Exotic Wood Computer Cases

Alien54 writes "Exotic Wood Crafts has turned an aluminum case into a wood veneer case. For those who don't know, a veneer is a very thin layer of wood, in this case, pressed onto the panels of the case, maintaining the strong and stable characteristics of an aluminum case, while giving it a one of a kind wood finish. Lots of pics, some pretty nice looking stuff."

Comments

New! Wow!

[Anonymous Coward]

Exotic wood complete with exotic balls!

Re:New! Wow!

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow, now I can turn it on and polish my wood, all at the same time.

Pretty but expensive

[erick99]

They are pretty nice looking cases. However, the range in price from $250 to $600 so they are quite pricey. You can buy them from them via eBay,Here's the inexpensive one, or via online retailers. I don't think they are so nice that I would pay that much, though. But, if you wanted your computer to match the decor in your oh-so-very-expensive-and-professionally-decorated office, then it might be worthwhile.

Happy Trails!

Erick

Re:Pretty but expensive

[bwhaley]

Here are two similar, less expensive ones (I used tinyurl.com, it links to ebay).

Re:Pretty but expensive

[nhaines]

Sure, but you thought it was hard to find drives and periphials to match a black case? ;)

Re:Pretty but expensive

[Linda1]

Are you serious or just nuts? I can put a laminate on anything for less than $30 and the case you give as an "example" is ugly as all get out and NOTHING I would EVER want in my life. What the heck is that for style or craftsmanship???! Give me a break. If you think THAT piece of $10 junk laminate plastered on a metal case is worth the ridiculous price tag, you need to get a real world clue.

Re:Pretty but expensive

[Anonymous Coward]

$600 for a case?
I'll stick with a dead badger to run my linux.

Re:Pretty but expensive

[kfg]

Not to mention the fact that the blue plexi window in the side of a wooden case looks pretty daftly incongruous. The aluminum trim on the front panel smacks vaguely of Oldsmobile dashboard as well. That would be your grandfather's Oldsmobile.

They would have been better off putting a few tasteful strips of veneer on the aluminum, rather than the other way around.

Definately a, ummmmm, case, of marketing to those with more money than taste.

KFG

Re:Pretty but expensive

[antic]

You might remember someone (once upon a time) thinking that wood veneer looked great on cars -- round about the time of National Lampoon.

Your computer case will look "pretty nice" for all of about 5 days before some animal brought in for Dogs in the Office Day will mistake it for a tree and electrocute itself pissing on your computer. ;)

Re:Pretty but expensive

[realfake]

Actually, cars, especially station wagons, really used to have wood bodies in the 30's-40's or so. The thing that was popular in the 70's was basically wood-style contact-paper (or some other kind of adhesive, printed wood simulation).

Re:Pretty but expensive

[sucati]

I agree.. hats off to these guys for their cool idea, but here we are combining a case that "should" last forever with a computer that will be obsolete in a few years. What do you do with your beautiful case when it no longer fits the latest computers. I guess it makes sense for those with too much money, but I'd just upgrade my computer instead.

First wooden post?

[plover]

I liked the black walnut burl. But none of them look like they have adequate ventilation for the AMD systems I run.

Re:First wooden post?

[Anonymous Coward]

You'll want the chrome plated case that looks like a jet engine. To match the sound the innards make.

Re:First wooden post?

[Amiga Lover]

One more problem too is wood is a very good insulator so these cases would heat up more than any others as well.

I suspect we'll see many dead CPUs because of this

Re:First wooden post?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm not sure if you were implying that AMD systems are hotter than Intel ones, but they're not. Both are hot, of course.

HOT STUFF, COMIN' THROUGH!

Re:First wooden post?

[Anonymous Coward]

Many?

How many of these things do you think they'll sell?

Re:First wooden post?

[RollingThunder]

I think this is a false concern, personally.

Computers don't cool (much) by radiating heat. They cool by air exchange. Wood or aluminum, you'll still need a good airflow out of the case to keep everything cool.

Yes, the cases get warm - but the amount of heat coming OFF of them, felt a few mm away from the case, is miniscule compared to the blowdryer you've got attatched to the power supply. :)

Re:First wooden post?

[iamhassi]

"One more problem too is wood is a very good insulator so these cases would heat up more than any others as well."

wood also absorbs sound more than sheet metal so the cases should will be quieter

Re:First wooden post?

[budgenator]

I'd expect that the insulating properties of a 1/64th inch thich wood verneer glued to aluminum isn't that much different than an epoxy powder-coat on aluminum, and it would certainly conduct more heat than those neat plexiglass view-ports do. As an added benifit, the differences in the sound qualities of the aluminum, glue, wood verneer and finish coat would decrease sound conduction some.

Re:First wooden post?

[plover]

I wasn't really trying to slam AMD here. They certainly have their place assured in the legendary Hall of Space Heaters (especially the Thunderbird core,) but their trophy is the same size as Intel's. And I have nothing against AMD, either. The last five CPUs I have personally purchased have all been AMD, but I've also had hot Intel (and Cyrix) chips, too.

Let's just say that none of them will ever be invisible on a thermal scan. That reminds me -- next time my firefighter buddy has the Cairns-Iris around, we'll have to look at the PC through it.

Anyway, my biggest problem with these cases is that they don't look particularily well ventilated. Of course, if you can afford one of these, you can also afford a watercooler, so it shouldn't make much difference. Hmmm...I'm not so sure I want a case that costs more than the computer it houses...

Reviews -- and prices (ouch)

[JoshuaDFranklin]

Since I'm sure their poor site will be slashdotted soon, you can look at the pretty pictures from these reviews:

• Voided Warranty
• Virtual-Hideout.Net

Looks like they're not cheap--US$350-600--but they do look nice.

Larry Ellison's probably got a custom one on his desk.

Re:Reviews -- and prices (ouch)

[Anonymous Coward]

Larry Ellison's probably got a custom one on his desk.

Hope not, because with him it'd probably be kaya wood, and that should only ever be used for one thing. ;)

(actually I've never seen any indication that Ellison plays Go - probably not, but I bet he still has the best goban money can buy)

ok?

[pholower]

These cases look great, but whats new here? I have seen this done plenty of times. I think even the Screen Savers on TechTV did this before. I guess what I am trying to say is, why is this on /.?

Re:ok?

[bhtooefr]

Yep, Yoshi made an EPIA TC box, in which the case was done with wood veneers (it WAS wooden, though - the veneers just made it not look like he used plywood)...

Re:ok?

[bhtooefr]

Here it is: http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/modtips/story/0 ,24330,3646402,00.html

Re:ok?

[G-funk]

Because there was nothing interested posted yesterday, jeeze!

Re:ok?

[Anonymous Coward]

Great, now anytime somebody posts something remotely negative on slashdot the modderators are going to take it out on them.

Re:ok?

[trmj]

Well, put simply, it's because it was here before.

Re:ok?

[krumms]

it's a slow news day, you insensitive clod!

I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[gotr00t]

Usually, when I think of computers, I think of something highly technological, characterized by cool, sleek designs (casemodding?). However, wood is more natrual, thus being the exact opposite.

Though it is great for matching furniture, I would never buy one of these, because in my mind, nature and technology just don't mix.

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[kfg]

. . .in my mind, nature and technology just don't mix.

Where do you suppose silicon comes from? I like computers because they match the hand hewn exertior walls of my home.

My computer runs on electricty. Without electrons nature would be pretty much hosed. Although I have found out from experience that's it's best not to allow the naturally occuring electrons in the atmosphere to mingle with those in your computer. Lets all the magic smoke out and stuff.

Veneer itself is the result of technology, you'd be pretty hard pressed to make any without some, not to mention the technology of a wood-aluminum composite material, and composites are all the technological rage these days.

Got blue jeans? Nothing more than plant fibers twisted together ( depending on the brand there may also be some copper rivets. That's the only thing that seperates them from being neolithic. Copper is a natural material). You should try making a pair from scratch though. You'll find there's lots of technolgy involved.

Maybe your idea of nature needs reconsideration?

KFG

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[Amiga Lover]

Same here. Wood just makes me think of trailer park fake wooden panelling, cheap porn, and 1960s station wagons.

