Who is Making Cases out of Natural Materials?
alansz asks: "I've been rereading William Gibson's Idoru lately (insert your favorite bookstore link). The main character uses a computer made by 'Sandbenders', an Oregon commune that designs computer cases (and parts) from natural materials like stone, wood, glass, etc. The theme is a blending of the natural/analog and the relentlessly cybernetic/digital. Like the imaginary customers of this commune, I find the idea of such a computer very appealing. There's a fair number of case mod stories here on Slashdot. Have any of you actually made (or decorated) or found a company that makes PC cases that incorporate unusual materials and a natural aesthetic?"
If you undertake a project to build a funky case out of plastic/glass/stone/wood/whatever, be sure to take the EMF into account. If it's something opaque like wood, this is easily remedied by liing the inside of the case with a faraday cage (wire mesh of the right size, basically). I'm not sure what you should do for clear materials - perhaps leaded glasses have some emf shield properties? not really sure on this.
11*43+456^2
I was procrastinating from writting a paper and noticed the page was running slowly. Here's a mirror:/ case/
http://www.students.bucknell.edu/cbarker
...I've seen them around for a while.
...they make wood cases and computer systems, as well as periphs (mice, keybds, LCD monitors *DROOL*). They'll even let you pick the wood. They also do PDA veneer and the like. Some of their high-end stuff is quite striking, if out of my price range. :-)
http://www.arbustus.com/
A hero is someone who knows when to run away. I am a hero. -Trent the Uncatchable