Features
  • Roughly 30" x 30" x 40"
  • Two tiers; cascade on the bottom and benching PC on the top.
  • Removable or hinged panels on the sides
  • Holes or mesh for the front and back panels so there's good airflow for the condensers.
  • Inner walls lined with some sort of foam for noise reduction.
So, here's the cascade and the reason I'm building this cart/case. It's roughly 24" x 24" x 24" with height measured from the bottom of the plywood base to the top of the 2nd stage pressure gauge.

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So far, I've just bought some metal for the frame and some casters. I did a quick mock up of one of the corners to see how well things were going to fit together. The mock up corner was easy to put together, maybe 5 minutes, and everything fit together well. So, I think I'm on the right track.

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Small Update

I've put the frame to the bottom tier together. I'm going to put some more support across the gap. I also have to make sure I leave room for a hole in the middle so that the bolts underneath my cascade won't interfere with anything (I'll be removing the casters already on the cascade).

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Here's what I did tonight:

I cut the plywood for the bottom tier, added braces underneath, and tightened up all the corners on the bottom. I also removed the casters from the bottom of the cascade.

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It definitely needs to be robust...the cascade probably weighs over 100lbs :shock: I tested what I have built so far by standing on it and basically using it as a skateboard, and I weigh ~185lbs. So, it should be good.

The length and width dimensions are ~27.5"x27.5", I cut the plywood to 27" square. I haven't quite decided on the height yet. It may be a little tall at ~40", but I can use my Dremel to cut some off the ends if I decide to.

Tonight, I'm gonna try to get a hole cut in the bottom tier for the bolts and wall anchors to sit in so the base of the cascade and base of the lower tier will be flush.
 
I cut a hole in the lower tier for the bolts to stick through, so the cascade will lay flush, and I got the cascade on the lower tier now. Everything is going good so far!

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Me likes! Moar cold benchingz! :thup:

At least three chips will be hitting the cascade this weekend :D
 
That cascade is the sexiness... Makes me a bit green with envy. It must be nice... "feet up benching" is what someone else called it right?
no pot to babysit... just boot and bench.

Oh and the cart is coming out nicely too Matt... Slap some matte black paint on it and you'll have a nice little cold-wagon.
 
I cut some of the height off of the cart and installed the top tier. It was done pretty much like the bottom tier, but just flipped over. The dimensions ended up being around 27" x 27" x 36" now I can actually get back to benching with this thing :D

A couple of things I realized is that if I enclose the cascade, I'll need to make easy access to the 1st stage temp sensor and the power switches. Maybe cut some holes in the top for the sensors and switches. Then, extend the wiring for the switches.

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That cascade is the sexiness... Makes me a bit green with envy. It must be nice... "feet up benching" is what someone else called it right?
no pot to babysit... just boot and bench.

Oh and the cart is coming out nicely too Matt... Slap some matte black paint on it and you'll have a nice little cold-wagon.

It is nice :D :chair:

I haven't decided if I'm going to paint or not. I'll have to wait until I'm about done before I decide. I kinda like the industrial look so far, so I dunno.
 
That looks really nice, and I am going to make a shop cart for myself with your template. Seems like all you really need is a couple of wrenches, and a couple of saws.

I would put some sort of skin on it, be it frosted plexi or stainless. It would make it look nice as well as protect it from external hazards.

Looking forward to more pics.
 
Open is way better for ventilation purposes and ease of access. Good move on the casters...further apart, the better the stability. You might want to consider some flat stock in the center as a bit more bracing for added strength and stability. BTW, I haven't seen anyone else with a radiator like that for a while. I still have one that came out of an old beer cooler that I used to use for watercooling back in the day. Nice work.
 
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