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[Enonu]

I dare say the effect of a nice wooden case is ruined by all the lovely cords running out of the front and the back. A black or silver finish is still the way to go.

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[zakezuke]

Usually, when I think of computers, I think of something highly technological, characterized by cool, sleek designs (casemodding?). However, wood is more natrual, thus being the exact opposite.

I say this often... there was a time where wood was common place for household technology items. Classic radios like Philco or Maganox use to make, television sets, you name it. Wood was a low cost material, good strength to weight ratio and very easy to work with. In fact I go out of my way to collect a few classic wooden pieces simply because I like it's character. I think of it less being nature vs technology but rather a balance between what is in fashion and what is cheep to produce.

I'm not going to say there is anything wrong with the modern plasic and powder coated computer cases. They typicaly can take more abuse then your typical wooden finish with the exception of good thick epoxy.

The last time I wanted something diffrent I selected spray paint, hunter green with black trim. It was hip, it was spiffy, it was a baby AT. Knowing my luck, the next time I custom style a case they'll change the standard again.

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[Anonymous Coward]

"...nature and technology just don't mix..."

Thereby summing up one of the problems with "syphillized" society: we draw artificial lines between ourselves and the rest of the "natural" world. I've got news for you: you, your cat, your computer, your dvd player, all of it, is N-A-T-U-R-A-L. It is composed of the same basic stuff as a rock or a tree or anything else. Your aluminum computer case used to be just raw elements in a vein in the rock somewhere, and one of these days, or millenia, it will revert to that again. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, etc. I guess my point is, technology and nature DO mix, it's only our mental foibles that try to keep them seperate. Further, if we let go of those foibles, we can create technology that mixes much better with nature, while still providing us with the tools we need to live. End of sermon. Have a nice day, or not, as you prefer.

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[Anonymous Coward]

Just think if wood were actually man-made. It'd be considered far far more "high-tech" than a mere computer. All those cells, nuclei, xylem, phloem, photosynthesis, mitosis, krebs cycle, DNA, ...

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[Nogami_Saeko]

Bingo, station wagon look. Ick.

Wood floors, good. Wood cabinets in kitchen good. Wood furniture good.

Wood + technology = bad.

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[oprahwinfree]

Really, isn't everything we use some form of technology? As the parent poster pointed out, veneer is an example of a technology, but even cutting down trees and making lumber involves more than one tech.

Weren't horse drawn carts at on point, high tech?

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[soxos]

Let's not forget this
I'm with the pro-wood camp.

I just had a Moog Prodigy for a couple of days. The real wood case didn't take away from the technology at all

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[pileated]

Ever hear of Velcro? A great confluence of nature and technology.

All great technology is actually somewhat organic, IMHO, and in that sense has much to learn from nature. This on the other hand is just one more example of trees being wasted in order to create a facade, otherwise known as veneer. Sort of like a ranch house fronted by Greek columns. The owners usually never know how the rest of the world is laughing at them for their bad taste.

I think that will be the end result of this and in that case I have to agree with you. It's not that nature and technology mix, in fact I think the opposite. But rather a cheap imitation nature (wood veneer imitiating solid wood) being plastered on top of something that's wholly mechanical. There's no natural affinity for the wood and what's inside of it. So they'll always be a pretty dumb mixture.

On the other hand I've always wondered why I've never seen wooden computer furniture that didn't look bad. Wood and computer innards really don't have any organic connection. But I would think that wood furniture would be able to happily coexist with computers. But I've yet to see it, and I have seen a lot of craft woodworking attempts to make computer furniture.

Long live nature! Long live technology!

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[AchilleTalon]

Very strange, but when I am looking at those clear case or black and silver decorated with pink and/or purple neon. I am just thinking the same thing.

Maybe a piece of orange/brown shaggy carpet sticked on the DVD/CDRW door can complete the picture. And why not a velvet/pastel nude picture on the left side of the case panel?

Anyway, I don't know why you associate wood with porn, maybe some early age trauma...

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[fi-greenie]

True.

It may sound weird, but there were even wooden airplanes. Beechcraft used to build airplanes out of plywood.

I recommend an excellent Princeton Architectural Press book called "Bent Ply", check it out;

Bent Ply

And about the parent. Well, the case doesn't look that good to be frank. I mean, the lines don't match, there are too much branches and stuff. And it's almost an insult to mix and match plastic and wood. If you want to make something out of wood, start from the scratch. A good example can be found from here (lots of pictures, text in Finnish);

Wooden Handmade Case

The case is made out of Finnish plywood (birch), which is also used in the famous chairs by Alvar Aalto. Like this one, for example, dating back more than seventy years to the early thirties;

Paimio Chair

Anyways, I like the idea of wooden cases. And not only from the aesthetic viewpoint. The resonance is radically different in wooden cases than in metallic ones. Instead of nasty "brrr", it's more like "mmmm", which is always a good sign :)

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[zakezuke]

Well, the case doesn't look that good to be frank. I mean, the lines don't match, there are too much branches and stuff. And it's almost an insult to mix and match plastic and wood. If you want to make something out of wood, start from the scratch. A good example can be found from here

I must admit, I do like this one on the Finnish site. Design wise I think at my level I could construct such a case with the use of plywood, pre formed molding, and a touch of hard wood. I imagine also I could do something similar using pine as well.

I will respectfully disagree with starting from the ground up when it comes to designing a wooden computer case. Not so much for the plastic elements but for the metal shielding. The ATX plate for example is wooden, where I feel it would be easier to actually get that from an old case. Sometimes they are screwed in, other times they are only rivited.

If I were to do something similar to this link, I would start with a stock metal frame. I would then go with the molding to plywood approach. I'd consider the use of primer and metal paint on the back of the wood, but it might be easier using elements of a powder coated case. Key advantage to the powder coat is the fact that you don't have that wood to bare metal. While I appricate your thoughts of acustics of wood, I feel the pre-drilled pre tapped elements of a manufactured metal frame a hell of alot more accurate then I can be with either a hand drill or a drill press.

I'm speaking from experence on this one. Even using an old XT motherboard as a template, I found that many of my holes were off by just a couple of mils. I resorted to using self tapped nylon spacers, a slightly larger hole, machine screws and nuts so it would fit properly.

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[laird]

"Usually, when I think of computers, I think of something highly technological, characterized by cool, sleek designs ... wood is more natrual, thus being the exact opposite."

In terms of imagery, I agree, but isn't it cool to combine apparent opposites? You have to love the beautiful woodwork that went into some of these cases.

"Though it is great for matching furniture, I would never buy one of these, because in my mind, nature and technology just don't mix."

I would. Imagine that you've got a nice looking living room or office with quality wooden furniture. Wouldn't a generic beige metal box with a generic beige CRT look terrible? Wouldn't a nice matching wooden CPU case and flat panel look nicer?

I see people argue "who cares what a computer looks like" and it mystifies me. If you're willing to spend $1K on a beautiful desk instead of $29.95 on a card table, or $500 on a suit instead of $50 on T-shirt and jeans, because it looks better, how is it different spending more money on a computer to make it look nicer?

Tastes differ, I guess. And that's a good thing...

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[Anonymous Coward]

Maybe your idea of nature needs reconsideration?

Maybe your idea of witty repartee needs reconsideration.

Maybe you should just shut the fuck up. The whole tone of your post gives me the distinct impression that you post because you need the gratification that comes from it, rather than to depart any information. This leads me to believe that you don't get too much gratification because people don't like talking to you. So you must a dork, or an asshole, or something like that. I'm guessin dorkbot in your case.

So, shut the fuck up, and learn from people that know how to interact with other people how to be accepted in society before you pollute it OK ?

The fact that you sign with your initials suggests that you are an asshole. You may as well sign off like this.

I am a fucking a dork.

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[Anonymous Coward]

PLEASE SHUT the FUCK up your rambling MORON.

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[Anonymous Coward]

Although I have found out from experience that's it's best not to allow the naturally occuring electrons in the atmosphere to mingle with those in your computer. Lets all the magic smoke out and stuff.

These people would probably agree with you.

Re:I still prefer metal/plastic cases

[kfg]

Fascinating! I've bookmarked that page.

