The CustoCase Project [NEW PICS]

[tlace19]

OK here is the deal, I am a current student in Mechanical Engineering and have been doing product design for the last three years. I am near certification in Solidworks and came up with another one of my brilliant ideas. I want to make a Custom Case to really give Hackintosh an identity. Or just to give people something to dream about. It will be a Mini-ITX based case, I just need you to piece together the best compatable Hackintosh Computer yet.

 

[lrusak]

Re: SuperCustomProject!

I think everyone just wants a G5 case with PC mounting

 

[tlace19]

Re: SuperCustomProject!

I think everyone just wants a G5 case with PC mounting

Could be a possibility, But i was thinking something a bit more original.

 

[minihack]

Re: The CustoCase Project

Ok, you want some ideas?

Many people on here want something that "feels" like a Mac. The G5 is kind of the easy way to mod an existing case, but when it comes to a classic design lots want something like the original Mac Cube.

The actual Cube is just very slightly too small to take a Mini Itx without it being very tight on dimensions, so if you could come up with something that had that kind of feel to it, but that allowed the use of a full size PCI-express card and a PSU and which did not overheat then you probably have a winner.

Also, the classic older Mac designs might be worth re-visiting and re-inventing (G3, G4 or older).

People on this forum generally want it to be as close to a Mac as possible, but with expandability.

Good luck!

 

[tlace19]

Thought I would give you an update on that G4 CUBE Redesign, The Plastic Housing is going to be an issue but I will find my way around, I have checked clearance position and size regulations, this meets all of them and will fit a Mini-ITX Motherboard, 1 PCI Card, and a 12V PSU at the moment working on making hard drive bays, and a slot-loading disk drive placement. Still need to do thermos but I showed one of my professors and he said that this case should run air through it like butter once the bottom intake and top exhaust fans are added. Really looking forward to finishing tell me what you think.

 

[minihack]

Really nice.......

 

[minihack]

What might make it have more appeal too would be to replace the vented bottom part with a clear acrylic stand (with the same kind of rear facing cut-out area as the bottom of the original cube had) that could then mate with a ridge in the "open" bottom end of the case. That would then give it the feel of the cube floating on air.

This could then effectively leave the whole of the bottom of the metal case area open to either draw air in from or expel air out of the rear cut-out. Just an idea.

 

[ptmays]

The foot print looks to be about 10" cube, rather than having an intake fan and an exhaust top and bottom, make the top of the case a single 250mm intake fan about 9.8". This gives the case a positive persure blowing out the bottom to keep dust out and a large fan can move huge amounts of air with very little sound. Quiet = MoBetter

Edit: I went back and looked at your specs Mini Itx so it will be smaller than 10" so 200mm fan instead that puts you at 7.9" and a 200mm fan can still move 100 to 150 CFM at less than 30dBA. I think the sweet spot should be 100 CFM at 20dBA, less than a whisper

 

[tlace19]

The foot print looks to be about 10" cube, rather than having an intake fan and an exhaust top and bottom, make the top of the case a single 250mm intake fan about 9.8". This gives the case a positive persure blowing out the bottom to keep dust out and a large fan can move huge amounts of air with very little sound. Quiet = MoBetter

Edit: I went back and looked at your specs Mini Itx so it will be smaller than 10" so 200mm fan instead that puts you at 7.9" and a 200mm fan can still move 100 to 150 CFM at less than 30dBA. I think the sweet spot should be 100 CFM at 20dBA, less than a whisper

Not going to work out that way it would break Mini ITX clearance regulation due to the fillets the cube has and if that was the case the mobo would have to rest on the bottom leaving all the other components suspect to the heat and the air flow would be terrible. Did the thermos and the case moves air through and extracts airflow quick with this setup, not sure about the pressure deal though. The way I have it allows a constant circulation of air through the system without many snags and should in theory be perfect.

I am using a 9" footprint and the mobo sits fairly comfortably just off the center allowing space for the airflow I predicted to cool it well, the next step im taking is to raise the whole cube with the acrylic clear casing like the original and going to make it so air flows in from below through a dust filter and into the case, where it will cool and then be extracted through the top, the top will have a sliding plastic piece to cover the top facing fan, preventing dust buildup. Trying to decide where to place the Front I/O, either just below the Disk Slot, or the bottom of the case, the Apple logo will act as a power LED like most Macs do. I will be posting another rendered update later tonight so keep an eye out.

 

[tlace19]

OK still need to add the acrylic housing but the casing is almost done, should i move the front I/O on the bottom or leave it where it is? The top and bottom will be simple but worthy of the rest of the design, any last minute ideas before I assemble the pieces and present you a finished draft.