What material do I use?

[Macro Device]

I am very new to building PC cases. I already made my mind up with dimensions (13x10x7 inches, or 330x254x178 mm outer size; 1.5 mm thickness), holes, features et cetera but I'm not sure what material I want to use.

• I won't run any extra heavy or high wattage parts inside it. CPU: limited to 60 W; GPU: limited to 170 W; RGB elements and other extras: borderline absent. 4 low-wattage RGB fans, that's all.
• I won't play soccer using my PC as a ball.
• I live in humid conditions, mean humidity is over 70%, sometimes hits 100%.
• PC case will be opened and closed at least once a month as I like tinkering and swapping parts around.
• I don't care how heavy my PC case is.
• I plan to paint it using spray paint.
• PC case material must not interfere with WiFi and Bluetooth.
• Price of said material should not exceed $50 considering my dimensions.
• I will not really mind if it's not metal after all.
• Noise suppression is irrelevant, yet would be appreciated.
• Intended usecase: staying on top of my desk and providing me with flawless gaming experience.

Any thoughts? Where do I go?

 

[KrazyT]

Plexyglass ?
Wood ?
Given the size, a box of shoes ?

 

[P4-630]

Do you at least have access to a milling machine?

Aluminium/Polycarbonate.

 

[Macro Device]

Do you at least have access to a milling machine?

Yep. I calculated everything and I'm left with $50 on material.

Aluminium

Isn't it too bendy?

Polycarbonate

I also thought about it.

Plexyglass

Not sure. Isn't it too fragile?

Wood

1 mm of wood won't cut it. Pun intended.

 

[P4-630]

Isn't it too bendy?

That depends what sort of aluminium you use.

Example, Grade 2024-T3/T4 what they use for airplanes is can be thin, light and sturdy.


Would be great if you'd have access to a water jet cutting table..

 

[Frick]

Yep. I calculated everything and I'm left with $50 on material.

Then it is entirely up to what material you can get fornthe money.

Acrylic is alright, but it needs some knowledge to do it so it looks nice (plus it might not be a good idea to put it in a milling machine as the melted stuff will get everywhere, that is just a guess though as I don't have experienve with such machines). It will not be flimsy if you make it out of say 6mm material.

Enough aluminium to make an entire case sound expensive. As mentioned there are different kinds of aluminium, but it's also about the thickness.

Are you a good welder? Making a case out of scrap metal would be cool.

Stainless steel is cool too, but it requires knowledge to weld, or you could rivet it but then you either need a machine to bend it or be very good with your hands.

Wood is the simplest option, but it requires skill to make it look nice.

BTW, 1.5mm thickness? Steel it is then, if for some weird reason thay is super important.

 

[Macro Device]

Are you a good welder?

I am not a welder but I know a guy whom I can trust.

what they use for airplanes

Must be hella expensive.

if for some weird reason

You are right. The reason is really weird.

Acrylic

This is too bizarre even for me.

Steel it is then

No idea if there are varieties of stainless steel. What will be the most appropriate?

 

[P4-630]

It depends if you want to do it right, or how perfectly...

 

[Macro Device]

you want to do it right

I do.

how perfectly...

Losing eligibility for being posted in Ghetto mods is enough.

I'm guessing I'm going for the kill stainless steel.

 

[Frick]

You can use just sheet metal. 1.5mm is pretty thick, 2mm and you can probably stand on it. A good welder can make it look good too. Doesn't have to be stainless, just spraypaint it after work is complete. Of course the interior, as in drive cages, is a different matter. You can always remove a HDD cage from an old case, drill some holes and attach it that way.

You probably also want a deparate backplate for the motherboard, this can also be pilfered from an old case. Ths are usually riveted together, meaning you can remove them with a drill.

 

[Lei]

Are you a good welder? Making a case out of scrap metal would be cool.

You can use these as frames for aluminum sheets, instead of welding.
Makes disassembley easier too.

No idea if there are varieties of stainless steel. What will be the most appropriate?

Go with brass. It has golden color and excellent thermal conductivity.

 

[Macro Device]

golden color

Don't need it.

excellent thermal conductivity

Don't need it as well.

2mm and you can probably stand on it.

Anything less than 4 mm didn't handle me. I was 93 kg at that moment.

drive cages

Don't need them because I only run SSDs.

backplate for the motherboard, this can also be pilfered from an old case

This is already covered, not an issue.

So yeah, stainless steel sheets is a go. Thank you, guys.

 

[Shrek]

Stainless can be hell with galling; some aluminum alloys can be very tough.

 

[Lei]

Anything less than 4 mm didn't handle me. I was 93 kg at that moment.
So yeah, stainless steel sheets is a go. Thank you, guys.

1mm aluminum is already too strong. And stainless steel is even stronger.

What do you want 4mm for? Entire iphone thickness is 6mm and it can withstand an elephant while housing a battery/board

 

[freeagent]

Don't forget to add the thickness of the material for each bend on the brake

 

[Macro Device]

What do you want 4mm for?

I want 1.5 mm just for the sake of absurdity. This is a weird reason and I admit it but I will not change this.

too strong

Unless I can bend it. And believe me, I can.

Don't forget to add the thickness of the material for each bend on the brake

Already noted.

 

[KrazyT]

Not sure. Isn't it too fragile?

Honestly, i think 2-3 mm plexyglass is very solid, dunno price though :/
just an idea (from China for 30 € )

 

[Hyderz]

if you are not sure what material to use ... why not go pick up discarded stuff that people threw away... e.g wood panels might find something good instead of buying stuff
since its your first time making a pc box...
i once had an idea for a sleeper build pc but instead of using a you know old desktop box or something pc related box like a commodore or similar...
how about an old broken av receiver and gut its inside and build a pc inside ... hidden computer... it will be fun i have thought about using a vcr player but i think it might be too small

just my 2cents before you spend money on materials could end up costing more than what you initially expect if you are to go that route

 

[Macro Device]

Honestly, i think 2-3 mm plexyglass is very solid, dunno price though :/
just an idea (from China for 30 € )

I don't want to make it thicker than 1.5 mm and I want it as opaque as possible.

why not go pick up discarded stuff that people threw away

Because it doesn't resemble what I geometrically want. I am building a custom design PC and want it to look exactly like on my blueprints. I'm not afraid of additional costs but I want to pick material I won't regret.

 

[silentbogo]

3D printing is also an option. PETG is pretty sturdy after few days of curing (funnily enough, just letting it sit and absorb some moisture), with 60-100% infill it can be a viable structural part, and it's cheap (assuming you have a 3d printer, or nearby printing service).
With some primer and sandpaper you can make it paint-ready. For side panels you can do plexi as well.
BTW, I've seen at least a couple of videos recently with some interesting fully printed mini-ITX designs. I'll post it a bit later if it's still in my bookmarks on YT.