In my case the root cause was rather more obvious though. Two direct hits by lightning on my building, plus one on the powerline about a dozen yards from the feed to the building. I happened to looking out the window at the time, doing a bit of Thor appreciation, and got to watch the strike on the power line.

Lost $2500 of computer equipment no more than two months old, about a grand worth of stereo equipment and had to put out an electrical fire inside an electircal fixture (old building that still had some wiring with cloth insulation).

Not to mention the chimmney and roof of the building, but I was renting so that wasn't directly my problem, although the rain coming through the remains of the roof certainly was.

Next time I rent the top floor of the tallest building in the neighborhood I'll make sure the owners know about lightning rods. It's amazing sometimes the simple technologies that people are ignorant of.

KFG

Sounds pretty cool

[mindless4210]

But how practical is that? I bet it costs a fortune, too. I'd pick one up just to say I have one

I'm waiting for a cardboard case.

[handslikesnakes]

It would be even better if it was a "tab a into slot b" thing that could be easily taken apart and reassembled.

Re:I'm waiting for a cardboard case.

[Sensitive Claude]

Do you mean something like this.
Or unless it is built for you that would be a little more complicated than "tab a into slot b"?

Re:I'm waiting for a cardboard case.

[Anonymous Coward]

this one is a Mac G4 Cube made of cardboard but it works.

Re:I'm waiting for a cardboard case.

[mm0mm]

you mean, something like THIS !? It's already out. An unfinished kit costs 9800yen (about $100 USD) and a finished box costs 13800yen (about $140 USD). their site says the box doesn't require any glue to assemble because glued paper (cardboard) will make the quality of paper poor when it is recycled... oh well. How much is a cardboard house?

Re:I'm waiting for a cardboard case.

[handslikesnakes]

Nah, I was thinking something more like a regular case but built of sturdy corrugated cardboard.

That article was just kind a pointless "gee-whiz" thing.

Beavis

[Anonymous Coward]

heh heh heh -- you said wood.

Re:Beavis

[rock_climbing_guy]

Butt-head: Hey, Beavis, check out my wood. Uhh huh huh huh huh

Beavis: Cool, it's like, ummm, ah ummm, it's like a computer, but with wood around it.

Butt-head: Uhh huh huh huh huh, you said wood, uhh huh huh huh huh

Beavis: Hey Butt-head, how'd they get the computer in the wood.

Butt-head: Shut up, dumbass! They must of like, had the tree grow around it and then cut it out.

Beavis: Ahhh yeah yeah yeah, heh heh heh

Re:Beavis

[Anonymous Coward]

shut up, butthead

another site

[Coneasfast]

i found this site. has some pictures of the inside which is quite interesting.

Claims officer's nightmare

[unbiasedbystander]

"I turned into my insurance claims officer that a computer was also lost in the conflaguration. He said there was no evidence of a computer found..."

THAT'S BECAUSE IT WAS MADE OF WOOD

Previously... on /.

[Anonymous Coward]

See stories Custom Metal Computer Cases and Who is Making Cases out of Natural Materials for additional information.

thermal properties!?

[MrFreshly]

Wouldn't the wood covering just act like an insulator?

Now, if they made one out of concrete - Fred Flintstone style - I'd be really impressed!

Re:thermal properties!?

[Sensitive Claude]

Wouldn't the wood covering just act like an insulator?

I was wondering the same thing.
If the back isn't covered and the case fan is good enough would that work?

If they only build the box, are they responsible if it overheats?

Maybe it would be best to put a Crusoe chip in it.

Re:thermal properties!?

[Anonymous Coward]

The outside of a conventional my computer case does not feel hotter than the surrounding air. This means that my computer case does not lose much heat by thermal conduction through the metal.

I would believe a wooden case works fine.

Re:thermal properties!?

[MrFreshly]

Perhaps...Is your case aluminum? My aluminum case gets warm. The drive heat is dissipated through the contact points...And any excess heat collects at the top of the case and is passed through the aluminum shell. My old steel cases, however, did not shed the heat very well.

It just seems silly to wrap a good thermal conductor in an insulator.

LOL, perhaps it's for acoustics? The /. article about the wooden speaker cones formed using Sake pointed out the excellent acoustic properties of wood...Could enhance the fan/hdd sound! :)

Re:thermal properties!?

[zakezuke]

Wouldn't the wood covering just act like an insulator?

I have an old sony amp... linier power supply rated for the 300 watt range, passivly cooled. It's a wooden case with top vents and does just fine.

Re:thermal properties!?

[pclminion]

Wouldn't the wood covering just act like an insulator?

So what? A computer doesn't cool by radiant heat transfer. Hold your hand an inch from the case -- feel any heat radiating off it? The case is not a heat sink. It's made of metal primarily because it shields EM radiation.

The air being blown through the case by your fans is what cools the system. The thermal resistance of the case material is irrelevant.

So what? Where's the shag carpet?

[davejenkins]

Why would such a simple "case mod" make the Slashdot front page? It isn't even a "case mod", it's a "case decal".

I might as well dig out some shag carpet from my parent's house basement, glue it to the sides of my desktop machine, and post some pics. Results would be the same: something that looks cool for a couple weeks, then becomes tacky, then downright ugly and embarrassing in a few months.

Obligatory Crap Slashdotting Joke

[Anonymous Coward]

Their server appears to be made of wood.

Hahahahahahahaha!

woodgrainpc.com disappeared...

[bergeron76]

These guys used to offer woodgrain finished keyboards, mice, peripherals, etc... but the website vanished.

Here's a picture of a keyboard they used to sell and here's a picture of a car computer finish that was offered.

There's also a company called Oberhofer that sells 'designer' keyboards / mice / etc. at a premium. The last time I checked the website, however, it was de-funct. They had some great peripherals at (albeit) grand prices. I think they have a showroom or two in San Fran or LA somewhere.

Anyone have any info on what happened to them?

Overall, this is a GREAT mod / hack and I'd love to know how they did it...

Re:woodgrainpc.com disappeared...

[__aagctu1952]

SWEDX still sells wooden monitors, keyboards and mice. I'd get myself a Beech wood TFT if the things hadn't been so horribly expensive...

Wood LCD Frame

[DeadBugs]

I am looking into making a wood LCD frame. This is for a home built Digital Picture Frame project. Maybe a wood veneer over a metal frame instead of a true wood frame would work better.

Re:Wood LCD Frame

[cowscows]

if you're going for cheap and easy, a plain old wood frame would probably be the way to go. As long as you have access to a shop. Veeneer is not very cheap, attaching it to metal is bound to cause problems, and any conditions that will damage a plain old wood frame will probably wreck the LCD anyways.

Re:Wood LCD Frame

[drinkypoo]

I was thinking that almost anyone could make a simple and reasonably attractive wooden case for an LCD display and maybe a small motherboard using only inexpensive tools... The only "specialized" equipment you need to make a wood frame out of mouldings is a miter box, which lets you make consistent 45 degree cuts. If you had a belt sander, that would make life amazingly easy, but it is not necessary. A file and some varying grades of sandpaper are required. Finish requires either a brush or roller but is not strictly necessary. You can cut the wood with a hack saw (with the right blade) or with one of a variety of saws designed to cut wood. Instead of a mitre box you could use a small band saw or an upright jig saw, the latter of which should be available for fairly reasonable prices. Oh yes, or a miter saw. A jig saw is probably the easiest way to get a clean cut.

The easiest way to make a wooden back would be to use a piece of plywood or a wide plank (hard to find anything decent more than about eight inches wide sometimes though) and then drill some holes in it, then use a jig saw or and saw any cutouts you need in it. If you use something thin enough, you can build up protrusions by using multiple layers and leaving parts of them out, for example a plate with a hole, a ring that covers the hole but with the bottom left out, and then a plate to cover the ring. Since it's wood, you can use hinges and such and attach whatever you want to it.

As for mounting, it's not especially conductive stuff so if you put a metal plate of some sort (sheet metal is fine) at the back of it and then use plastic tubing for standoffs, and use plastic washers and metal screws, you can mount a PC board into it, or a LCD, or whatever. Anything delicate should definitely be isolated with at least plastic washers.

I'm sure you knew all this but I had to let it out somewhere :P

Why buy one?

