ALU³ or 13³..

[unreal]

Anyways, I've done alot of thinking, hopefully I will be building a custom, from scratch cube.

Info:
The aim is to create a small cube, hopefully 13"³ in size, so thats where the name came from, it will contain a watercooled gaming/multipurpose pc.

The Spec:
2.0Ghz Dothan
DFI 855GME-MGF
2*512mb OCZ 3700EB
Tagan 480w PSU (still thinking this through, i'd like to include it as, well I want a decent PSU in there...)
Inno3D 6800GT
Slim DVD-RW
Seagate 120GB harddrive (no need for more space currently, and I like the silence of seagates)

The watercooling
(hopefully:)
Cathar's Storm G4 block, the rest of the kit I think will be sourced from here, just I like his block design, not sure if its abit large.. time will tell!
Will contain, 6800 block, 120.2 rad (no space for 120.3 unless I make it a rectangle (im wanting to keep it small ish)

The idea's so far:
http://img15.exs.cx/img15/3696/2f-matxcube.th.jpg (http://img15.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img15&image=2f-matxcube.jpg)

The cube:
I am thinking of aluminium, because its cheaper than stainless steel and more workable. The idea I have come up with is using an L shaped frame from which all the sheets can be attached, I ideally dont want anything on show on the outside..

[Olly]

unreal - I've been playing with the idea of building an alu case from scratch for some time now, and, like you I'd prefer to avoid having any screws etc on the external panels.

I'd be interested to know how you intend to fit them (as long as your willing to share the secret of course :D )

Best of luck with the build, I'm going to be very interested in how this develops.

Olly

[unreal]

have you ever seen how most side panel's fit?

I was hoping to attach bits abit like the following:

http://img91.exs.cx/img91/94/17-mountingmethod.th.png (http://img91.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img91&image=17-mountingmethod.png)
So it would slot in

[Olly]

how are you going to fit the channels etc to the side panel - glue?

[dutchcedar]

With all due respect, your detail of the side panel attachment is not very clear.

Nothing is holding the panel in at the top, nor do you show how to attach the clips on the bottom.

In my experience, if you're going to build a case from scratch, you better get used to incorporating exposed fasteners to the design unless you're a master welder and metal finisher with oodles of time to spend reinventing the wheel.

I don't know, maybe you have it figured out and your drawings just aren't very clear.

[Sinner]

you could use the same latch mechanism they use on clothes dryer doors. that would probably be easiest and most readily available. I would suggest welding all pannels you dont want to have come off together and only have one removable pannel.