IBM Server Case -> HTPC Case

[FrostBite]

I just got a case from DR_K13, a full tower IBM server that he was giving it out for free. We met up earlier today, and I brought this monsterous thing back home. This case is pretty old with no brackets to put a P4 motherboard, an AT power supply bay that needs to be conveted, and wieghts in at about 40 pounds.

It's sort of hard to see, but that black square is a Caesers Palace standard playing card.

I'm making the HTPC case for my mother because she is interested in buying a HDTV or a big LCD soon. The very right of that picture is where she is going to put it. This computer fits snuggly into this area, and I'll build a little CD/DVD rack on top.

This is it stripped down.

Basicly what I'm going to try to do is "blend" it into the wall. I'll be doing this by sanding down the old cover and than spray painting it white. The front and back are going to be covered with reflective plexiglass, or if I can't find any, regular plexi glass but spray painted white. This should hide the steal, and make this case all white. It'll be like hiding a rhino in a construction site.

What needs to be done:
- Dremel off a lot of parts like the fan mesh, back faceplate, some inner workings
- Add in screws for a P4 motherboard, and ATX power supply
- Sand, prime, spraypaint, colorcoat white
- Make front bezel and backing out of plexiglass

Might take a while becuase I've got a lot of other stuff on my plate, but hopefully it'll be done before mothers day.

 

[DR_K13]

say/..... I had a case like that once!

 

[runt]

i still have a case like that, it currently houses my dual pentium 233mmx fileserver system

 

[FrostBite]

Was sprinkling today so I didn't get much metalwork done. That and this is a steel case, and I haven't worked on steel in some time, spent 2 cutting wheels (non-break) just to cut these parts!

The front bottom which was dremeled out for a 80mm fan to fit. I will be using epochy to hold it on instead of bolts and nuts.

Had to cut some steel to fit the ATX power supply. I couldn't find my power drill so I didn't drill the holes for the power supply screws yet.

The back faceplate was way to big, and was blocking the motherboard parts so I had to cut more than half of it off.

Also decided upon how to get the plexiglass on without having any metal show. Going to screw on the power supply and put the plexiglass over it so it should fully cover the back, and make some very small holes for the sound, and DVI. The front and back plexi glass will be held on with plastic clear screws from US Plastics. Found these from Linear's "Invisible Case Mod."

 

[DR_K13]

nice, glad to see you cutting away, glad it went to a good home!!!!

I miss ya little ( big ) buddie, my cat slept inside it, sorry if there was fur inside!

 

[FrostBite]

tuition came, over $1000. gonna need to resupply my cash so it might be a month or so.

 

[DR_K13]

gook luck!

 

[Morphes]

lol i am working on that exact same case as we speak :-p hope yours turns out better than mine hehe, i got lazy with it. Most of the holes match up for the mobo you just gotta cut one of em down, the backend you might have to fabricate though. Def sand to the metal on these things, once you paint over the current paint its SOOO hard to get off with sand paper just trust me on this one.