[Flingles]

I don't see what's wrong with making a wood box and cutting the right holes in it. I s'pose that would also be a good opportunity to make my ultimate case mod (for LANs). Get a flatscreen monitor, and stick it to the side of the pc. And you could make a compartment in the computer for storing headphones, keyboard, mouse. Next time you go to a LAN, this would be all you need... (and it's a space saver). So, any entrepeneurs here?

Re:Why buy one?

[Anonymous Coward]

EM emissions. See Faraday cage.

Wood box + adequate sheet metal liner or high grade foil = good computer geek

Not that I haven't run cpus on my workbench for years sans any sort of case or metal enclosure. No, not me. Never.

Re:Why buy one?

[cybermace5]

Actually, I think that this is the right approach to making a wood-grain PC, though I agree with you about the price.

There is one problem with building your own case out of chunks of wood (or plastic for that matter). The problem is shielding. Computers are extremely noisy RF interference sources. That's why most normal retail cases are metal or have shielding inside. If you build a wooden case, and I've drawn up a few concepts before, it would be a good idea to get some adhesive foil to line the inside, or some EMI spray (conductive paint).

Everyone thinks that their computer is such a small influence that it doesn't matter. Well, RF noise pollution is a real problem that engineers have to deal with...don't complain if your wireless connection or cell phone doesn't work very well in the room with all your unshielded computers. Or if there's a persistent buzz in your stereo system.

If you start with a good metal case and then apply a wood layer to the outside, you don't have to worry as much about it. Unless, of course, you cut a huge ugly gaping hole in the side and glue in some plexiglass so people can see a couple of blue LEDs rattling around inside. You can't completely shield a computer, but cutting it open doesn't help.

Re:Why buy one?

[jakobk]

I did that once. It works, but i have been a little sloppy. I think that with a minimum of more work, it could have been really good.

Re:Why buy one?

[mrwonka]

You can also get copper tape to shield the inside. The best stuff is the copper tape that also has conductive adhesive.

I've never used the stuff on a computer... but I have used it on lots of guitars.

Re:Why buy one?

[electronerd]

Computers are extremely noisy RF interference sources. That's why most normal retail cases are metal or have shielding inside.

Of course it couldn't be because sheet metal is easy to form into a computer case...

It's Recyclable!

[Anonymous Coward]

Instead of going to the city dump, now you can turn your old PC into speakers.

Re:It's Recyclable!

[Sensitive Claude]

Will veneer bend like that without Sake?

Re:It's Recyclable!

[Anonymous Coward]

It doesn't matter. The alcohol makes it burn better!

Patent Pending! (nt)

[handslikesnakes]

I said (nt) dammit!

A few things

[The_Mystic_For_Real]

The cases look may look nice, but I don't think I would ever buy one. It seems to me that the wood might serve to trap heat inside the box, and unless there are a lot of fans this will obviously cause problems. I would imagine it would be easier and cheaper (though signifigantly less cool) to just get a cabinet for your box.

For those of you a little more knowledgeable...

[Murmer]

Wood veneer is also generally pasted over particle board, to make cheap, nasty substandard crap look expensive, so that people who don't know any better spend way more money than the things are worth.

And, at $250 to $600 for a freaking computer case, I'd say that trick still works.

Re:For those of you a little more knowledgeable...

[eagl]

The fact that it makes a generic computer case actually look nice doesn't matter then?

Might as well not have paint on your car because everyone knows that paint just covers up that nasty looking anti-corrosion stuff on plain old steel, and who knows how that will look in a few years.

Or maybe making something that is at best "industrial looking" look nicer is a valid effort and may be worth something to some people?

Re:For those of you a little more knowledgeable...

[kfg]

On the other hand, wood veneer is also pasted over particle board to make the very finest hand made cabinetry that still looks like solid wood.

Particle board is a composite material, just like carbon fiber composite, only using wood fibers instead of carbon. Wood fibers, in certain uses are superior to other types of fibers.

For making furniture it has the advantage over solid wood of being uniform in dimension, extremely stable in varying temperature and humidity ranges, denser and harder. Really just the stuff for cabinets. It's chief disadvantage is that it's heavy. Goes with the dense. Thus it's best for installed furniture. You wouldn't want to carry it to a LAN party.It's also hell on blades. Goes with the composite material.

Many of the finest cabinet makers, when making articles for their own use or for a few select customers who they know can appreciate it, work in veneered particle board, because it's the best material for the job.

Mind you, there is cheap, crappy particle board, and more expensive high quality particle board.

Just as in everything else.

KFG

Re:For those of you a little more knowledgeable...

[Halfbaked Plan]

Wood veneer is also laminated onto expensive but not-as-attractive hardwood to make very expensive high quality furniture.

For which, mind you, rich people spend more money than it's worth.

Wooden cabinet floorstanding Television Sets have always looked nicer than their 'portable' counterparts. There's nothing wrong with having a little more style and housing electronic equipment in a nice enclosure.

Re:For those of you a little more knowledgeable...

[Anonymous Coward]

Sometimes it is for this, but for others, it is because the particle board or other base wood that the veneer is placed on is probably stronger, and definitely cheaper, or have some other material or physical basis.

How much is zebrawood in shelving dimensions (i.e., 1/2" x 14") per LF? If you've seen the price for zebrawood veneer, you'd probably want to find a cheap substrate for it.

A solid ebony bookcase would be...heavy, to say the least...

The Borg disagree...

[scottblascocomposer]

Ahh, but they will, and it will be literally "in your mind" that technology and nature mix, for you will be assimilated.

Resistance is futile.

mod parent down!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

link is to a rehash of the goatse.cx images

Hardwood veneers on sheet metal?

[Nakito]

I've worked with hardwood veneers on musical instruments. Two points: (1) you want a porous substrate so the veneers adhere properly; (2) you want a reasonably rigid (non-flexible) substrate so the veneers adhere properly. I can't image a worse substrate for fine veneer work than sheet metal. How intact will the veneers be after a year of normal use?

Re:Hardwood veneers on sheet metal?

[squaretorus]

My thoughts precisely - and another thing veneers dont enjoy is temperature fluctuations - or localised heat which will both cause bowing and general loss of adhesion.

I almost want to buy one just to see how bad it looks a year later - but hey - if your spending that kinda cash on a case something funkier will come along in the next 12 months to catch your eye and this thing will be in the basement anyway!

Re:Hardwood veneers on sheet metal?

[sjlutz]

Also, don't forget that different materials shrink and expand in different ways. As a wood worker, I need to take into consideration how wood will expand and contract differently along it's width versus it's length. Without taking this into consideration, a piece of furniture WILL develop split joints or worse, the stress on the wood will cause the wood to split itself (not at a joint).
Applying the wood to metal is just trouble waiting to happen. The wood will definately expand much more than the metal as humity rises. Where's it going to go?
I know you're going to think that the wood is sealed and therefore won't absorb humidity. That is wrong, it is only mostly sealed, and that depends a lot on the finish that is used too. If it is just an oil finish (tung oil, danish oil), then it's not sealed nearly as much as a polyeurothane finish.
I am sure that with today's modern glues, the veneer will probably stay intact for a few years, but after many cycles of expand/contract, the glue will fail. There some antique furninture (200+years old) with veneer that has failed in comparison.

Re:Hardwood veneers on sheet metal?

[Quarters]

The LianLi 6070 case is anything but flexible. It's made out of pretty heavy gauge aluminum. The door on the front is easily 1/8" to 1/4" of an inch thick. The side panels are quite beefy also.

I own one (non-veneer) and love it. The thick metal, sound absorbtion material, front door, and rubber gasket (around the door) makes for a very quiet case. It's also pretty stylish to boot.

Re:Hardwood veneers on sheet metal?

[Anonymous Coward]

Normal use? I don't think I've touched my desktop machine's case in the last year. It just sits there.

Re:Hardwood veneers on sheet metal?

[Anonymous Coward]

1) You could sand the aluminum case to rough it up in order to have something for the glue to stick to. This is common practice for gluing to smooth materials.

2) Veneer expands and contracts *much* less than solid wood panels. When veneering, you usually need to put veneer on both sides of the substrate so that the top veneer doesn't pull the substrate into warping. If your aluminum was thick enough, this wouldn't be an issue.

There's an old saying... a very old saying...

