Just thought it looked cool like this.
How long can I go without making a "this PC rocks" joke?
$20 for a broken amplifier is kind of a ripoff. $20 for a PC case, however...
Dismantling the "case"
Fractal Design Prisma AL-18 in comparison to typical 120mm case fan.
Overheating is a non-issue when your fan is the same size as your motherboard.
The motherboard tray. 15-year-old Antec Sonata, your sacrifice is appreciated.
The motherboard tray, painted, trimmed again after I realized I had it upside-down when I was measuring, and finally mounted. The paint is engine enamel, so no worries about degradation from heat.
Amp circuitry and some sheet metal removed, leaving a wide opening for exhaust and motherboard I/O
With the help of just about every power tool I own, the PSU is finally mounted.
The SFX-ATX adapter bracket neatly hides my clumsy woodworking.
How obsessive am I? Enough to take the silver screws out and paint them black.
With the internals removed, a lot of bolts were left loose, so I shortened them and glued them in place. Looks better than leaving the holes exposed. More importantly, the back panel now comes off with 4 bolts instead of a dozen.
Aluminum USB faceplate, cut and painted. This was done freehand with a Dremel and a file, which is why one hole is slightly bigger than the other.
Wish the USB faceplate could've been smaller, but a hole needed to be covered. It works, so I shouldn't complain.
Set up in my office at work. Still trying to decide if I want to keep the AMD stickers.
Trial and error wiring up the input jack. It's mono, why are there five contacts?
It looks like crap, but it works. Maybe I should print that on my business cards.
The cable for the audio interface might be a little too long.
Maybe I'll do the headphone jack later.
Nothing to see here, just an ordinary office PC.
Luggable Office PC/Guitar Recording Rig
It started with a broken guitar amp gathering dust, a passing idea, and the need for a new PC at work.
After a few months of procrastinating and throwing tools, my desk now features this piece of absurdity. I've gotten a few confused looks from my coworkers.
Notes:
- PVC mesh dust filter installed under front grille
- Power supply attached to Corsair SFX-ATX adapter bracket (trimmed to fit)
- Power button is the original rocker switch, so I have to flip it on and off to power on the system (let's call it a security feature)
- Motherboard tray salvaged from junk case (I didn't want to measure and drill the standoff holes myself)
- Input jack wired to USB audio interface (Zoom U-22) mounted inside chassis
It's worth mentioning that not only does this sit in my office at work (where my guitar isn't), the USB audio interface is basically pointless (my effects unit has a USB port already). So this project was absolutely a "because-I-can" undertaking.
After a few months of procrastinating and throwing tools, my desk now features this piece of absurdity. I've gotten a few confused looks from my coworkers.
Notes:
- PVC mesh dust filter installed under front grille
- Power supply attached to Corsair SFX-ATX adapter bracket (trimmed to fit)
- Power button is the original rocker switch, so I have to flip it on and off to power on the system (let's call it a security feature)
- Motherboard tray salvaged from junk case (I didn't want to measure and drill the standoff holes myself)
- Input jack wired to USB audio interface (Zoom U-22) mounted inside chassis
It's worth mentioning that not only does this sit in my office at work (where my guitar isn't), the USB audio interface is basically pointless (my effects unit has a USB port already). So this project was absolutely a "because-I-can" undertaking.
Color(s): Black
RGB Lighting? Yes
Theme: Case Mod
Cooling: Air Cooling
Size: Mini-ITX
Type: General Build
Hardware
CPU
$ 129.99
Motherboard
$ 128.99
Memory
$ 83.98
Graphics
$ 1.00
Storage
$ 79.50
PSU
$ 129.99
Case Fan
$ 68.93
Estimated total value of this build:
$ 720.77
Approved by: