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Making Computer Cases out of Plexiglass?
antis0c asks: "After reading many stories on Slashdot about building custom PC cases, I'm highly interested in building one myself. The only problem - I have absolutely no experience working with PlexiGlass/Acrylic/Lexan, basically any plastic type materials. I'd like to learn the basics, cutting, adhesives, special tools, all the skills required to build a PC case out of this stuff. A quick Google search left nothing really good on it, and I can't even find any books on Amazon on the topic. I hoping some Slashdotters might have some insight on good books on the topic, sites, or perhaps just information."
There is a special glue, again available at good hardware stores, that basically melts the two pieces of plastic and welds them together. When done properly, it makes a watertight seal. The trick is being very neat about not getting this stuff where you don't want it. Otherwise you'll see it forever.
The trickiest part of working with Plexiglas is bending it. Tools are available which are really nothing more than a long, straight heating element. You put the part of the Plexiglas you want to bend over the heating element for just a few seconds, then you remove it and bend it. You can repeat this a few times, working a bit at a time if need be. It helps if you have a good, square edge on your workbench to make nice 90 degree angles.
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Any saw, power or hand saw will cut through the stuff. Drills make easy work of the plexiglass. Epoxy is the best bet for an adhesive, although some will prefer the look of bolted or bracketed corners. Even if you do use bolts and brackets, then still use epoxy, since the bolts/brackets will loosen over time and epoxy won't.
Be carefull of which chemicals you use to clean the plexiglass with. I forgot which ones damage the plastic, but some of them do.
A nice touch is to cut a shape or letters as a hole out of paper or aluminum foil. Tape the aluminum foil to the plexiglass (with contact paper removed) and sand away the plexiglass with some steel wool or sandpaper. This will create a frosted shape of whatever you cut out on the plexiglass. Practice this a few times on a spare piece, but I've seen the results and it looks professional and nice.
Remember, that with plexiglass, the looks of the internals of your PC will be as important as the looks of the case. SPend a little time replacing LED's with blue LED's. Try putting some reflectors near the internal LCDs so that the light reflects around the insides. Buy a few LED's just to hook up to the powersupply that don't do anything. One nice effect is to have all of the LEDs hidden from view, but the light that they create will cause the innerds of the computer to glow.
Bundle wires together.
Remove RF shielding wherever possible (unless you think it will cause 747s to crash in your backyard). If you want an overall RF shield when you are done, then use window screen materials and attach it to the inside or outside of the plexiglass case.
I would appreciate and other ideas or comments/suggestions on these ideas since I am planning to make one too.
if you're looking for tips and tricks for handling the infamous clear stuff, check out the people who do custom aquariums. I found in my few forays into the field (thank god for a schitzophrenic art education...) that to make really nice seamless structures you're going to want heat, and plenty of it.
it's fast and dirty to throw some aquarium epoxy on mating edges and call it a day, but a single seamless piece will really stand out in a sea of imitations.
Buy yourself up a good heat gun (sometimes refered to as a paint-stripping gun), a blowtorch with a removeable fishtail spreader, and some good sturdy sheet steel to use as a working surface when playing with fire.
note: a medium-level blowtorch flame will alow you to 'flame-polish' the edges of your plexi creation. once you get good at this and can do it with one even pass you'll love the results. it's the same concept as you use when flame-polishing glass. The fishtail spreader is good for applying heat to a larger area if you don't have a proper electric heat gun.
Expect to make some pretty gruesome mistakes the first few tries. Start making some basic shapes, 90 degree bends and such, with small chunks of plexi. Once you get decent with that, work up to longer bends (not large radius bends, but wider pieces). A friend of mine swears by making jigs out of lengths of thin steel rod (1/8 - 1/4 dia.) and shaping the plexi over it.
Always work in well ventilated areas and don't rush the process. it's not as difficult as glass-blowing, but it still requires a lot of patience to get even surface temperatures on large expanses of the stuff.
As a 1st real project, I would suggest taking a PC chassis with removeable side and front panels, and create a single piece of plexi that 'wraps' from one side, across the front (use drill bits and a dremel to cut your drive openings) and around the other side. trim off any excess sheet metal from the chassis, and you're all set.
Good luck and keep us posted as far as your results.
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"linear" has two articles there so far. "Planning Your Acrylic Case" is seven webpages with details on various aspects of acrylic case design. "The Invisible Case" is sixteen webpages on how the author went about making a (rather ambitious) clear plastic case for their computer (amongst other clear modding), complete with plenty of pictures.
Tools: If you have a little cash that Rotozip tool is great for doing plexiglass stuff and includes an attachment to cut perfect hole (for fans)
Heat and Discoloration: You don't want your case to look like the back window of an old rag top convertable, either vent well or choose a grade of plastic that kind stand higher temps for the MB Backing. Also a big fan with the lights attached to the fins will look cool
Safety: EYES, Lungs, and Skin when ever your cutting plastics or metal with power tools wear a heavy long sleeve shirt, working gloves, eye protection to avoid spinters. (a plastic spinter in your eyes is bad news) Also if you use a power sander or rotory tool wear a dust mask.
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2. Your local plastic dealer. It depends on what brand of acrylic they carry, but all the major manufacturers publish little booklets about basic plastic techniques.
Even better, your local plastic dealer will also have tools specifically for plexiglass. It's not that ordinary metal or wood tools won't work; they will, but the cuts won't be as smooth and you're likely to jam on the chips until you learn the basic moves and good feed rates. The tools intended specifically for acrylic plastics are much more forgiving.
Someone else here recommended epoxy adhesives, which are truly a sign of poor workmanship with acrylic. Quality acrylic stuff is bonded by making the gap be very small and using a cement with the consistency of water. Done properly, the joint is optically clear and seamless. It does take some practice.
Some classic websites:
Rohm and Hass make the "plexiglass" brand of acrylic, but I've never found anything useful at their website.
Nothing beats a visit to a local plastic dealer, IMHO. Especially if you're looking for lively colors or advice about working the material.
How would you like it if every motorist in your neighborhood removed the muffler and pollution controls from their cars, because it looked kewl?
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