DIY case from scratch

[Farinorco]

I've been searching a new PC case since I've decided to watercool my next rig. I haven't found a single one that suits my needs, so I've decided to build my own case from scratch. I would like to show you my ideas, designs and plans and know about any thoughts or ideas you could have about it, since it's not an easy or simple task, in fact it can be extremely tricky. To sum up, I really need your help here. Please, don't stop reading if you are not a watercooling guy, I don't need help with WC yet, and I think the principles of case airflow and noise damping are mainly the same.

Main goal

-Make a case to keep my next/s computer/s, being able to cool a relatively high overclocked PC with the less possible noise - yeah, I like challenges.

Design principles

-Keep any noise source as near to the back of the case as possible
-Minimize the use of fans: fans used for the watercooling must be the same fans used to create the case airflow
-Create separate thermal zones for the different heat sources. Each fan should take care of one thermal zone
-The PSU must have its own thermal zone, being as isolated as possible from the other components
-Each thermal zone must be as straight and less restrictive as possible
-Each path from noise sources to user must be as indirect as possible

Main heat sources

-Hard disks
-Power regulators and RAM in the "north" section of the MB
-Graphic card power regulators and memory, other PCI cards and southbridge in the "south" section of the MB
-PSU

The CPU, GPU and northbridge will be watercooled, so I didn't count them as a heat source regarding case ventilation

Main noise sources

-Radiator + fans (4x radiator with only 3 fans)
-PSU
-Hard disks
-Pump

So, in order to achieve these goals, I've designed a vertical distribution, like a several floors building, being each of these floors one separate thermal zone, with a front to back straight airflow, being all fans exhaust ones. The case air intake would be a vertical vent in both side panels: in the upper half - hdd and psu zones - the air would go straight to the back around the 5 1/4 bays, and in the lower half - mainboard - the air would be forced to go through the front. Obviously, the front would be open, and there would be a completely sealed door covering it. Here are some sketches:


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EDIT: The front of the case would be the edge near the 5 1/4 bays and mainboard (at right hand) and the back, the one near the PSU and radiator (at left hand).
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Please, note that some details can change, as the inverted mainboard - I think the PSU cables are not long enough to this, but nothing really changes using it in the usual orientation - or the exact PSU orientation - probably in the end the fan will point to the roof to avoid its own cables blocking the airflow.

Please, tell me any suggestion, idea or simply what you think about that design, and help me not to miserably fail with this project. Anything you think that could be better done in any other way, to achieve a better airflow or a better noise damping, make me know about it. And excuse any language mistake, I do my best but english is not my natural language.

[QuaiBoy]

So are you going to fabricate this out of sheetmetal or gut an existing case? You might consider gutting one of the old Gateway or Dell cases. I have a GW Performance 500 circa 1999 sitting next to me that is very tall and has lots of room for WC equipment (I don't WC this rig). Very thick steel and lots of bracing. I just took the stock ducting out and modded the stock PSU with a huge Panaflo suspended running at just above the minimum on a Fanmate. Can't hear it from 6 inches away because the sides are so thick.

Best part is that you could probably find something like this in a junk pile or at a consignment shop for next to nothing. If you mess it up, no big deal. All in all, a good place to start any modding project.

Good luck,
-Evan

[Farinorco]

What I'm thinking to do is building it from scratch, maybe with MDF or something similar (I've thought about PVC foam too). The good news about MDF are that I could get it cut in the point of sale, so most of the work would be drilling, screwing and painting, it's relatively dense so with thick enough panels it would be an effective sound barrier, and it's a cheap material. Bad news are, AFAIK, that I would have to deal with the resonance, maybe using foam, fiberglass or something. I don't know exactly, as at the moment I'm stuck with the general design thing.

The main problem with commercial cases is that they tend *ehem* to follow the ATX standard, which in my opinion is not the optimum way to go with watercooling. At least with the watercooling I want to use . Cases like the 65cm (26") tall Chieftec could be big enough, but I see the deep changes I'd need to do to it even more difficult than building one from scratch.

So what do you people think about the design I've previously shown? I'd appreciate any other suggestion you can do...

Anyway, lots of thanks for your suggestion and interest, QuaiBoy.

NOTE: I've just realised that I haven't mentioned the case orientation in the previous pictures. The front of the case would be the edge near the 5 1/4 bays and mainboard (at right hand) and the back, the one near the PSU and radiator (at left hand). I'm going to edit now to clarify it.