Wood Computer Tower Case ????

[Clarence Martin]

Anyone build something like that ?

[Jamie Buxton]

I've built wooden enclosures that a tower slips into. But I've never removed the metal case, and substituted a wooden case. One reason is that each computer is going to get obsolete, or just broken. It'd be a shame to throw away the nice woodwork. If you just build an enclosure, you get to re-use it when you buy your next computer.

[paul cottingham]

The computer needs a metal reference ground to screw the motherboard down to. Without that reference, many computers will be flakie. (Flakey? Flakee?)

[John Coloccia]

It's not a great idea, IMHO, though you can make it work, of course. Part of the issue will be getting the grounding correct, but the major problem you will face is cooling. Modern computers and cases are all about thermal management, and that simply has to be right in order to work reliably.

But I do know of people that are doing things like that, so maybe do a search and see how they're doing it. I think it's one of those things that flies in the face of form follows function, because the case is very much an important and functional part of the computer.

[paul cottingham]

Water cooling, baby.

[Jeffrey Martel]

There's a lot of people that have done it. Here's one that someone on another forum I frequent has done. Quilted Sapele veneer over baltic birch ply I believe, and Aluminum inlay.

[Curt Harms]

Here's one guy's efforts:

http://slipperyskip.com/page23.html

If I were going to attempt it, I'd try to find a discarded reasonably modern PC case and slice it up. Use the motherboard tray if it's free standing and maybe the drive cage(s). Make sure all the metal parts were grounded. One question in my mind would be containing RF. Is that an issue? If it were, how do people not have problems running machines with one or more side panels removed long term from metal cases? Or do they?

[paul cottingham]

RF shouldn't be a problem, but a lot (not all, but many) boards do need a reference ground.

[Alan Rutherford]

I would certainly look for a way to put a cover on a working system rather than trying to attach anything electrical to the wooden parts or re-create the structure in wood. The requirements for grounding and mounting the drives, connections and switches are too finicky.

[John Huds0n]

The computer needs a metal reference ground to screw the motherboard down to. Without that reference, many computers will be flakie. (Flakey? Flakee?)

I am not so sure about this

It is pretty common when assembling a new computer to take the motherboard out of the box, place it on a piece of cardboard and connect all the components - just to make sure it is not DOA

They even make test stands completely out of acrylic - here is an example
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811353001

[Alan Rutherford]

Having learned the hard way about static and grounding, I'm kinda careful about that stuff, especially if it's not mine. But that acrylic chassis could work. If he's not building a computer from components, though, a whole lot of the design and mounting work will already be done for him if he can use the bones of the original computer.

[Maurice Arney]

I am considering a similar project only mine would be plexiglass. You do not need a metal case. Grounding is accomplished through the power supply and the 3 prong plug. Plugging an RJ-45 into your switch or router adds additional grounding. Heat dissipation is always an issue but can be address the same way it would be with a metal case using fans, ventilation, and/or water cooling. If you are really worried about it you could attach a ground wire to one of the MB stand-offs to an external grounding screw.

[Dave Richards]

There isn't any reason you couldn't put a metal plat inside the wooden case to attach components too. You'd need a cage to hold drives anyway and it would be easy enough to take an old case to scavenge the parts from.