[Felix The Assassin]

@Larry, and others that may have an interest.

This is 'My Case' that has recently been retired. Most customs have been tested through many user groups, and most have been proven effective. Some are of my own creation, and only proven by myself. Take what you want from these ideas, and use them with great success.
This case started as a typical PC Show $29.99 special. Name? With PSU! First thing, ditch the cheap PSU and get a real good one. One that will last the duration of the amount of money you would spend buying 3-5 cheap ones. Take your oldest M/B with CPU attached, and use this and the cheap PSU for a powered bench test platform. This is good for testing fans, and other powered accessories. All of these fans are Enermax, dual voltage, and speed adjustable units. Most rail/frame cross support and support beams have had the pop rivets drilled out, and replaced with sheet metal screws. If doing this, the case must be balanced, and true, and all sections should be leveled and squared prior to final tightening. After all destruction customizing was complete, the case was cleaned, sanded, and painted with "Rust-Oleum Hammer Tone Silver". All wiring has been loomed into "Wal-Mart" automotive section wire looming. Other wiring has been routed along rails, or other wires to streamline the airflow. E-IDE cables are from PC Toys.




Side panel removed, overview of system.



Front face, 92mm filtered intake. Custom cut with hole saw, metal frame cut with hand nibbler, all edges filed and painted flat black. Collar is a Dollar Store funnel, measured and cut from the inside, mounted with epoxy, and one allen-head screw for "show".



Behind front intake fan. Custom HDD rack. Home Depot 3" angle brackets, self tapping screws securing them through bottom floor plate. Inside of bracket has drilled through "3M rubber bumpons". Facing side has one bracket, M/B side has two. (Recommend reversing this to have two on facing side, one on M/B side}.



Side filtered intake. Wire bracket for "show" helps distract from filter. Cut with hole saw, drilled, sanded, custom mounting screws with rubber grommets between fan and case.



Top unfiltered exhaust. Shroud for "show". Centered in the top by width, placed just behind optical drive in depth, closer to optical drive than the PSU. Cut with hole saw, drilled, sanded, custom mounting screws with rubber grommets between fan and case.



Mounted PSU from the inside. Fan replaced, reversed, and unguarded, draws hot air from the CPU heat-sink and pushes it into PSU. Rear PSU fan replaced and unguarded as well, pulls hot air through the PSU, and draws fresh air into PSU from the side venting and the side panel case fan. It then works as an exhaust, blowing out the rear. Both fans have been recessed and rubber grommets or gel pads placed between the fan and metal. PSU internal edges have been taped over with heavy duty rubber (not vinyl) electrical tape. (no metal to metal contact). All PSU mounting surfaces are lined with either gel, or felt. Rubber grommets at the mounting screws.

This is by all means not all inclusive, but did get me a 4th place loser, AKA honorable mention a couple years ago in a practical application case-modding contest (received a "newegg" $50 certificate). There are no lights, windows, bells, whistles (except fans on high) or anything else that IS NOT functional on this case. A smoke spray test from the front blows out more from the top and less from the rear PSU. A smoke test from the side blows more out the rear PSU, and less out the top. Canned smoke used to be available at an electrical store, or serious PC/Hobby store.


We will get you running Kool Larry. One way or another!

Peace
Felix!

Next? New case.