• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Project: Server and Gaming Case

Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
125 (0.02/day)
Location
New Hampshire, USA
This is a project/build log for a custom case to house both a storage server and gaming rig.

This fairly compact case is designed to hold:
  • Two EATX motherboards
  • Two ATX PSUs
  • Twenty four 3.5-inch hard drives
  • Six SSDs
  • Two 120x3 water cooling radiators






The size of the case is to be kept as small as possible, which is mostly driven by the size of the motherboard trays. But until those arrive, I fabricated the PSU mounting plate from some 2.5mm aluminum sheet.

The cutouts were made via a hand held router fitted with a flush pattern bit, guided by a template.










That's it for now!
 

PVTCaboose1337

Graphical Hacker
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Messages
9,501 (1.43/day)
Location
Texas
System Name Whim
Processor Intel Core i5 2500k @ 4.4ghz
Motherboard Asus P8Z77-V LX
Cooling Cooler Master Hyper 212+
Memory 2 x 4GB G.Skill Ripjaws @ 1600mhz
Video Card(s) Gigabyte GTX 670 2gb
Storage Samsung 840 Pro 256gb, WD 2TB Black
Display(s) Shimian QH270 (1440p), Asus VE228 (1080p)
Case Cooler Master 430 Elite
Audio Device(s) Onboard > PA2V2 Amp > Senn 595's
Power Supply Corsair 750w
Software Windows 8.1 (Tweaked)
Twenty four 3.5-inch hard drives

24 drives? I hope you plan to have rubber grommets everywhere! This thing is gonna be loud, hot, and vibrating!
 
Joined
Mar 27, 2008
Messages
697 (0.12/day)
Location
Zagreb, Croatia
Processor C2D E8400@3.9GHz (488x8, 1.4v :( )
Motherboard Abit IP35-E
Cooling Thermaltake Sonic Tower+120mm fan
Memory 2GB kingmax ddr1066@976MHz 5-5-5-15
Video Card(s) Radeon X1800GTO @700/1400MHz with Accelero S1+Glacialtech fancard
Storage 2xSeagate Barracuda 7200.10 160GB
Display(s) Samsung SyncMaster 793s... just you laugh...
Case some Aplus case
Audio Device(s) Realtek ALC888
Power Supply Chieftec 450W
Software Win7 x64
dude, you are insane. subscribed
 

t_ski

Former Staff
Joined
Apr 11, 2006
Messages
11,960 (1.82/day)
System Name My i7 Beast
Processor Intel Core i7 6800K
Motherboard Asus X99-A II
Cooling Nickel-plated EK Supremacy EVO, D5 with XSPC Bayres & BIX Quad Radiator
Memory 4 x 8GB EVGA SuperSC DDR4-3200
Video Card(s) EVGA 1080 SuperClocked
Storage Samsung 950 Pro 256GB m.2 SSD + 480GB Sandisk storage SSD
Display(s) Three Asus 24" VW246H LCD's
Case Silverstone TJ07
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Corsair AX1200
Keyboard Corsair K95
Software Windows 10 x64 Pro
Twenty four 3.5-inch hard drives... Two 120x3 water cooling radiators... as small as possible...
You mean only in comparison to your last build? :roll:
 
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
125 (0.02/day)
Location
New Hampshire, USA
The backplate of the stock motherboard tray from mountainmods.com was too tall, so I fabricated a shortened duplicate out of .10-inch thick aluminum sheet (once again, via my trusty router fitted with a pattern cutting bit):







 
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
125 (0.02/day)
Location
New Hampshire, USA
This case will be shipped flat-packed so it needs to be easily assembled by the owner. The simple back frame consists of some u-channel with its ends plugged with some blocks press-fitted and pinned with a #4 screw. The blocks have a though-hole into which a #6 1-1/4-inch flat head stainless steel socket cap screw is bolted. Simple, effective, but time consuming to fabricate.








 
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
970 (0.19/day)
Location
Granby, Qc. Canada
System Name Loose nuts & bolts
Processor FX-8350 - EK Supreme HF full nickel
Motherboard ASUS Sabertooth 990FX R2.0
Cooling Water EK goodness all around 2xBlack Ice X-280
Memory 2 x8G HyperX Fury 1600 @ 9-9-9-24-1T
Video Card(s) 2 x XFX RX 480 w/EK-FC RX 480 nickel+Acetal
Storage Samsung 850 Evo + 2xWD Black 500GB in RAID0
Display(s) Crossover 27" 2560x1440 110Hz OC
Case Cooler Master HAF XB EVO
Audio Device(s) on board
Power Supply Corsair HX850
Software Win 10 Enterprise x64
Great project and beautiful work Spotswood, can't wait to see more :toast:
 
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
4,013 (0.75/day)
Subbed.
Very informative and encouraging, since I assumed I would have to take a sheet of aluminum stock to a CnC to get good results.
 
