Custom case materials question

[ravenhq]

Ok, I'm a strong believer of salvaging and using what you have unless you 'need' better, so...
I'm Rebuilding a system using various old parts and my first Atx case. The case has a fan in front, no vents on the sides and was designed for the psu to be the rear fan. When I used it last it would get so warm in the summers that I'd leave the case shell off.

Since I'm modding the case, I was wondering if it is dangerous to use "fabric mesh cloth" instead of the metal shell? Would static be an issue even if nothing is expected to rub against it? Or possible cloth dust? Should I use a "plastic mesh"? I've seen the Antec Skeleton, so some sort pf mesh is better than nothing right?

 

[jasont78]

if your that hard up for cash and cant afford a 50 buck antec 300 take to your case with a 4 inch holesaw and start fitting some 120mm fans to the side of it. crude but will help airflow a bit.

 

[ravenhq]

Not hard up for cash at all, just trying to use what I have. The case shell is a giant one piece "saddle" that covers the top and both sides so attaching powered fans is too awkward. I was considering cutting the shell and attaching the mesh to it.

Though I can cut a hole in the top shell, near front above the optical drives and attach a 120mm to the inside frame. Though thats an awkward place to have a fan.

 

[po1nted]

Hot air rises. So it is best to have your intake low and a fan blowing hot air OUT of the case near the top. It sounds like this is a horizontal case, designed to lay flat, like on a desk with a monitor on top?

That is not a very optimal case design and may be dificult to alter and meet the airflow needs of modern components.

This might be a time where reusing isn't the optimal solution. I guess it comes down to whether your compenents can live healthy inside a case that is a mix between reuseable and optimal.

 

[deadlockedworld]

A metal case will conduct heat away from the parts better than any other material -- thats why all the best cases are aluminum or steel. Many people that try to mod and make wood/cabinet computers encounter this problem -- and usually end up having to put metal inside the wood.

 

[ravenhq]

This is the case.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150724499746447.388748.723026446&type=3&l=1dce1bd925

or
http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/8333/55018610150724818686447.jpg

My main question is about using fabric or plastic mesh to cover this thing and whether either is unwise...

The easiest option is to cover the side with mesh, either cloth fabric mesh, or plastic fabric mesh, or I can buy "Plastic Canvas" (used for yarn pictures) and cover the open areas or I can drill the top of the "shell" and put a fan in the square hole in the case above the optical drives which is alittle more work...

 

[jasont78]

Not hard up for cash at all, just trying to use what I have. The case shell is a giant one piece "saddle" that covers the top and both sides so attaching powered fans is too awkward. I was considering cutting the shell and attaching the mesh to it.

Though I can cut a hole in the top shell, near front above the optical drives and attach a 120mm to the inside frame. Though thats an awkward place to have a fan.

oh one of those cases i had one of them about 15 years ago with a pentium 2 in it! anyways i have a plan take to the bottom of your case with a holesaw put 2 holes big enough for 2 120mm fans in the base of the case you may need to put larger feet on it to get it off the floor a little so it doesnt suck up to much dust and set them as intake fans. put a single 120mm fan in the top of your case between your psu and the optical drive an if you need to move the optical drive to the lowest slot available the thing is here you need to be on your game with the cable management so that the psu cables dont inhibit the top 120mm used as exhaust so essentially you are using convection (hot air rises) setup up like an ultra dodgy silverstone raven or fortress, sorta, not really! i couldnt see your case i dont do facebook i just guessed the case is similar to the old one i had and thats how i did it then 15 years ago and then all the case manufacturer must have stolen my idea if i only patented it i could sue them for everything just like those wankers at apple

 

[deadlockedworld]

My main question is about using fabric or plastic mesh to cover this thing and whether either is unwise...

I suppose you could, however a metal mesh would work a lot better. Just buy a heavy mosquito screen, or maybe something a little heavier and bendable. It will have better airflow than cloth. The stiffer it is the better it will hold up...

 

[Motopsychojdn]

Or, cut along one of the top corners, making that side a door, removable on its own whilst leaving the rest of the 'shell' in place,
then mod that to take a window or fans,
I used a similar case to make a roofbox inside my new build, and a motherboard rear panel cover to hide cables,
re-use what you can man, its a novel way to get a unique Pc
Moto