[Anonymous Coward]

When the student is ready, the master will veneer.

./'ed alread

[grendel_x86]

this server is close to dead, and only 10 min after posting.

Hope they arnt paying for bandwidth.

Re:/.'ed alread

[grendel_x86]

yes i realize i am a dumbass and said ./ instead of /.

Bah!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Show me a wood CPU, and then I'll be impressed.

Re:Bah!!!

[core plexus]

Wood? Bah!! Kids these days, I tell ya...

In my day, we made our CPU's out of crystals! Our motherboard was a clay tablet. And we hammered the gold into thin sheets, baked it in a dung-fired oven, and we LIKED it.

-cp-

Its on fire!

[chrispyman]

Methinks their wooden server must really be burning pretty good about now... Smores anyone?

Re:Its on fire!

[Alien54]

Methinks their wooden server must really be burning pretty good about now... Smores anyone?

I have made a joke about a server converting into a pile of smoke before. This seems to be a time when the image might be appropriate.

Re:Its on fire!

[glk572]

my university actually had a building burn down when a server overheated and cought fire.
As I recall it cost a few million dollars to repair the dammage.

here's a page with pictures
http://www.acadweb.wwu.edu/dbrunner/cbef ire/

Re:Its on fire!

[toddestan]

http://www.acadweb.wwu.edu/dbrunner/cbefire/

Wow, that was one hell of a slashdotting!

Why porous?

[Anonymous Coward]

I used to screen print textiles, and we had a saying when people brought us garments with big holes in the threading: we can't print on air.

Wouldn't the same be here: you can't glue to air?

Re:Why porous?

[Nakito]

So the veneer glue can get some tooth into the substrate. With a wooden substrate, the glue penetrates the pores of the wood for a better bond. Otherwise, it tends to peel off when the piece is stressed.

Re:Why porous?

[zakezuke]

I'm not an expert with wood to metal bonding, but I would tend to agree the fact that even epoxy i've enjoyed only limited success with veneer to vinyl. I have enjoyed much luck drilling holes into the substrate and allowing the glue to flow through and allow it to mushroom with the assistance of wax paper. Helps prevent seperatation in the same way the rivits do.

Re:Why porous?

[kfg]

Well, the article does say "propriatary" process, although if this process is much different than smearing it with epoxy and vacuuming bagging it I'd be surprised.

KFG

Getting these out of the way....

[Deraj DeZine]

Looks like his server was made out of wood.
Too bad his server's wood because I think we just set it on fire.
In Soviet Russia, veneer knows YOU!
Despite being "EXOTIC WOOD," none of the pics are NSFW.
Yes, apparently computer cases are capable of getting wood.
No, he box is not called "Woody"; he does, however run Debian Woody.
Yes, he did get high off of the finish while working on the project.

I have to wonder

[inode_buddha]

How's the bass? how much sake?

This is really nothing new... at all..

[bl4nk]

FrozenCPU.com has been offering wood cases for quite a long time.. if you want to take a look for yourself, go ahead.

Re:This is really nothing new... at all..

[Halfbaked Plan]

It seems sort of schizophrenic that they make nice finished wooden cases, but then put one of those big dorky windows in the side, so you can see a bunch of grey ribbon cables and the assorted mess.

I guess it's for the people who buy those round cables with neon strips on them, or something.

A wooden case to me means 'traditional' looking, to blend in with the decor. I don't see that when I visit the page you linked.

Re:This is really nothing new... at all..

[Anonymous Coward]

Look like no one has noted that Exotic Wood Crafts made the computer cases for FrozenCPU.com
Let all jump off.
I know now that I have been doing some things dreadfully wrong in the realm of human relations. Some of my more egregious "sins" have been not being careful about other people's egos, trying to dominate conversations with stories about "me", and not being willing to accept others as they are.
This may be true?

Yeah. Way Rip Off

[AquaTemplates]

Forget about it! Regards, Templates

A quandary...

[taernim]

If a wood-case gets slashdotted on the web and nobody sees it, does it make a sound? ;-)

Re:A quandary...

[Zarathustra.fi]

"There is no wood-case", would be the answer.

Re:A quandary...

[Joey Patterson]

If a wood-case gets slashdotted on the web and nobody sees it, does it make a sound? ;-)

Better check the server logs and find out. :)

Re:A quandary...

[Anonymous Coward]

Nope, because he won't get to knock on wood that his server didn't get slashdotted.

needs to match wooden mouse and monitor like this

[coughman]

http://www.swedx.com/

But . . .

[xaaronx]

Didn't Yoshi do this on The Screensavers like two weeks ago? And not just a wood case, but wood veneer, because I remember he did something strange in the way he glued it on, although I can't recall exactly just what he did.

drive covers

[name773]

what happens when you put in a cdrom drive,
do they have a special cover for it?
if they don't, it'll change the look in a bad way

Re:drive covers

[Cyno01]

Google case mod sites for something called drive stealthing, this looks like a good application for it.

Wood case just not a good idea.

[Anonymous Coward]

You should never have more than 4 ingredients on a pizza, never cover a toilet seat with fur (real or fake) and you should never use an insulating material like wood for a computer case.

Heat dissipation

[Geartest.com]

While I'm sure it looks great (Slashdotted already) I would think that applying a wood veneer would negate at least some of the heat dissipation properties of the aluminum case. It's a big reason why case-modders go with aluminum cases in the first place.

Re:/.'ed alread

[Xilo]

You did what now? Your first post said /.

Some of the originals cane be found here:

[Bug-Y2K]

on Applefritter.com:

Like the (gorgeous) Old Time Radio Case.
Another Old Time Radio case.
The (fugly) Popsicle stick case.
The (just homely) plain wood box.
OK, and the just plain whacky, like a Mac in a Floppy Disk Box!

Check out the other stuff, that site is seriously cool.

Leather, too

[Alien54]

They also have a leather, which is interesting. Shades of Ricardo Montabahn talking about "Rich Corinthian Leather"

If you are going to be modding or painting a case, then other decorative elements like leather or wood seem in line... Although it is tricky to apply the veneers yourself.

There is a decent review here

There are plenty of wood veneer sources out there.

Re:Leather, too

[buckeyeguy]

Heh, time to make a Judas Priest "Hell Bent for Leather" case mod... er, well, maybe, depending on who you LAN-party with ;)

As for wood, next stop: Amish Oak Case Mods

Re:So what? Where's the shag carpet?

[Anonymous Coward]

"it's a "case decal"."

Great point! If they did something like measure the cooling performance penalty, then it'd be kinda cool news for geeks. As it is, though, it's no better than the bumper-stickers a friend of mine has on his case.

Geeks and Taste

[Petersko]

You're one of those people that actually buys a case with transparent sides and blacklights, aren't you...

Seriously - what's with geeks and their lack of style and taste? I really want to know.

For my part, I'd like my computer to be invisible. Just a tray that comes out of the wall, into which I can put CD's when required.There's nothing appealing about computer cases or bare electronics.

I guess it appeals to the same people who buy car stereos in silver and vivid bright blue with big LED displays which utterly fail to match any part of the interior decor of the vehicle. Guys who never made it past the mental age of 12. "Space age GOOD!"

Re:Geeks and Taste

[ron_ivi]

I used to think this until I saw some of the Apple designs - especially of their multimedia speakers that apparently their same designers did with Harmon Kardon. Apple proved that a good design for a computer is possible.

Now if only Apple started designing kitchen appliances and livingroom fixtures so everything could look as nice.

Re:Geeks and Taste

[baryon351]

Curiously, Jonathan Ive (who has designed many of Apple's new machines, and had a hand in most of their other hardware) started with Apple after working in the UK designing bathroom fittings.

Zero Trans Fat!

[Anonymous Coward]

These cases have zero trans fat in 'em, therefor they must be a good bargain.

I for one ... uggh nevermind...

If it's good enough for Washington

[KalvinB]

George Washington (yes, that one) actually painted "wood grain" on his walls to make the wood look more expensive that it was.

And his house looks like it's made of stone. But actually it's made of wood, beveled to look like stone and painted with white paint mixed with sand to give it a stone like finish.

Despite his apparent cheapness, Mt Vernon is quite the sight to see.

