• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

Unique "Artistic" Case build. (lots of Pic's)

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.
Well thanks for the comments - and for not being rude if you did not like it. As I noted in the first post - I did not expect every one to like my idea. But that is the nature of things. If we all liked the same things this would be one very boring world.

To answer some questions:
Is it quiet? Is it perfectly silent - no... but it is quieter than my old set up:thup: The blower is surprisingly quiet. The fan on the GPU is actually the loudest one.
How is the cooling? not bad. My 2 cores have always been about an average of 10° apart:shrug:
31.JPG

Ya working on a very tight budget was tough - but it was also a good life lesson.... But I am very happy with the outcome. All I have bought for this project has been: Hot glue sticks, Paint, and some new brushes; all told I have spent less than $10.

The only significant changes I plan on doing when I have $$ to burn would be: better GPU and CPU heat-sinks, and a different way of ducting the blower.

Well I do hope for some more opinions .... but I gotta run for now.
 
exhaust fans may be a moot point.. the blower should keep some positive pressure in the case and keep air moving out the back end rather nicely.. why not have the gfx use a passive heatsink and duct the blower over that too.. less fans = less noise!
 
why not have the gfx use a passive heatsink and duct the blower over that too.. less fans = less noise!

That is s thought... but I currently don't have anything that would fit it.... I have been toying with the idea of cutting up an old CPU heat-sink and using that... But that would be a project for another day (my Wife has me locked into other tasks at the moment that I reluctantly agree are more important than my computer's).

Do you really need those exhaust fans? Looks like the blower has things covered (as in cant get airflow )
the 140mm fan sucks the air out from under the heat sink. And the 120mm (one with blue LED's) has over an inch of clearence...

I never said this case is a perfect design - it is only my first attempt at a full case build.
I am also very hesitant to put much more money into this system - it is getting old - but save money for a newer setup.
 
I am frustrated :mad: the 80mm fan that I had above the video card decided to start grinding...some dirt must have gotten in to the ball barring :shrug:. it is a old used fan that I cleaned up. luckily I have other quiet 80mm fans, but that was my last 15mm thick one. (this means that a normal 25mm thick fan will stick over the place where the PCI set screws go.) Even though I made the case so the fans could be replaced if needed - it is still a pain in the rear.

Well I have started to paint the case. I am using acrylic paint (since it is good quality and cheep). I am just really surprised how much the wood is sucking up the paint. I am going to have to put on many coats.

I am also realizing how much I shake these days. Do to some nerve damage in my hands and wrists I have a slight tremor that is slowly getting worse as I age. For the most part it never bothers me and I am able to control it - but trying to paint around stuff meant to be a different color is hard... It is looking like I may have to tape parts off to keep it neat (some thing I have rarely had to do....)
 
Last edited:
I am frustrated :mad: the 80mm fan that I had above the video card decided to start grinding...some dirt must have gotten in to the ball barring :shrug:. it is a old used fan that I cleaned up. luckily I have other quiet 80mm fans, but that was my last 15mm thick one. (this means that a normal 25mm thick fan will stick over the place where the PCI set screws go.) Even though I made the case so the fans could be replaced if needed - it is still a pain in the rear.

Well I have started to paint the case. I am using acrylic paint (since it is good quality and cheep). I am just really surprised how much the wood is sucking up the paint. I am going to have to put on many coats.

I am also realizing how much I shake these days. Do to some nerve damage in my hands and wrists I have a slight tremor that is slowly getting worse as I age. For the most part it never bothers me and I am able to control it - but trying to paint around stuff meant to be a different color is hard... It is looking like I may have to tape parts off to keep it neat (some thing I have rarely had to do....)


DUSNOETOS

Did you have it sprayed for termites? :D
 
Dude, I love the case. A lol! at the kitty and baby inspection team. My kitties put their noses into all of my new builds. If it is in their house, it has to be approved.
 
Pretty cool build.

Yeah popsicle sticks need alot of paint.
Sanding sealer would help but its kinda messy and smells pretty bad.

This build is definately shows how one can recycle old parts into new projects.

And wow $10! I dont think Ive bought anything for my computer for less than $15. Maybe a bag of thumbscrews lol.
 
Dude, I love the case. A lol! at the kitty and baby inspection team. My kitties put their noses into all of my new builds. If it is in their house, it has to be approved.

Pretty cool build.

Yeah popsicle sticks need alot of paint.
Sanding sealer would help but its kinda messy and smells pretty bad.

This build is definately shows how one can recycle old parts into new projects.

And wow $10! I dont think Ive bought anything for my computer for less than $15. Maybe a bag of thumbscrews lol.

Thanks guys. I thought I would give this old Socket 939 Opteron rig a good final(??) home. Ya it is hard to keep Scout or Esther out of my stuff. Esther is learning that pushing buttons causes things to happen....She has poked at my keyboard many times. Thankfully she has not done any damage. But she once figured out how to open Halo and delete one of my saved games:confused::eek::confused: All she knew was that as she pressed buttons things changed on the screen.

I am always trying to find new uses for old stuff, and with my unique artistic nature, the things I make (weather practical things - like the case - or pure art sculptures) nearly always has an abstract artistic flair to it. I am a huge pack-rat. I have boxes of odd things (much if it is old computer parts) that I someday intend to incorporate in to my art.
I am not apposed to buying new stuff - provided I have the extra $$ - but I have this nostalgic nature to me that makes me hate to see old (still working) stuff discarded only because it is being replaced by something new. Sure just like every one on this forum; I would love to have the latest and greatest thing. But since that is not practical for my budget I do my best to be satisfied with what I have. That was one of the auxiliary reasons I built this case. So even when I am able to afford a new system I intend to keep this old system around ..... My daughter will need a first computer soon.:D:-/
 
Well I decided to fiddle with the cooling on the Graphics card... I Cut part of the plastic shroud off the GPU, then I glued (using super-glue on just the four corners, with some thermal interface paste over the rest of the of the bottom of) the aluminum heat-sink right on top of the existing heat-sink.
It does make a difference - but this is only a crutch until I can get a better aftermarket cooler (or a better home bred design).
32.JPG

33.JPG

34.JPG

I still need to put on a few more coats of paint but this is what it looks like for now.
 
Last edited:
I like the look of that case
Also the front view of it kind of looks like an old style house with the top half a tad wider than the bottom half
 
^ That's what I was thinking. Like a split-level doll house. Maybe add some tiny furnature and people that you can see through the window? A little popsicle front door to cover the drive bays? Maybe some downstairs windows? Definitely need a roof too.
 
I like the look of that case
Also the front view of it kind of looks like an old style house with the top half a tad wider than the bottom half

^ That's what I was thinking. Like a split-level doll house. Maybe add some tiny furnature and people that you can see through the window? A little popsicle front door to cover the drive bays? Maybe some downstairs windows? Definitely need a roof too.

I suppose it does kinda look like a split level house.... I never thought of that:shrug:.
I was simply trying for a unique look. But your comments have given me a funny idea............. Guess you all will need to check back soon to see what I come up with.:comp:
 
Very creative! Mad kudos for working with your hands and with a limited budget! :thup:

Thanks Neb, It has been rather fun to build.

Of course my wife predicts that I will continue to fiddle with it trying to make it better until I finely make a new "better" case. The sad part is... she is probably correct:rolleyes::cool:
 
Back