Wooden PC

[GT]

I'm thinking of building a wooden PC: Wooden case, Wooden CPU - Wooden go!!

Seriously - what is wrong with a wooden PC case? I'm thinking of making
myself one to replace my ageing metal case, which has more holes cut in it
than a colander. I would use the metal, slide out backing 'tray' for the
motherboard. Do I need to consider earthing everything, or is everything
earthed via its various feeding power cables (I suspect not). Where should I
earth things to - the power supply outer casing, or a point inside the PSU?

I expect it will muffle noise better than a metal case. There will be no
vibrations. It will be easier (for me) to work with when expanding /
adapting to new equipment. I can design a careful airflow. I'm thinking of
putting the hard disks in a compartment with the PSU. I'll have a front
vent(s), so the PSU fan at the rear will draw air over the drives and out
through the back. I'll have a second compartment for the motherboard area,
with the CPU fan drawing air in directly from the room, through a duct from
the side of the case, then I'll need just 1 large, quiet exhaust fan or
maybe even just a vents/holes as the CPU fan will draw in room temperature
air and force the compartment to fill with air, thereby pressurising the
compartment and forcing air out through an exhaust point.

Any thoughts / ideas / considerations?

 

[kony]

I'm thinking of building a wooden PC: Wooden case, Wooden CPU - Wooden go!!

Seriously - what is wrong with a wooden PC case? I'm thinking of making
myself one to replace my ageing metal case, which has more holes cut in it
than a colander. I would use the metal, slide out backing 'tray' for the
motherboard. Do I need to consider earthing everything, or is everything
earthed via its various feeding power cables (I suspect not). Where should I
earth things to - the power supply outer casing, or a point inside the PSU?

Everything is grounded by the power leads. Using wood you
will not have EMI trapping but if no other devices nearby
have a problem with this it should be an acceptible result.

I expect it will muffle noise better than a metal case. There will be no
vibrations.
True

It will be easier (for me) to work with when expanding /
adapting to new equipment.

?? How so when a metal case is designed for standard
components?

I can design a careful airflow. I'm thinking of
putting the hard disks in a compartment with the PSU. I'll have a front
vent(s), so the PSU fan at the rear will draw air over the drives and out
through the back. I'll have a second compartment for the motherboard area,
with the CPU fan drawing air in directly from the room, through a duct from
the side of the case, then I'll need just 1 large, quiet exhaust fan or
maybe even just a vents/holes as the CPU fan will draw in room temperature
air and force the compartment to fill with air, thereby pressurising the
compartment and forcing air out through an exhaust point.

Any thoughts / ideas / considerations?

Over time the heat will dry out the wood, consider oiling it
but that might make it smell funny for awhile. Otherwise
the main issue is the large # of calculations and precise
cuts to make everything fit, though using an existing
motherboard try will make that easier.

 

[Fergus]

I'm thinking of building a wooden PC: Wooden case, Wooden CPU - Wooden
go!!

Seriously - what is wrong with a wooden PC case? I'm thinking of making
myself one to replace my ageing metal case, which has more holes cut in it
than a colander. I would use the metal, slide out backing 'tray' for the
motherboard. Do I need to consider earthing everything, or is everything
earthed via its various feeding power cables (I suspect not). Where should
I earth things to - the power supply outer casing, or a point inside the
PSU?

I expect it will muffle noise better than a metal case. There will be no
vibrations. It will be easier (for me) to work with when expanding /
adapting to new equipment. I can design a careful airflow. I'm thinking of
putting the hard disks in a compartment with the PSU. I'll have a front
vent(s), so the PSU fan at the rear will draw air over the drives and out
through the back. I'll have a second compartment for the motherboard area,
with the CPU fan drawing air in directly from the room, through a duct
from the side of the case, then I'll need just 1 large, quiet exhaust fan
or maybe even just a vents/holes as the CPU fan will draw in room
temperature air and force the compartment to fill with air, thereby
pressurising the compartment and forcing air out through an exhaust point.

Any thoughts / ideas / considerations?

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article237-page1.html

 

[GT]

Everything is grounded by the power leads. Using wood you
will not have EMI trapping but if no other devices nearby
have a problem with this it should be an acceptible result.




?? How so when a metal case is designed for standard
components?

Was simply thinking long term - as I evolve the PC and move fans / intakes
etc around the case (as I have with my metal case over the last 12+ years),
I can just replace a side if there are too many holes! My metal case is now
littered with holes and folded bits of metal (don't have any snips - just a
hack saw!).

Over time the heat will dry out the wood, consider oiling it
but that might make it smell funny for awhile. Otherwise
the main issue is the large # of calculations and precise
cuts to make everything fit, though using an existing
motherboard try will make that easier.

This isn't to make it look nice, its for fun!. If it takes ages (and it will
with a baby in the house and no time to even breath!), then I'm not
bothered! I'm thinking of MDF, so don't think that will dry out. I'm even
considering building it onto the underside of my desk. It is a corner desk
with metal underframe, so has good, strong mounting points. The project
would be well out of potential knee banging zone, would clear a bit of
floorspace, tidy cables up off the floor. I might even extend the front
panel lights/buttons and get them onto the top of the desk, perhaps even
recessed!. Its just a win-win really! Now where do I locate that internal
DVD drive...