Joined
Apr 29, 2008
Messages
742 (0.13/day)
Location
Auckland
System Name PBD
Processor Core i5 760 @ 4.0GHz
Motherboard Asus Maximus III Gene
Cooling Corsair H-50-1
Memory 4 x 4096mb G.Skill Ripjaws 1600 Cas7
Video Card(s) ASUS GTX 670 DirectCU TOP
Storage Crucial 256GB SSD (system) + 2x Samsung F3 1TB (storage) + 2x 2TB Raid-1 NAS (backup)
Display(s) Dell SP2309w 23" 2048x1152
Case Antec Max Fusion Remote
Power Supply Corsair AX750W
Software Win 7 Pro x64
Subbed.

I'm predicting another masterful build. Can't wait.
 
Joined
Oct 10, 2008
Messages
3,471 (0.61/day)
System Name Acer Aspire V3-771G-53218G75Maii
Processor Core i5 3210M (2,5-3,1Ghz)
Memory 8GB DDR3 SODIMM
Video Card(s) Geforce GT650M
Storage Samsung 830 256GB - 750GB Toshiba drive
Software Windows 7 x64 Home Premium (non-acer-bloatware)
Subbed just for the hugeness of it all ;)
 
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
1,585 (0.30/day)
Location
Los Angeles/Orange County CA
System Name Vulcan
Processor i6 6600K
Motherboard GIGABYTE Z170X UD3
Cooling Thermaltake Frio Silent 14
Memory 16GB Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB)
Video Card(s) ASUS Strix GTX 970
Storage Mushkin Enhanced Reactor 1TB SSD
Display(s) QNIX 27 Inch 1440p
Case Fractal Design Define S
Audio Device(s) On Board
Power Supply Cooler Master V750
Software Win 10 64-bit
Looks like it's going to be very nice! :cool:
 
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
125 (0.02/day)
Location
New Hampshire, USA
The first step toward routing-out the motherboard cutouts in the back panel was to modify a standard size motherboard router template I had made some time ago.






The modified template was used to create yet another template in 1/2-inch thick particle board.




Unfortunately the router wobbled ever so slightly in one spot, but was quickly repaired with some autobody filler:





In order to save wear-and-tear on my flush cutting router bit a first pass was done freehand (gulp!) with a standard endmill.





 
Last edited:
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Messages
226 (0.05/day)
Location
AUSTIN,TEXAS
System Name ALIENWARE R8
Processor INTEL I5 9500 @3.9Ghz
Motherboard ALIENWARE 02XRCM
Cooling ALIENWAR Liqid Cooler
Memory DDR4 16GB @2.8Ghz
Video Card(s) NVIDIA GForce RTX 2070 8GB
Storage 512 MB M.2, KINGSTON 480 GB SSD,SEAGATE 3 TB
Display(s) VIZIO E-241 25" TV
Case ALIENWARE R8
Power Supply 850 WATTS
Mouse ROSWILL NEON M60
Keyboard ALIENWARE
Software WIN 10
Joined
May 14, 2010
Messages
901 (0.18/day)
Location
NYU
System Name Baby Box
Processor i5 4670K @ 4GHz
Motherboard Asus Z97I-PLUS
Cooling Corsair H100i
Memory 16GB Kingston HyperX FURY DDR3 1600MHz @ CL10
Video Card(s) EVGA GTX 780 Dual FTW w/ EVGA ACX Cooler
Storage Crucial M500 240GB SSD (Boot Drive); Seagate 7200.12 1TB 7200RPM (Storage)
Display(s) ASUS VH222H 21.5" 1920x1080
Case Corsair 250D Mini ITX
Audio Device(s) Audioengine D1 DAC/Amp
Power Supply Cooler Master GX RS750 PSU
Mouse Corsair SCIMITAR RGB
Keyboard Corsair Vengeance K70 RGB
Software Windows 10 Pro x64/ Linux Mint 17.3
Subbed, this is gonna be a monstrously awesome project. :toast:
 
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
125 (0.02/day)
Location
New Hampshire, USA
I had to make a new router template for the PSUs cutout. A router guide template is quickly fashioned from some MDF held together with pocket screws.






A mock-up of the back panel:

 
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
125 (0.02/day)
Location
New Hampshire, USA
The posts for the front frame are made from .125 x .5 x 2-inch tubes. First thing was to stuff the bottoms with the screw blocks/nuts in order to eventually attach them to the bottom sheet.

Following standard operating procedure, the aluminum was cut on my miter saw (fitted with a standard carbide tipped blade). The clamp that came with the saw is used to hold the material against the fence.




The blocks were then drilled on the drill press with the assistance of my self-centering vice (I love that thing because I don't have to waste time measuring for center).




Threads were tapped via my bench mounted "hand" tapper.




The blocks were pinned to the tubes with flat head self-tapping screws.