I dunno though. I have a case that has plastic colored to look like wood going up one side which looks alright but it's technology. Unless you're trying to blend in with the furniture trying to give a natural look I think is a bit over the top.

Especially when the "natural look" is just a sticker. It's a bit tacky. Cases made out of real wood with real carvings and other woodwork, now that would be something. If it didn't burst into flames.

Ben

Finally!!

[illuminatedwax]

The station wagon of computers has arrived!
Praise the day!
--Stephen

it looks ugly...

[mantera]

seriously, what's wrong with matte black

It had to be said...

[Anonymous Coward]

So if the computer case is made of wood, it weighs as much as a duck, and therefore...

A WITCH! BURN IT!

oh no, even worse....

[Anonymous Coward]

... I can relate to all three examples simultaneously in memory_vision vs. 1.0_stable.... ...geeezzz....

but then again!

GOOD TIMES!

Case with a NEW Face

[Anonymous Coward]

What would be a nice car with out wood?, this is platform that have not change form the start. Look Great.

My God, you saps will buy anything.

[Anonymous Coward]

Next thing you know, you'll be wrapping a PC inside a dead animal.

Unlike previous proposed wooden case

[Elpacoloco]

.....I'd buy this one.

It'd look fairly nice, I'd drill air holes where needed, varnish it.

Pfft, yeah right, like I have the money to worry about what my computer case looks like.

They'll be doing laptops soon.

[Fiery]

I spoke with the business owner, who'll be doing up a press release -- which will include mention of their upcoming support for hardened wood laptops; I asked if he could convert my aluminum powerbook, and he said yes.

Re:They'll be doing laptops soon.

[wehe]

If you don't want to wait, here are some tips and tricks to mod a laptop yourself. Besides there are links and pictures to take apart instructions.

exoctic wood?

[werdnapk]

pft, i'm waiting for the endangered species line of computer cases... they are much more vogue. The bengal tiger case is to die for!

It deserves it.

[The Desert Palooka]

Think of all the times you've spent with your computer.

All the hours of internet surfing, emerging and gaming.

All the good times.

All the time looking at pr0n.

All these years your computer has given you the gift of wood.

Won't you do the same for it?

What about the rainforest?

[Mengoxon]

The mining of bauxite, the raw material for aluminimum, destroys rain forests all over the world. Please stop veneering exotic wood onto alumium and start building whole computer cases from Teak, Mahogany, etc.

Where would you put it?

[houghi]

It all looks nice, but I put my box under the table, out of sight. Not just because it is ygly. The main reason it because it is huge if I put it on my desk.

Now if they would make a monitor like that, I wil be impressed.

The only thing I realy need on my desk is a CD/DVD burner-reader and a connection for my camera. All the rest should be hidden.

Veneer?

[ninejaguar]

Try solid wood or stone? Okay, so the stone is actually, Corian. Still, not too bad looking. Not that any of these are anywhere near affordable of course.

= 9J =

Servers made of wood :-)

[Alystair]

I wonder if they custom milled a wood case for their servers, this is the first time we may have actually made a server catch fire!

Solid wood case

[Anonymous Coward]

Check out a more solid wood PC case.

http://pcdb.overclockers.com.au/view.php?name=g@ z- 3&page=pics

Re:Solid wood case

[Anonymous Coward]

Dude, you need to remove the space in front of the 3 to make the URL work.

Re:Solid wood case

[rkaa]

so the url is really THIS

Hmm, interesting!

[Anonymous Coward]

Does that come in Squashed Kittie and Gutted Hound, or just Flat 'Possum?

Say...

[AaronStJ]

Say, wood's very flammable isn't it? Looks like the server is running (or rather, failing to run) with one of these cases...

Not for leftie environmental technies

[Anonymous Coward]

You gotta chop down trees now to adorn your pc's?? Isn't it bad enough you're polluting everybody with all the lead in them??

Guilt...

[EmbeddedJanitor]

I switched to an energy efficient computer to save on CO2, but now I'm going to cut down a rail foreest to make the box?

Pretty - if your American

[Squashee]

If I really streach it I can understand nice wooden details inside cars, but you guys even put it externaly. Veneer is butt-ugly when applied to the wrong stuff, like computer cases or cars.

Re:Pretty - if your American

[Anonymous Coward]

"Emotional intelligence" not.........

Here's a REAL case

[farghen]

If you are going to spend that much...why not go all the way

Good DIY material -- for less!

[mm0mm]

Keep in mind Home Depot sells all necessary supplies to build this very cheap. No matter how they advertise it, it's PLYWOOD after all. Cutting a sheet of plywood to make a box is not difficult, though it could be time-consuming. Every line is straight cut and all corners are 90degree angles. Can't be any easier.

Although I don't dislike the cases on the site,

1. combination of black plastic pieces and stained wood doesn't look pleasent
2. sheets of plywood glued or bolted on top of aluminum case??? -- go figure.

If you are good at woodworking, most likely you can build a similar case -- or much better one -- by a fraction of cost. Besides you have control over the design of the case. "Buying" is merely one of options you have.

Re:Good DIY material -- for less!

[GarthSweet]

Comparing Veneer to Plywood is like comparing a Luxery Sedan to a pickup truck.

Venner is meant to be a very thin single layer of an exotic or other fine wood. It is a non-structural product that requires a sub-surface to bond to. Veneers have been used extensivily for 100's of years and can even be traced to use in ancient Eygpt. These days veneers are thought of as a way to build things cheaper, this is sometimes the case but traditionally veneers were used to allow exotic woods not suitable for furniture to be used for that purpose. It also allowed furniture makers to express curves and other fine details in ways not possible traditionally.

Plywood is a utility product. It is a combination of the structural material and a veneer (assuming you are talking a finish grade product). You would rarely (if ever) see an exotic wood plywood (like Walnut Burl). Finish grade plywood is aimed at the DIY folks and contractors and is a common staple of home projects and kitchen cabinets.

There's nothing wrong with plywood but for myself:
I would be willing to use veneers if I was building a fine piece of furniture.
I would not be willing to use plywood/mdf/etc if I was building a fine piece of furniture.

Re:Good DIY material -- for less!

[Hognoxious]

Venner is meant to be a very thin single layer of an exotic or other fine wood.

Nah, it's them pictures with overlapping circles that you draw to work out how many students play hockey or football (but not both) and don't speak Hungarian.

Sounds nice....

[Yehtmae]

Hmmm.... Erotic Wood Computer Cases.... Oh Sorry!

Re:So what? Where's the shag carpet?

[zakezuke]

Why would such a simple "case mod" make the Slashdot front page? It isn't even a "case mod", it's a "case decal".

Veneer and wood finishing work is actually a specality field, and a respectable profession. I respect it as highly as good carpentry work. I'm only an amature as far as this goes and let me tell you the hours involved in steaming, shaping, cutting and getting the damn thing to stick, and not to speak of the time involed with applying a finish. And don't get me started on the mind numbing hours of repeative motions you have to peform. And all of without an eye for design is pretty worthless.

I consider all such projects of breaking away from the mass produced PC case worthy of note... from fine veneer work to even glueing some shag carpet on your PC case.

ObFollowUp

[Walterk]

Luxury.

Back when I was a young'en, we didn't have any o' those fancy crystals, ovens or precious metals. We 'ad to make due with a bunch o' stones, manipulating the electrons by hand!

Not even a nice job....

[hawado]

I have been building wooden computers for a while now and I can't stand all these stick the plastic mac tack on the plastic case crap. No matter what you do with veneer, it only looks good on wood. Shameless Plug -- take a look at some real wooden mods here and here and here and here --/Shameless Plug then tell me what a computer should look like.
As to the price of $600 bucks for their stuff... I hope it comes with hardware and some glue to re stick the veneer when the heat makes it bubble.
On the up side, I am really glad that people are starting to take an interest in making cases out of some natural materials, as per some of the complaints here on /. during the last article on wooden computers, the resources needed to manufacture a metal case are astronomical compared with the renueable materials.
I just hope no one starts doing computer cases that look like those big ass TV's from the early 80'. The last thing we need is another big piece of furniture.
I would be interested to see something made out of reconstituted wood though as it does have a great pattern to it.

Re:Not even a nice job....

