

How to build your own solid, Mac Pro-like PC enclosure? - SkyMarshal

I still prefer building my own PCs, the only problem is engineering them to be extremely solid.<p>For example, a few years ago I moved cross country, and naively shipped my DIY PC across country via UPS.<p>It arrived in completely smashed up condition, as if UPS had put it into a paint mixer on high speed for a few hours.  PSU twisted out of its setting, CPU fan broken off and banging around inside, totally ruined.<p>But that's because DIY parts generally aren't designed to withstand any kind of abuse, they're just designed to look not terrible and provide room for parts and enough airflow to cool them.  PSU is attached with two small screws, motherboard completely open, CPU cooler snapped on, etc.<p>By contrast, if you open up a Mac Pro, it's extremely solid, built with shipping in mind (as are most other mail-order PCs), and nicely organized.<p>Is there any way to build such a PC case yourself?  Has any DIY company realized this is a need that could be filled and provided products to do so?  Or am I just better off buying used Mac Pros and installing Linux on them?
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yardie
Honestly, I don't know what to tell you. The only thing that comes to mind is
get a Mac-Pro case and cut it up to fit your ATX board. You can find cases
online from fries machines. They generally go for $4-500. Problem is they are
built like $500 cases and there is a very small market for that. A market that
has the money to afford a full Mac-Pro.

Lian-Li had a case that looked similar in design and concept. And you can have
a look at this one
[http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811164...](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811164061&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-
_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=3952373&SID=)

But the ATX standard isn't really designed for optimized airflow; memory is
oriented in the wrong direction, CPU is positioned right behind the, flow
obstructing, drivebays, and hard drives are tucked in wherever there is space
left (usually the front bottom).

Instead of any laminar airflow you get case makers sticking more fans along
the sides, top, and bottom. Or they give up and do watercooling instead.

If you have the patience, get a Mac Pro case on ebay.

~~~
manvsmachine
The case that your newegg link refers to seems to be exactly what the OP is
trying to avoid: cheap, flimsy cases that won't survive being shipped. The
fact is, there are a number of well built cases, but they tend to hover in the
$200 to $300 range.

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manvsmachine
What kind of case were you using? That the case you described fell apart has
nothing to do with the fact that it was DIY and everything to do with the fact
that it was likely a cheap POS (from the way you described it). Spend some
money and you get fully toolless designs, full-body aluminum, etc. Buy a
_quality_ PC case from a good manufacturer (Cooler Master, Lian Li, etc) and
you won't have to worry about a thing.

Some examples of good DIY cases:

<http://www.corsair.com/products/800d/default.aspx>

[http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&prod=32](http://www.fractal-
design.com/?view=product&prod=32)

<http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?product_id=2870>

[http://www.lian-
li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=...](http://www.lian-
li.com/v2/en/product/product06.php?pr_index=321&cl_index=1&sc_index=25&ss_index=62)

~~~
SkyMarshal
Good links, thanks, will check those out.

My case was actually a Lian-Li case, the only ones I've ever used. Which gives
you some idea of the abuse UPS put it through. But it was one of their lower-
end models. And the CPU fan breaking off wasn't really LL's fault.

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jacquesm
Don't underestimate the kind of energy that UPS will put in to destroying
anything labeled fragile. It may very well be that if you had shipped a mac
like that that it would have arrived in bits and pieces just the same.

Packaging something fragile for shipment is also quite an art, and not always
intuitive.

~~~
SkyMarshal
True. There used to be a website UnitedPackageSmashers.com where people ranted
about UPS. Gone now, wonder if they got a takedown notice.

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maxharris
Why don't you just buy a Mac Pro? I know this isn't what you asked, but isn't
your time worth more than the thousand bucks you're "saving"? I used to build
a new PC every three or four years and I don't miss those hassles at all!

~~~
SkyMarshal
I'm leaning toward that, very good chance I'll get one for my next machine.

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oomkiller
Next time, just pay the extra $10 dollars for insurance and if they fuck it up
make them pay for it. Oh, I also have an old G5 laying around if you're
interested. Contact in my profile.

~~~
SkyMarshal
Thanks, appreciate it. Think I'll wait till used Mac Pro's with the Nehalem
chipset come down in price.