Always looking to improve my speed and quality, the cross supports offered the opportunity to use PEM cinch nuts. The nuts were pressed into the screw blocks.



Which were then pinned inside .5 x 1-inch u-channel.








 

Bow

Joined
Jul 25, 2008
Messages
3,061 (0.53/day)
Location
South of Planet Earth
System Name SLOW-MO-SHUN III
Processor AMD RYZEN 9 7950X 4.5ghz 16 Core
Motherboard MSI MPG X670E Carbon wifi
Cooling Quench 360 Liquid Cooler
Memory 2x 16GB Kingston Fury Beast DDR 5-5200
Video Card(s) NVidia GeForce RTX 3090 24 GB GDDR6X
Storage 1TB Kingston NV2 M.2 SSD 2TB 2.5 SanDisk SSD Plus
Display(s) Asus 28" VP28UQG 4K 3840x2160
Case Athena M1, 6 Chassis Fans
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply EVGA Super Nova 1000W
Mouse Razer Deathadder
Keyboard Razer Ornata
Software Windows 10 Home 64-Bit
Joined
Aug 26, 2009
Messages
321 (0.06/day)
System Name First Build 2.0
Processor AMD FX-8320 Eight-Core @3.5
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 rev. 4
Cooling Stock AMD
Memory 16 GB (4x4GB) G.Skill
Video Card(s) XFX Radeon HD 6870 1 GB
Storage SSD- Seagate 600 Series ST240HM000 240 GB
Display(s) Asus VE248H / ViewSonic VA1912wb
Case Cooler Master Storm Scout
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Corsair TX550M
Software 7 Ultimate 64
this is going to be epic
 
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
125 (0.02/day)
Location
New Hampshire, USA
I added some "legs" to the motherboard trays so they'll rest nice and level on the workbench.



 
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
125 (0.02/day)
Location
New Hampshire, USA
I spent the day correcting a big mistake, which was I relied on the incorrect posted dimensions of the Swiftech MCR320-DRIVE 3x120 radiator, and thus the case wasn't wide enough by 16mm. (Swiftech has since corrected the diagram on their website).




Actually, the case was exactly the width of the rads, but that might have resulted in some pump vibration getting transfered to the side panels. So the case had to be widened by one inch.


To speedup the process of pinning the bolt blocks to the u-channel I switched to using split pins.












I also had to re-cut the back sheet.




Altogether, it only took me about a third of the original amount of time. Phew!
 
Last edited:

t_ski

Former Staff
Joined
Apr 11, 2006
Messages
11,960 (1.82/day)
System Name My i7 Beast
Processor Intel Core i7 6800K
Motherboard Asus X99-A II
Cooling Nickel-plated EK Supremacy EVO, D5 with XSPC Bayres & BIX Quad Radiator
Memory 4 x 8GB EVGA SuperSC DDR4-3200
Video Card(s) EVGA 1080 SuperClocked
Storage Samsung 950 Pro 256GB m.2 SSD + 480GB Sandisk storage SSD
Display(s) Three Asus 24" VW246H LCD's
Case Silverstone TJ07
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply Corsair AX1200
Keyboard Corsair K95
Software Windows 10 x64 Pro
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
125 (0.02/day)
Location
New Hampshire, USA
The bottom support beams were made from .5x.1-inch aluminum flat bar. I wasn't keen on having to hand drill and tap them, so instead, I routed grooves to accept nuts.






I like this fastening method because its wicked strong and offers just enough "play" for easy assembly.




The frame is bolted to the front inner sheet.




And then the entire subassembly is bolted to the front frame.





 
Joined
Jul 15, 2009
Messages
1,087 (0.20/day)
Location
Upstate NewYork
System Name no remorse
Processor i7 2600k @ 4.7 ht on
Motherboard gigabyte z68x-ud3p-b3
Cooling xspc rasa cpu block, bitspower restop, mcp355
Memory 4 x 4gb corsair vengance 1600 8-8-8-24
Video Card(s) 570 gtx
Storage 2x32 gb patriot ssd's in raid 0 (os & games) / 2 x 500gb barracuda (storage)
Display(s) 25 inch 1080p widescreen i-inc
Case cooler master haf x
Audio Device(s) turtle beach earforce px21 headset (usb)
Power Supply corsair HX850
Benchmark Scores super pi 1m : 7.160 sec. 34,837 3dmark06
sexy ass aluminum work, nice!
 
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
125 (0.02/day)
Location
New Hampshire, USA
The sides of the HD cage consists of three pieces of .125-inch thick 1x1.5-inch u-channel held together with some threaded bolts. The cage will be bolted to the frame of the case via some .5-inch angle.




The holes in the angle were used to guide the drill bit into the side pieces.








Quarter inch slots were routed out of the u-channels to eventually accept .25-inch threaded rods.





 
Top