Re: Cases

[blackm00@cam.org (Michael Black)]

Ronin Hyde <roninhyde@mac.com> wrote in message news:<3D0256EA.8A2B51AC@mac.com>...
> tarage wrote:
>
>
> > I think you hit all the major wants right there -- good cooling, less
> > space, internal HDs. I'm thinking those 3.5"s could definately take up
> > much less space than they do right now (and my rig is tiny compared to
> > others', I'm sure!)
>
>    As is mine, just a basic setup. (2 5.25", 2 3.5", single SCSI hd)
> Trying to get all the cables together is just plain fun. Was looking
> at the motherboard and some of the connectors would be better suited
> up front (keyboard, adb, mic, joystick). Wasn't sure how much
> interferrence I'd be running into by desoldering them and running
> cables to a custom case faceplate. Just looking at really making it
> a better fit for most people.
>     Modifying another case makes sense if there is one around the
> house but I really want something that I can control the design of.
> Aluminum is probably going to be expensive but it should be easier
> to form and cut than sheet metal. Plus some the the cheapo PC cases
> have shredded my hands when going inside to wiggle power conenctors
> loose. If I can bring this to reality, I'll slap all the info and
> pics online.

About 1992 or so, when I scrounged up some boards to finally have
an XT, the disk drives I got were the IBM type that were used
in the PS2, so I had to figure out mounting, and the front panel
was not right.  I had an original-type IBM case, with the flip lid.
The back and front panels were removeable.  I can't remember about
the back, but for the front I used a piece of copper-clad circuit
board.  I had a large enough piece, and it is really easy to work
with.  I used a nibbler to get the rectangles for the disk drives.
And since I was already working on it, it was easy to put leds there,
and I put a connector for the mouse, and a connector for the keyboard,
right on the front panel.  The DB-9 connector for the mouse
led to the video board that also had a mouse function, and I ran
some four conductor (or whatever) wire from the front panel connector,
to a DIN connector that plugged in the back of the motherboard. Actually,
I just used the actual connector, and left off the cover.  So nothing
stuck out of the back, and I didn't have to route the wire out, only
to come back on the connector.

One thing I realized from that was that a lot of computers are silly,
having things like keyboard and mouse connectors going in the back.

You might try something similar.  Instead of desoldering the connectors
from the board, and using wires, just get some cords that plug in,
and use that to extend the connectors to the front panel.  Figure out
some mechanical situation where the motherboard is not flush with
the back panel, so you can have some space to plug into those
connectors.  The boards that plug into the motherboard might be a problem
if they have connectors.  Figure out some scheme so the metal bends to
be flush with the back of those boards, but not with the connectors on
the motherboard.

But you might also consider doing a similar mod.  Find a case, maybe they
don't make them anymore, where you can remove the front and back panels,
and put in your own.  This saves on the bulk of the metal work, and
leaves you only having to deal with the very points that need to be
your own.

Years ago, I thought of putting various computers, like my Color Computer,
in some sort of other box.  It seemed, though, like the cheap IBM type
cases were either too big, or not quite right.  And a suitable aluminum
box, you can buy these for building electronic equipment in, was either
the wrong size, too big or too small, in the standard sizes, or outright
not available in a large enough box.

If you're handy with wood, one scheme I've thought of is a wooden
box.  And then line it with thin metal sheeting, or copper clad circuit
board with the pieces soldered together, for the shielding.  The wood
supplies the strength, leaving the metal to only be a ground path
and for shielding. Thin metal sheeting, though pretty sharp, is a lot
easier to handle than thick aluminum.

   Michael