[Anonymous Coward]

Try spelling 'Gallary' more like 'Gallery'. Trying to sell anything with that aweful of a website, that's what's shameless.

Easily done

[Trailwalker]

Adhesisve backed wood veneers have been around for decades. Normally, they are used by people with few woodworking skills. Anyone with a just a few bucks and a small amount of skill can use it on anything. Puting it on empty cans is a good way to get the feel for using it.

I had my own fruniture shop for a dozen years, specializing in computer desks and related furniture. This was before you could buy them in Wal-Mart, etc.

I never used adhesive backed veneers. They are very thin, about 1/32 of an inch, or less, and are easily damaged in everyday use.

A CaseMod...

[RedShoeRider]

.....that would have Martha Stewart approval?

Someone has to make the joke...

[Vandil X]

Now my geek lady can give me "wood" in a different sense.

Re:So what? Where's the shag carpet?

[bgarcia]

Why would such a simple "case mod" make the Slashdot front page? It isn't even a "case mod", it's a "case decal".

You're thinking of wood laminate, which is the fake, wood-looking vinyl covering you see on really cheap furniture

This is wood veneer, which means it really is wood, just cut into very thin sheets. This is not a partical board or anything like that. It can be difficult working with a wood veneer. Very easy to cause the wood to split if handled improperly.

But...

[njfuzzy]

Why is nobody commenting on the fact that their web page was created by an eight-year-old? I think that's a pretty amazing feat. And if you don't believe me, just check out the spelling. This kid is spelling at at least a fifth grade level. Good for him!

Wood insulation for your processor?

[pantoniades]

Now, I was under the impression that aluminium was the material of choice for computer cases because it was the best conductor of heat... so does anyone else see a problem with encasing it in a poor conductor of heat (e.g., wood)?

Try this! - a LAPTOP in wood

[antani]

http://www.laptopmods.com/news_index18.html

your cases are fake wood, that's REAL wood for real WOOD COMPUTING

Load balancing the Server

[Alien54]

Looks like the IT guys came in this morning and got a chance to practice their load balancing skill set. The site is coming up despite slashdot, although a tad slow. But it's not toast.

I'm sure they are freaking though .....

They bond the veneer to something else first...

[Anonymous Coward]

and then attach the something else to the metal. Not sure what the something else is, though... but they do mention it in the process.

They make their own veneers

[Alien54]

Burl hardwood is put into a hot water tank for a few days to soften the material. The hardwood is then cut into thin sheets with our own in-house wood lathe. The cut Burl hardwood is then laid out in sheets. A 3-ton heat press is used to bond the backing to the Burl hardwood. The Special Bonding Method uses a proprietary process. Next, the burl hardwood is carefully coated with a coat of premium Lacquer.

After the completed sheets of hardwood veneer have been prepared, each case is prepared to receive the unique, new skin. Each and every case is hand crafted. Each burl pattern is like a fingerprint, and your Burl hardwood case will be one of a kind.

Veneer making process seen here - lots of pics, loading slowly for some reason. ;)

Have any wood grain you want for cheap...

[cherokee158]

You could probably obtain the same results easily and inexpensively with your existing case by simply picking up a role of self-adhesive wood grain decal sheets, which you could find at almost any large hardware store, and in a wide variety of grains.

Why kill a tree?

Re:Have any wood grain you want for cheap...

[buckeyeguy]

=== Why kill a tree? ===

Wood = renewable resource
Vinyl sheets = petroleum-based product with petroleum-based inks
Printed-paper sheets = renewable resource with petroleum-based inks

Throw in a water-based stain and finish for the veneer, and I'll take the wood, thanks.

come on now - this case is 100% shit

[SubtleNuance]

do we really need this? computer cases are little more than shells. Why are we chopping down trees for what is essentially a few-years-use object? And, cases made of ALUMINIUM? Christ, do you know what kind of embodied energy is contained in Aluminium?

This case is our worst nightmare.. hell it might look pretty, but so do my nice pink lungs. Please, its nice to look at but really, is this something we should be buying? I certainly think not.

Re:come on now - this case is 100% shit

[SubtleNuance]

do we really need this? [aquapulse.net] computer cases are little more than shells. Why are we chopping down trees for what is essentially a few-years-use object? And, cases made of ALUMINIUM? Christ, do you know what kind of embodied energy is contained in Aluminium? [csiro.au]

This case is our worst nightmare.. hell it might look pretty, but so do my nice pink lungs. Please, its nice to look at but really, is this something we should be buying? I certainly think not.

See my improperly modded comments for links.

lame

[Anonymous Coward]

Just go buy some wood grained adhesive paper and wrap your pc,mouse, monitor in that stuff. You ll get the same affect, without kill as many trees.

Nice idea, slow site

[medvezhatnik]

It took me about 5 minutes to load all the images on the front page of their site, the cases must be selling like a hot cakes "j/k"
a case like this could match some lawyer's or doctor's office, not to mention there are some people who has wood fetish ....

I'm getting one....

[tsmithnj]

....right after I finish my Bald Eagle egg omelette.

Re:I'm getting one....

[Oliver Wendell Jones]

Dude, Spotted Owl eggs are much tastier... tastes kind of like Snail Darter with a hint of Baby Seal...

heat?

[Anonymous Coward]

Looking at a number of case-modder sites, there is a great deal of admiration for Lian-Li cases, and people go on at length about how much better aluminium cases are for getting rid of heat than other materials.
Personally I reckon much of this is just voodoo, as the amount of heat lost through the case itself would be pretty insignificant compared to the amount the system fan(s) would expel, but I can't help wondering if all that wood would make it any harder to cool..

I imagine it helps to keep things silent, though, and it does look pretty good. However I don't think it would match the shredded-metal-and-plastic decor of my urban geek palace very well..

More to the point, where the hell are the lights? I suppose if you REALLY want that olde-worlde style for your box you have to shell out for a gas-powered carriage lamp for your HDD activity light!

And Slashdot

[Anonymous Coward]

turned their server into a pool of molten gooo....

Necessary?

[beforewisdom]

The forrests of the world have been and are being further depleted.

Do we really need cosmetic veneers for PCs made out of exotic woods?

Re:Necessary?

[rtbarry]

Forrest who? We're running out of guys named Forrest?

In any case, I'm not too concerned that these guys are going to have an impact on the global ecosystem. One natural forest fire will take out 1000 times more living wood than this project will.

The real reason not to buy these cases is... they look like computer caskets! Yuck. I can't picture a less attractive facade for my equipment. I'll stick with a good old-fashioned G5, thanks.

Re:Necessary?

[beforewisdom]

Natural forest fires since there were forests and the planet has remained full of forests. However in under 2 centures with industrialzation & consumerism many forests have vanished( & vanishing ) from people wanting things "that only take a little bit of the wood".

Re:Necessary?

[rtbarry]

No. They don't vanish because of people wanting things that only take a little bit of wood. They vanish from things that take a ridiculous amount of wood... like the framing of your domicile and the furniture in it, and the tens of millions like it (maybe you live in an igloo, but you get the point). Spending energy trying to make these guys feel bad about their little business endeavor seems like a waste of your ecology-minded efforts.

That said, these cases still look like bad caskets. So maybe that will save a few trees after all.

Grammar is hard!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Since I'm sure their poor site ~.

Yes, their site is piss-poor. Despite the crazy layout (fonts, colors), and lack of CSS, they obviously didn't pay attention in English class. One hopes they can use a router better than they use the English language.

Please go the NEWS, page for all the updates.

Inappropriate use of the comma.

SHOW IN MADRONE BURL WOOD, THIS IS ON A ANTEC (P160) PLATFORM.

Use of all-caps to make up for a lack of capitalization knowledge; to add emphasis, one needs to italicize the font. The correct tense of the verb is "shown." Using "a" as an indefinite article before a word that begins with a noun requires the use of "an" instead.

Click on a CASE to see more photo's and information.

"Case" is not an acronym, so it needs to be in lower-case. The plural of "photo" is "photos," not the possessive "photo's."

IF YOU HAVE SEEN YOUR FILL OF, OFF-WHITE COMPUTER ITEMS.

YOUR READY FOR A THE NEXT STEP IN ERGONOMIC COMPUTER FURNITURE.

