_k's Krazy Kase for Klan Lan or something
So I have been sekritly building a case for IC lan to hold a cheap parted out frag box. It is almost close enough to completion that I am willing to share my project.
I am pretty sure most everyone has seen pictures or read a review on the Antec skeleton rig. I hate it. It is heavy, to much plastic, and not really a skeleton of anything. So instead of use one of those things I decided to build something that is really a skeleton case in true concept of a torture rig. So instead of building something completely from scrape and have to fab a lot of the parts I just went down to my local Home Depot and started looking around and found their section of tie down block parts(metal pieces used to hold wood together). The idea behind this is so someone can replicate what I do or a variance of it with some ease also so if something things to be changed or added its kind of "modular" in the design.
Currently the frame work is a large cube like, almost square just slightly rectangular. Its large enough to hold an ATX board but I am using a micro because this design uses a motherboard tray I pulled from an old dell, this takes care of a lot of work for me as well as making it easier to remove the board and transport things safely. This cage is meant to only hold essentials so there are no extra case fans and no ROM, just a board-proc-ram-video card-PSU-HDD/SSD.
The parts for this build are going to be:
5600+ x2 or 5400+ x2 black edition($65-$74)
4GB of RAM, value crucial or patriot($30-$50)
small HDD or 64GB SSD(HDD would be free cause of "connections")
UPDATE: GA-MA74GM-S2($67.35).....it will work for plug and play and is cheap.
CM 460W PSU($40)
Radeon 1900xt(in my server)
Kingwin direct heat pipe 92mm cooler($5)
The case just needs to be screwed together the rest of the way and JB welded. When I get the frame together pics are going to be put up with a full list of parts and cost as well as a quick break down. Right now the case cost is right around $37 and might hit 40. The biggest issue is the JB weld takes 15 hours to harden fully so to weld the whole case takes the better part of a week. Until next time.
I am pretty sure most everyone has seen pictures or read a review on the Antec skeleton rig. I hate it. It is heavy, to much plastic, and not really a skeleton of anything. So instead of use one of those things I decided to build something that is really a skeleton case in true concept of a torture rig. So instead of building something completely from scrape and have to fab a lot of the parts I just went down to my local Home Depot and started looking around and found their section of tie down block parts(metal pieces used to hold wood together). The idea behind this is so someone can replicate what I do or a variance of it with some ease also so if something things to be changed or added its kind of "modular" in the design.
Currently the frame work is a large cube like, almost square just slightly rectangular. Its large enough to hold an ATX board but I am using a micro because this design uses a motherboard tray I pulled from an old dell, this takes care of a lot of work for me as well as making it easier to remove the board and transport things safely. This cage is meant to only hold essentials so there are no extra case fans and no ROM, just a board-proc-ram-video card-PSU-HDD/SSD.
The parts for this build are going to be:
5600+ x2 or 5400+ x2 black edition($65-$74)
4GB of RAM, value crucial or patriot($30-$50)
small HDD or 64GB SSD(HDD would be free cause of "connections")
UPDATE: GA-MA74GM-S2($67.35).....it will work for plug and play and is cheap.
CM 460W PSU($40)
Radeon 1900xt(in my server)
Kingwin direct heat pipe 92mm cooler($5)
The case just needs to be screwed together the rest of the way and JB welded. When I get the frame together pics are going to be put up with a full list of parts and cost as well as a quick break down. Right now the case cost is right around $37 and might hit 40. The biggest issue is the JB weld takes 15 hours to harden fully so to weld the whole case takes the better part of a week. Until next time.
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Comments
You aren't the only one who saw that Antec case and went, 'wtf?' It seemed like a cool idea, but poorly implemented. Not enough k's, either. Antek Skeleton? Now we're getting somewhere.
Draw backs:
Cost.
Size.
Weight.
Front IO ports and switches have short cables.
The frame is solid not a beam style, I beam or even C beam, which makes hiding cables hard.
Only takes micro-ATX.
A lot of plastic.
Cost.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's fairly attractive and an interesting concept for a production 'case'. I was initially excited by it. That's why I singled out the implementation for criticism. If they had gotten rid of the big, arc-shaped legs and the top cross brace, it might have been perfect.
Oh, and it costs about $100 too much for what it is.
Indeed.
Obviously this is not from experience. Just an obnoxiously strong opinion based on the reviews I read at the time of its release.
I don't think anybody would actually pay $140 for one, or whatever they cost now.
So I just got everything enough together to post it up. Like I said before mirco board on a dell tray, its locked in place with two screws on the far right side using washers and nuts. I am using the cross pieces to add stability and hold the weight when the heatsink and video card is added. The major issue I am facing now is figuring out how to mount the PSU and HDD/SSD on the bottom. I think I am going to use another piece of those large metal sheets and secure it to one of the uprights, screw in the PSU in one place and bend some metal to make a holder for the unit.....not sure. I need to spend some more time figuring out how to do this well.
