[The Marv Dog]

Hello there!

Brief Intro, going around the world on a tramping cargo ship. Laptop's not powerful enough or upgradeable enough easily + don't have 1440p yet so have built my own computer.
-GTX 690
-i7 3930k
-IV Rampage Extreme
-240GB SSD
-1000W PSU

Using a red NZXT 410 mid case but was too heavy to take with (best part of 10kg for the case alone) which put me just over the baggage limit (random pictures somewhere on my profile).

Was looking at an open frame case but 6 kg is too much. And I can't find any small cases that are made entirely of plastic or something light. And I don't think that a mobo this huge will fit in any cases smaller than the one I have as it all ready covers the grommets right up to the HD bay.

Can I just make one out of some wood that's the right size? Perfectly sized holes and places to put all of the components. I know that I've attached cables for the lights, power switch, USB ports etc. to the mobo directly using wires that are all ready attached to the case, but none of them are essential are they? The mobo can start & reset using a button on the front and all the USB ports and audios etc. are on the back which are enough to use the computer are they?

Just want to know if It's possible to do; would be pretty awesome to make my own little case too.

 

[billbartuska]

Two thoughts:

I've seen small suitcases or briefcases used as computer cases.

Check out Li Lian cases, they're aluminum

 

[The Marv Dog]

Thanks; looks like a custom briefcase is the best plan. Do you know if the connectors are required or would it be fine to not have them? They all came attached to the case which I won't be using. I figure that the LED's don't matter and the same for the power + reset switches as the mobo all ready has them, but what about the 'HD Audio' and Molex one do you know? I don't even know what the Molex does for the case other than maybe power all of the LEDs.

 

[billbartuska]

It would be convenient to have Power and Reset buttons. You can use any switches you want.
The Power switch has to be an On/Off type switch.
The Reset switch is a momentary contact switch.

As for the others, they are for the various outputs (ie front panel audio, etc.). You can use then or not.

 

[TLHarrell]

You can leave off the front panel stuff. You just won't have HDD and Power LEDs, or the mic/headphone ports. Molex is probably to power lighting in the case.

I'd also look at getting a PCIe card riser so you can run your video card laying down. It'll fit into a case easier. I'd recommend finding a nice aluminum briefcase style case, or take a look at some of the ruggedized Otter boxes and see if they'll fit your components. You may also look at mounting the monitor (minus the stand and anything else you can peel off of it) into the top half of the case so it can flip open. In the case of an Otter box, when it's closed it'll be completely water tight, and it'll handle a lot of abuse (as will your components if you mount them well enough).

 

[bigmac11]

Quote:

Originally Posted by billbartuska

It would be convenient to have Power and Reset buttons. You can use any switches you want.
The Power switch has to be an On/Off type switch.
The Reset switch is a momentary contact switch.

As for the others, they are for the various outputs (ie front panel audio, etc.). You can use then or not.

Aren't both the reset and power buttons both momentary?

 

[billbartuska]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmac11

Aren't both the reset and power buttons both momentary?

No, not really. You can jumper the pins for the power switch. Then whenever you supply power to the PSU (either mains or battery) the computer will start.
And, for practical purposed, the only difference between a reboot and a reset is the amount of time it takes.

 

[bigmac11]

Quote:

Originally Posted by billbartuska

No, not really. You can jumper the pins for the power switch. Then whenever you supply power to the PSU (either mains or battery) the computer will start.
And, for practical purposed, the only difference between a reboot and a reset is the amount of time it takes.

That's really strange as every ATX pc I've built or worked on used momentary switches. Years ago the AT boards and cases used a constant on and off switch but that's the only one I remember.

 

[The Marv Dog]

Thanks a lot everyone. Have put all of my gear + the briefcase & screen to buy in

Computer Components' Dimensions.docx 919k .docx file
to go over for the next month trip to Brazil w/o the Internet, will try and sketch out some plans and figure out where I'll drill & cut to shove fans! I don't think that a 27" screen will fit anywhere and I must have a 2560 x 1440p screen so will see about that; 9kg is hella heavy - as much as the case which I'm ditching is. Hoping most of that is the stand. That is all if I'm not over the weight limit, which considering that 13kg was the hand-carry limit with Air-France last time I dunno (ofc the screen will not be hand carry).

The PSU will fit side-by-side with the mobo by the millimetre in most briefcases, SSD will be next to it I guess with the Optical Drive plastered (not literally) on top of the PSU, fan down. Hopefully they all squeeze in so I just have to screw the mobo into... a sheet of wood that I'll put behind & glue to the metal.

I don't know where the GPU will go once I shove a riser in there (thanks for the suggestion) but will draw it all out at some point. A think a watercooled briefcase will look funny. And I hope that security doesn't think it's a bomb which they probably will when I make this.

Off now to Rio de Janeiro now, full of cargo and hoping we don't capsize,

Spoiler: Pic taken before arrival in Turkey

 

[bigmac11]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Marv Dog

Thanks a lot everyone. Have put all of my gear + the briefcase & screen to buy in

Computer Components' Dimensions.docx 919k .docx file
to go over for the next month trip to Brazil w/o the Internet, will try and sketch out some plans and figure out where I'll drill & cut to shove fans! I don't think that a 27" screen will fit anywhere and I must have a 2560 x 1440p screen so will see about that; 9kg is hella heavy - as much as the case which I'm ditching is. Hoping most of that is the stand. That is all if I'm not over the weight limit, which considering that 13kg was the hand-carry limit with Air-France last time I dunno (ofc the screen will not be hand carry).

The PSU will fit side-by-side with the mobo by the millimetre in most briefcases, SSD will be next to it I guess with the Optical Drive plastered (not literally) on top of the PSU, fan down. Hopefully they all squeeze in so I just have to screw the mobo into... a sheet of wood that I'll put behind & glue to the metal.

I don't know where the GPU will go once I shove a riser in there (thanks for the suggestion) but will draw it all out at some point. A think a watercooled briefcase will look funny. And I hope that security doesn't think it's a bomb which they probably will when I make this.

Off now to Rio de Janeiro now, full of cargo and hoping we don't capsize,

Spoiler: Pic taken before arrival in Turkey

Best of luck on your trip and stay safe