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syrillian
Before we move on to polishing, we really should cut the rest of the holes. I don’t always do it in the “proper” order, sometimes I polish the work I have done before cutting more holes. I do it this way as I have limited space, and at times it is easier and more time-efficient. But, (imho) it is preferable to have all rough-work done prior to starting finish-work
One of the key points in custom cases that is a boon; the intake and exhaust fans can be placed wherever the builder wants and needs. This is especially helpful when it comes to air-cooled cases as it minimizes the amount of fans required, and the direction of airflow is completely custom. Additionally the overall dimensions of the case are in the builder’s control, we are no longer at the mercy of static-configurations.
For this project I decided on a “Home Stereo-esque” (amplifier) look insofar as overall dimensions; low profile, wide and not too deep. For Video I will be using a HD2900XT, and I would like there to be a direct intake in front of the cards cooling fan. Additionally, it is my intention is to put a single 120mm fan on the front that is aligned with the CPU cooler. There will also be an exhaust on the rear, but the exhaust fan in question is still not decided upon as I have a couple of options and I need to have more of the case done prior to making that decision. One last aspect of air-control to address is pressure. A positive pressure (more intake than exhaust) can lead to more dust settling inside the case, it is my habit to attempt to keep the pressure as balanced as possible.
But first, I need to ensure that all the components will fit, and that I will have enough space inside that case to handle the hardware. This step may seem silly as conventional wisdom dictates that this aspect has already been addressed during the planning and design stage, and it was. Never-the-less I always check fitment and finish before going on to the next step because I am human; I forget things and make my fair share of errors.
Since I had all the components on the table, I decided mark the holes for the fans, and the holes for the motherboard standoffs. Note that it is adviseable to leave the protective covering on the acrylic in place until the last possible moment.
Double-checking the hardware layout:
The side intake fan is going to be a direct-feed to the HD2900, it will also provide cooling for the
Southbridge.
Measuring along the X-axis:
Measuring along the Y-axis
Verifying the elevation and clearance for the optical drive (the HDD will sit under, and perpendicular to the Optical Drive):
Since this is going to be a system with an air-cooled CPU, I wanted there to be a direct airflow from front-to-back.
This build will be utilizing a Zalman 9700 cooler. The design plan is to direct airflow through the case from the front-side fan cooling the RAM, Northbridge and directly feeding the Zalman cooler.
I realize that that there will be turbulence in the case due to the perpendicular feed of the side-intake, but I also plan to use a controller to keep the side-intake fan at a reasonable cfm so that it will not wreak too much havoc.
Measuring for the front-intake fan placement:
Once I have the areas measured, I mark the panels with the radii that I will be using. In this case the radius on both panels will be 2.25”
Motherboard:
I have a template for an ATX/MATX motherboard that I made from an acyrlic panel, but since I had the motherboard out I decided to use the board itself. My peronal preference is to use the components themselves when possible. Some points to consider are that some components may interfere with the mounting of other components, or interfere with plug-in points on the mobo. In this case it is the intake for the fan. The fan will sit on the inside of the case, the appropriate space needs to be left so that the motherboard header pins and any other hardware that attaches along the left-side of the motherboard will not be blocked by the inward-protruding fan.
And the holes marked for drilling:
This evening I will be working on cutting the fan holes, and measuring for the optical drive cut-out as well as drilling the holes for the case feet and power switch.
[…] Hardware and Cooling Fan Placement For Video I will be using a HD2900XT, and I would like there to be a direct intake in front of the cards cooling fan. Additionally, it is my intention is to put a single 120mm fan on the front that is aligned with the CPU cooler. …Building with Acrylic: A SFF excursion - http://custompc.co.uk/blogs/syrillian […]
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