 

[wm_walsh]

Hi!

Seriously - what is wrong with a wooden PC case?

If designed properly and well thought out, absolutely nothing. And
you'll have a computer case that is all your own and stands out from
the crowd. I have some wooden cased computers and they get a lot of
comments.

I would go ahead and run a ground wire from the case of the PSU to the
other metal components in the case when you have built it. It
certainly won't hurt anything to do this and chances are your current
case is completely grounded right now (if it is plugged into a
properly grounded outlet) by way of the power supply's metal case
being held against the case metal.

I expect it will muffle noise better than a metal case.
There will be no vibrations.

Wood tends to conduct sound fairly well and does so differently from
metal. I agree with your assessment that the wood case will be quieter
than a metal one, but I think you might hear noises you haven't heard
before.

I can design a careful airflow.

It sounds like you've thought that out very carefully.

Any thoughts / ideas / considerations?

There is really only one thing I could suggest adding or thinking
about. Sometimes computer hardware fails, and sometimes those failures
are violent. I'm sure many posters here could talk about hardware that
has for some reason or another gone "pop" or released its magic smoke.
I really doubt all but the most serious component failures would cause
a fire, but with a wood case this is something you will have to think
about. Air flow might only fan the flames if a fire gets started. I
would try to shield the motherboard at the outer edges, or mount a
sheet metal square on the side of the case that will face the
motherboard's component when it is all closed up and built. That way
if something does go "pop" or gets too hot, it will direct that heat
toward the metal and not the wood.

For power supplies and disk drives, mounting them in appropriate metal
cages that hold them a few inches from the wood case in every
direction should be fine.

 

[GT]

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article237-page1.html

That is the Ferarri to the Skoda I was planning!!

 

[Fergus]

That is the Ferarri to the Skoda I was planning!!

sorry the Skoda is

http://www.overclockers.com/tips1233/

 

[GT]

sorry the Skoda is

http://www.overclockers.com/tips1233/

Hmm - Perhaps I was thinking 'Fiat' then, but definitely not Ferrari and
whatever it is, it will be fixed to the underside of my corner desk - out of
sight!

 

[GT]

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article237-page1.html

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/62/1/

 

[Fergus]

http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/62/1/

pass me a Sanguka please.

 

[philo]

I'm thinking of building a wooden PC: Wooden case, Wooden CPU - Wooden go!!

Seriously - what is wrong with a wooden PC case? I'm thinking of making
myself one to replace my ageing metal case, which has more holes cut in it
than a colander. I would use the metal, slide out backing 'tray' for the
motherboard. Do I need to consider earthing everything, or is everything
earthed via its various feeding power cables (I suspect not). Where should I
earth things to - the power supply outer casing, or a point inside the PSU?

I expect it will muffle noise better than a metal case. There will be no
vibrations. It will be easier (for me) to work with when expanding /
adapting to new equipment. I can design a careful airflow. I'm thinking of
putting the hard disks in a compartment with the PSU. I'll have a front
vent(s), so the PSU fan at the rear will draw air over the drives and out
through the back. I'll have a second compartment for the motherboard area,
with the CPU fan drawing air in directly from the room, through a duct from
the side of the case, then I'll need just 1 large, quiet exhaust fan or
maybe even just a vents/holes as the CPU fan will draw in room temperature
air and force the compartment to fill with air, thereby pressurising the
compartment and forcing air out through an exhaust point.

Any thoughts / ideas / considerations?

There would be no shielding...so you'd might want to line the case with
tin-foil and ground it

 

[UCLAN]

Everything is grounded by the power leads. Using wood you
will not have EMI trapping but if no other devices nearby
have a problem with this it should be an acceptible result.

The inductance of the power leads make them look like a very high
impedance to high frequency noise generated by the motherboard. The
MB should be grounded to a mounting plate with screws as usual. That
mounting plate can be returned to the PSU chassis with a short wire.

 

[Ian D]

I'm thinking of building a wooden PC: Wooden case, Wooden CPU - Wooden
go!!

Seriously - what is wrong with a wooden PC case? I'm thinking of making
myself one to replace my ageing metal case, which has more holes cut in it
than a colander. I would use the metal, slide out backing 'tray' for the
motherboard. Do I need to consider earthing everything, or is everything
earthed via its various feeding power cables (I suspect not). Where should
I earth things to - the power supply outer casing, or a point inside the
PSU?

I expect it will muffle noise better than a metal case. There will be no
vibrations. It will be easier (for me) to work with when expanding /
adapting to new equipment. I can design a careful airflow. I'm thinking of
putting the hard disks in a compartment with the PSU. I'll have a front
vent(s), so the PSU fan at the rear will draw air over the drives and out
through the back. I'll have a second compartment for the motherboard area,
with the CPU fan drawing air in directly from the room, through a duct
from the side of the case, then I'll need just 1 large, quiet exhaust fan
or maybe even just a vents/holes as the CPU fan will draw in room
temperature air and force the compartment to fill with air, thereby
pressurising the compartment and forcing air out through an exhaust point.