There are still a few places that need JB weld to secure. I am going to torch the corners to burn out any plastic and finish the curing, still tacky after several days. Then the whole thing is going to get a coat or two of black paint except the mother board tray. The whole suspension system for the PSU-HDD-MoBo is not going to be welded only screwed so they can be removed for transport because if you didn't notice the whole thing leans a little due to manufacturing tolerances on the stamped metal pieces I am using. Its good enough for what I, I want that home made look but still an apperance of some though and inguinity.
I took more and loaded them up to a flickr account, http://www.flickr.com/photos/33201014@N02/.
Personally, I'd embrace the ghetto. Paint dat bish gold and black. Hang a fake platinum medallion off the side. Better yet, check ebay for a Mercedes logo someone ripped of a parked car.
I've had some bad luck with JBweld in the past. But a lot of people swear buy it. So is it the JB weld you are going to torch off?
Skeleton
<table class="specification" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="name">Dimensions</td> <td class="desc">13â€(H) x 14.8â€(W) x 16.5â€(D)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="name">Weight</td> <td class="desc">15.5 lbs.</td></tr></tbody></table>So its not as big all the way around as well as hard to handle. At work I was trying to pick up the case and the way the curved frame works makes it hard to deal with. Mine feels like it is pretty easy to move and change because you can just grab it by the end and walk around with it. I am trying to get it so the box can be used flat and vertical.
PSU: Ultra LSP 650Pro....Lifetime Series....?
I bought two of these, one for me and one for a friend at $49.99 a piece and I ended up getting $10 extra from my friend for installing his and the fact he is using my 1900xt instead of his dusty GeForce6600. So in the end it cost me $39.99 excluding tax. Now I am going to work on getting the PSU holder bent and installed, more pics to come, and then its off to paint this fool.
So I finished getting my PSU suspension system bent and set. The only step that is left is to paint this fool up. The flicker link from post 9 is updated with all of the new pictures I took and here are a few.
The brace that runs under the supply and back up top is going to be secured with a nut and that brace is actually working like a spring pushing up against the mobo tray. The brace that runs around the side of the unit and out to the corner piece as the tab that runs around so I run a zip through there and keep all of my cables that are not being used in the corner and neat. I might shift one of the bottom tray supports that helps hold the PSU and keep stress of of the mounts for it just so it looks better, but consider this v1.0. We ain't in beta any more.
edit: thought you might like this. (NSFW)
Skelet0r > k's Krazy Kase > Skeleton, in that order.
Thanks; done pooping on the party now.
HAHAHA he got you too? AT my job we have software that just blocks the website. Makes it even worse. Then you have this big white page that says BLOCKED and something about censored bla bla. in bold letter.
UPDATE: Case needs two more coats, motherboard tray needs painting-ETA TOMORROW. I am picking up the ram tomorrow. Either this 6400 or 8500 kit. 40 plus 20 dollar mail in on the 6400 and 45 plus 15 dollar mail on the 8500. Need to do some soul searching if I am going to go for a Phenom or Athalon in Janish-Febish, also tally up cost so far. This is an attempt at a cheap good computer for anything. Need to price out bling too. Part list for case is coming tomorrow and updated purchase list and cost.
edit UPDATE: Going with the 6400, same exact ram just clocked different from the manufacturer. OC will not be an issue as long as the board will run it and throwing some corsair DHX air coolers on them.
Power Switch $2.99-$1.72(Associate discount) = $1.27
10 oz. Flat Black Paint = $0.98
#6-32x.5" flat head screws plastic bag 9x$0.98 = $8.82
#8 cut washers plastic bag 1x$0.98 = $0.98
Gusset Angle 18x$0.73 = $13.14
12 in. Strap 4x$0.86 = $3.44
18 in Strap 4x$1.08 = $4.32
3x7 Tie 7x$0.77= $5.39
JB Weld = $6.00
Total: $44.34
Tax: $3.66
Cost: $48.00
I ended up with a few an extra bag of screws and one spare Gusset Angle, but it makes a difference of less than $2.00. Everything was purchased from Home Depot except the spray paint that was from Lowes. So to build your own Krazy Klan Lan Kase that is what you need and some imagination.
So if you didn't notice I zip-tied the power switch to one of the upright supports. The HDD will mount right in front of the PSU on its side. I hope the PCI-e power cables reach for the video card....a little miscalculation. If you didn't notice I threw in 4 GB of Patriot Viper ram(CL4, 4-4-4-12, 2.1v). The processor is getting purchased in January.