FEATURED Exoframe 2.0

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Exoframe 2.0




A few years back I built my Exoframe Project.












Build log is here.



Completed project thread is here.




I was recently contacted by GMdoubleG at the ocforums about possibly building a similar case. I told him that I could, but it would take a while because, as I mentioned in the original thread, I’ve always wanted to build stronger 3 way corner brackets from steel.


Well, I contacted some local NorCal guys, Erik at Norcal laser and Matt at Mione’s Solidworks, and after a few revisions, I had a steel 3 way corner bracket.


The thread on the design and fabrication of my 3 way corner brackets is here.










GMdoubleG had some specifics.


Looking for more of a cube shape. Horizontal motherboard. Two 2x120mm radiators up top.

Plan was to leave the aluminum bars and steel corner bracket unfinished--he would have a local painter powdercoat and/or anodize.

Going with all gray plastic paneling.







He passed along some general design drawings:

 

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And here was my newly fabricated steel 3 way corner bracket:

 

[hokiealumnus]

Ooo...the original Exoframe was my favorite of your builds, yay for version 2.0! Subscribed.

 

[TheHutchTTU]

I'm curious on how you plan to support the mobo horizontally. Vertical supports for every standoff?

Subbed!

 

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Now if it appears like this thread is very similar to my Exoframe original thread, the answer is I intentionally went down (and even consulted the old thread) the same design process because then I could remember what worked and didn’t work and improve.



So, I first started 3 dimensionally laying things out, going back to some old leftover extruded aluminum bar parts (remember the old Lubic stuff).

 

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Once the dimensions of the overall frame were set, it was as easy as generating a cut list:












I cut the pieces with an inexpensive horizontal band saw:
















I decided to go with the 3 way corners meeting at double miters:















Its stronger and looks cooler:















Started getting the frame together:













And finally done:













Sturdy and light:





(click to play)

 

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The next step was to create a subframe to support the horizontal motherboard tray.



















I began putting together the motherboard tray and the back panel together:






The motherboard tray was cut from ¼” thick opaque black plastic.

The back panel (and the rest of the outside panels) was cut from ⅛” transparent gray plastic.












Next, I cut out the space and mounted the pci rack:





This is a nice pre-fabricated rack built by dangerden.















Have to make sure everything fits nice:


















Then I went to work on the motherboard tray:





I made pass thru channels by first drilling ⅞” holes at the ends with a unibit. Then connecting the holes with my scrollsaw.











And there you go:











Plan was to have the resevoir in a position like so, with the pump down on the lower level:

 

[txus.palacios]

Looks reaaaaaaaally good. As everything you do.

 

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Next, I fabricated the panel hanger brackets:













What do these brackets do?

If you stop and think about it, if you have a tubular frame structure and you want to cover the sides, but the panels are to be INSET into the frame, what do you mount the plastic panel to?

You need to add some inset brackets. I’ve highlighted them in purple in my previous exoframe project:
















But if you stop and think about it, if the panels are all inset, then how do you mount these panel hanger brackets?








And that is where I get tricky:

The back and bottom panels of the case, which are not very noticeable, are in fact surface mounted--this leaves part of the frame accessible for mounting points on this end of the hangers.

The other end of the hangers then mount to the cross bars inserted to create the sloped front top face.








Red and Yellow arrows show where the panel hangers mount to the frame.
Blue arrow shows how the top panel will sit on top of the hanger mount.
Green arrow shows how the side panel will sit and mount to the hanger mount.






I’m going to skip a little forward for this pic, but it shows nicely how the panel hangers work if you look closely:








 

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I next cut the bottom panel and mounted it:















Caster wheels = nice.
















 

[KΓλ©KΣΓ™]

Gonna be another nice one Navig. Good stuff

 

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Built a tray for the power supply:














Mounts like so:



















Then I cut an access panel for the hard drive rack:












GMdoubleG wanted passive air exit to create airflow over the drive cage, so we came up with this sort of design:












I started by created all the ends of the cut slots with a ⅞” unibit:











Then connected the dots with my scrollsaw:



















Mounted up:










And the view from the inside:

 

[txus.palacios]

Sir, I'm sorry to tell you that there's a problem with that build.

And it is that it isn't mine...

Have you thought of replacing those screws with countersunks?

 

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Definitely could consider other screws, sort just going with what I've got on hand. As the frame is completely disassemble-able and the screw holes are all standard 6-32 threading, and I know gmdoubleg is going to disassemble the whole thing to get it powdercoated, I just went with what I had.








Next step: I cut the front bevel panel.






The piece has a beveled cut on each side so that it’ll sit down on the frame.

I’m going to say that I’m in no way sponsored by them, but I think one of the best tools I have ever purchased, and I think the best tool out there for doing any sort of panel cutting (short of an industrial laser):

Festool plunge cutter

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=30396&site=ROCKLER


I have a nice big table, and on top of that a sacrificial surface of 1.5” rigid insulation.



It’s as simple as drawing a line on the panel you want to cut, laying the track on the line, and then cutting.











Even on bevel cuts on plastic, I have never chipped an edge. If you actually read the instruction manual, and properly adjust the depth and speed, and I get a roughly 100 grit sanded edge with a little machining line, straight off the saw.

It is a bit expensive, but to come even close, you need a $250 table saw and a $150 saw blade, you will still chip on exit cuts, you’ll still occasionally get inaccurate cuts, and you might chop off a finger tip.

Anyway, advertisement = done.

 

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Then I added some standard chrome push buttons:











Next, I tackled the wiring harness.


Since the frame is square tube and completely disassemble-able, I will run the wiring harness thru the frame.








The wiring harness consists of 4 pairs--power switch, reset switch, power LED, HDD activity LED.

Drill a few holes in the frame, then partially disassemble it, and I can feed the harness thru the frame itself:












Here I’ve actually highlighted the entire route:











And here is the end product: super clean!






I didn’t much in the way of fancy cable meshing, as gmdoubleg plans to do that himself.

 

[KΓλ©KΣΓ™]

Very nice work. I love that saw btw

 

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Sorry all, I've been away in vacation with only very spotty internet, but updates by the end of this week.

 

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Woohoo! Add me to the Denali 30% club, probably 1% club!








Next step was to fabricate the front panel.

Simple rectangle, with a cutout for the 5.25 bay mounting hardware:
















And the last real fabrication step was the top or lid panel.

gmdoubleg planned on having his dual 2x120 radiators up top here.





So I mounted 4 rails with some spare extruded T bar I had:




















With crossbars, it would give flexibility in mounting the radiators in terms of placement for the loop and/or even swapping in triple 120mm radiators:



















With this in mind, I cut the plastic panel:


















And then mounted black hex mesh to allow for air movement across the radiators:

 

[I.M.O.G.]

Hex mesh - love it - reminds me of the header banner.

 

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Final Pics (sort of).


I’m going to have to leave the final final pics to gmdoubleg after he does his finish work (anodizing? powdercoating?).
































Focusing in on the back side, there is a hard drive access panel:

























2 minutes with a screwdriver, and both side panels and top panel can be take right off, allowing a lot of access to the inside components:

























5 minutes with a screw driver and all 6 major panels come off just like that:












And your system is nekkid:




(Once again, admire the cable harness running thru the framework itself!)
























And my usual demonstration of the strength but lightweightness of the nekkid station:







(Click to play)





And a couple of more pictures:






The pictures don’t quite do it justice. The dimensional aspect of having the plastic panels inset within the frame really catches the eye.

















Its been a pleasure and an honor to work with gmdoubleg. I would build another in a heartbeat.