Any thoughts / ideas / considerations?

You have to watch those wooden harddrives. You'll need to constantly
grease the wooden spindle to wooden bearing contact points, otherwise
you'll have the hottest PC in town.

Keeping the original motherboard mounting plate and back panel is a
good idea. The plate provides grounding at specific points, and a
ground plane for the motherboard. Also grounding for the back panel
is required, and the physical tolerances for card brackets are tight.

Another suggestion is to use manufactured drives cages from your,
or other scrapped PC cases. If the various components are isolated
by wood, it's best to ground them all to a specific point, i.e.,the
motherboard plate, using copper braid. Copper braid provides an
excellent grounding route for high frequency RF. If you want to
shield the case panels, metal window screen is much better, and
easier to use than aluminum foil.

 

[kony]

Was simply thinking long term - as I evolve the PC and move fans / intakes
etc around the case (as I have with my metal case over the last 12+ years),
I can just replace a side if there are too many holes! My metal case is now
littered with holes and folded bits of metal (don't have any snips - just a
hack saw!).

I think you're allowed to buy a new case at some point. I'm
not so sure that if you design this well, with airflow in
the right places to start with, that there would be any need
to change it later. Just cover all the basics like intake
for HDD rack, side intake across from video card, "maybe" a
side intake for CPU (mixed feelings about that, it really
shouldn't need this and unless you make the case extra wide,
many of today's very tall heatpipe coolers stick out so far
that there's barely if any room for a side panel fan across
from them, and even if there is, the fan is practically
butted up against a solid sheet of Al on the top of the
heatpipes.

I suppose if you later went with a different format like
BTX, that would require more changes, but how much time is
it worth to reuse a case? I often like to keep a system in
the same case and when upgrading, take my time building into
a new or new-used case without interrupting operation of the
existing system, plus if I want to give away or sell at some
point it has to have a case anyway.

This isn't to make it look nice, its for fun!.

I think you can have both?

If it takes ages (and it will
with a baby in the house and no time to even breath!), then I'm not
bothered! I'm thinking of MDF, so don't think that will dry out.

Unfinished MDF? I suppose if that's what you want, but with
the airflow from the fans, it would seem the roughness would
catch, buildup more dust. It also seems like it will be
more difficult to create sunken holes for drive bays/etc in
MDF, though I suppose you could just use really long screws
instead of standard short ones.

I'm even
considering building it onto the underside of my desk. It is a corner desk
with metal underframe, so has good, strong mounting points. The project
would be well out of potential knee banging zone, would clear a bit of
floorspace, tidy cables up off the floor. I might even extend the front
panel lights/buttons and get them onto the top of the desk, perhaps even
recessed!. Its just a win-win really! Now where do I locate that internal
DVD drive...

You could just design the side of the case to VESA-mount an
LCD, make it about the width of an optical drive so it sits
up on the desk with the optical, buttons, indicators and
USB/etc ports right under the monitor frame.

 

[kony]

The inductance of the power leads make them look like a very high
impedance to high frequency noise generated by the motherboard. The
MB should be grounded to a mounting plate with screws as usual. That
mounting plate can be returned to the PSU chassis with a short wire.

It makes no difference to the function of the system. I
can't tell you how many times I and millions of others have
boards out on a bench for testing... and I have one in front
of me at the moment as well.

 

[kony]

On Fri, 30 Nov 2007 08:24:29 -0800 (PST),

Hi!


If designed properly and well thought out, absolutely nothing. And
you'll have a computer case that is all your own and stands out from
the crowd. I have some wooden cased computers and they get a lot of
comments.

I would go ahead and run a ground wire from the case of the PSU to the
other metal components in the case when you have built it. It
certainly won't hurt anything to do this and chances are your current
case is completely grounded right now (if it is plugged into a
properly grounded outlet) by way of the power supply's metal case
being held against the case metal.

There is no need to do this. All components that need case
grounded, have it grounded through their power ground. This
is effective.

 

[philo]

here's a nice, wooded computer or something:

http://www.schmarder.com/radios/tube/30bb.htm

 

[UCLAN]

It makes no difference to the function of the system. I
can't tell you how many times I and millions of others have
boards out on a bench for testing... and I have one in front
of me at the moment as well.

Testing? Fine. Day-to-day glitch-free operation? No.

 

[kony]

Testing? Fine. Day-to-day glitch-free operation? No.

There is no distinction, the very purpose of testing is to
assure the proper operation.

If a motherboard can't operate properly due to the noise IT
creates, the ship has sunk before it's left the dock.

 

[UCLAN]

There is no distinction, the very purpose of testing is to
assure the proper operation.

If you are leaving the MB out on the bench for weeks at a time, yes.
If you are only checking its operation for a short period of time, no.

Noise problems do not always present themselves immediately.