Misuse of a hard stop where a pause is more appropriate, and mistaking you-possessive (i.e., "your") for the contraction of "you are" (i.e., "you're").

Overall, a poor, sloppy effort: C-

Re:Grammar is hard!!!

[hesiod]

> Yes, their site is piss-poor. Despite the [...] lack of CSS [...]

So, you're saying that a good site requires CSS. Hate to burst your bubble, but the majority of sites on the Internet do not use CSS. HTML is good enough for most people. Yeah, the site looks crappy, but maybe that's because they spend more time making a good product than advertising it. Granted, good business usually requires good advertising, but not always.

Re:They make their own veneers

[lindsayt]

The Special Bonding Method uses a proprietary process.

What? Proprietary process? Why don't they release their process under the GPL? I'm not going to support a company who uses closed-source case compilation techniques! Open source forever!

Functionally Illiterate, too!

[BigBlockMopar]

I can put a laminate on anything for less than $30 and the case you give as an "example" is ugly as all get out and NOTHING I would EVER want in my life. What the heck is that for style or craftsmanship???! Give me a break. If you think THAT piece of $10 junk laminate plastered on a metal case is worth the ridiculous price tag, you need to get a real world clue.

The craftsmanship of their webpage is also really horrible... come on, this is a high-end product, the sort of thing being sold to lawyers and CEOs. Funny thing is that most of them are capable of writing professionally. For the same reason that your resume and cover letter have to be perfect, so does your sales pitch!

This guy is almost as illiterate as a spammer.

If the guy is dyslexic or something, he should have someone else proofread his site (and all his other business correspondence), because:

Please go the NEWS, page for all the updates.

Why a comma?

A NEW LINE OF MADRONE BURL WOOD LIAN-LI PC6070, Silent Aluminum Mid Tower Case.

I think sentences are supposed to have verbs and their requisite support words. My personal choice here would be "based on the", stuck between WOOD and LIAN-LI.

SHOW IN MADRONE BURL WOOD, THIS IS ON A ANTEC (P160) PLATFORM.

Antec begins with the letter A. Therefore, AN Antec. It gets tricky with acronyms, but to my knowledge Antec isn't an acronym, so this is simply wrong.

Click on a CASE to see more photo's and information.

apostrophe S - POSSESSIVE

S - PLURAL

NEW COMPUTER CASE COVERS All or custom build computer case have a 2-3 week time frame.

What? I think the "or" is supposed to be an "our". But it still doesn't make sense, it's a run-on sentence.

IF YOU HAVE SEEN YOUR FILL OF, OFF-WHITE COMPUTER ITEMS.

Why would you put a comma in this sentence?

YOUR READY FOR A THE NEXT STEP IN ERGONOMIC COMPUTER FURNITURE.

Your = possessive.

You're = contraction of "you are".

EXOTIC WOOD CRAFTS HAS A KEEPER FOR YOU.

A keeper? The market is high-end, you can't use colloquialisms!

NOW YOU CAN HAVE THE SAME BURL WOOD ON YOUR COMPUTER CASE AND LCD MONITOR. THE COMPUTER CASE Computer Cases_used to be the last thing on everyone's shopping list, now something has changed._Case_modding has brought a resurgence in design and_case style. Now, it is possible to buy pre-modded cases_ and even all-aluminum casesfilled with blinking lights. In this situation, the_case_is designed to look professional, and be fully functional.

Why is this festooned with underscores? And there's a missing space.

But more horribly, he's changing the subject from the aluminum cases full of blinking lights to his own cases - without warning you! A casual reader will read that "all aluminum cases filled with blinking lights are designed to look professional"!

You still have the same old looking computer case. Here is your opportunity for change. Look at the Productspage to find what we have been looking for, a computer that maintains its beauty and represents personality and professionalism.

Professionalism from someone who uses the possessive to indicate pluralism? I think not.

Most computers go by the way side in 3to 5years.

How 'bout you add some spaces here, champ? I think wayside is actually one word, BTW.

Fortunately, these can be upgraded to use new computer parts in the ATX format. Exotic Wood Crafts_has a keeper for you!

Oh! That's what you mean by "keeper". Now I understand! Wait until after the description of why it's a keeper before you call it that - if you absolutely *must* call it that; otherwise your readers are left dangling.

TOP 5 REASONS TO UPDATE YOUR COMPUTER WITH A EXOTIC WOOD CRAFTS COMPUTER CASE. (1) EVERY COMPUTER CASE HAS IT OWN PERSONALLY.

Has IT OWN PERSONALLY? I think you mean "its own personality".

Note that its/it's is the exception to the apostrophe rule.

it's - contraction of "it is"

its

Re:Functionally Illiterate, too!

[Anonymous Coward]

Depressed people pay more attention to material that agrees with their current mood, causing it to be better learned; sad moods help call forth sad memories.
-- National Advisory Mental Health Council (NIMH

Re:Functionally Illiterate, too!

[Hognoxious]

Click on a CASE to see more photo's and information.

apostrophe S - POSSESSIVE
S - PLURAL

Actually, "photo's" is acceptable, with an apostrophe of omission, the full word being "photographs" (the original site would no doubt write it as "photograph's", though).

Re:Functionally Illiterate, too!

[Computec66]

How sad for you tear someone down like so your website isnt anything great either. But i will not sit here and review your whole site because no one cares.

This could just be me, but,

[blair1q]

I want a computer case made by fusing the electronic components with a living starship.

Has Nobody Heard of CaseArts.com?

[iLL_L0gic]

They've had wood cases and other exotic designs for a long long time now. Their prices are pretty decent as well.

Accessories available as well

[borisbfurry]

Give your office that sauna feel:
slashdot

Not really ontopic, but

[slappyjack]

Those are pretty friggin cool looking.

A great match for your home office

[subzerorz]

I would use the case to match my cherry finished office. :)

Think -- guitar

[jjudge]

Google and/or eBay search for guitar veneers.

Buy some inexpensive flamed, quilted or burled veneer ... stain, sand, stain, finish ... and make yourself a more amazing version of these cases.

-- joe

Re:They make their own veneers

[DrCode]

Okay, they make their own veneer, something that's hard to do at home. On the other hand, you can go to almost any hardwood store and buy a variety of hardwood veneers at reasonable prices, then glue them to the case yourself with contact cement.

Re:So what? Where's the shag carpet?

[budgenator]

Why even bother with a case? You could build everything into a desk. It might be very interesting to do without the case rather than trying to disguise it.

lathed veneer?

[TechnoFreek]

i had to make a bunch of veneer a while ago. i never used a lathe. and considering that veneer is simply thin strips of wood, i see no reason anyone would need to use a lathe for it.

"Stained" wood makes me think

[Artifakt]

The perfect material for a case seems to be stained glass!

1. It's got good heat resistance and is seriously non-combusting for the extreme overclockers out there. While it won't help cool the computer much, computers don't cool by radiation much anyway, so that drawback is really trivial.

2. Leading canes are mostly real lead, and are put together with silver based solder, and panes are tinted with various metals (for example the usual bright red glass has about 5% metallic gold by weight inside, and blues are usually achieved with cobalt or copper). This means stained glass is a functional EMF shield, which those plexiglass windows are not. Just use lead crystal instead of plain glass for the completely clear panes, and your system should remain UL compliant.

3. It's a high prestige material, at least on a par with walnut burl. It's commonly used in upscale construction and implies both beauty and durability.

4. It will coordinate well with accessories such as Tiffany style desk lamps. Many computer accessories already feature substantial areas of luminescent glass, (although sadly most of these offset it with cheap plastic trim in colors such as beige or black).

5. Glass is an excellent insulator for electron flow. Connectors can be fitted direct to holes cut or drilled in glass and not trimmed with leading, to keep users safer from shock than conventional metallic cases.

6. no other material occurs in so many varieties of opacity, from clear or monochrome tinted varieties to extremely sophisticated polylucent and irridescent finishes. Individual pieces are often found in unique patterns, every bit as much a never to be duplicated arrangement as any wood grain pattern.

I know why.

[blitz1725]

It's pretty obvious isn't it.

Uhh, huh-huh, Wood..Porn.

thermal properties!?-Explosive growth.

[Anonymous Coward]

"The case is not a heat sink."

Why isn't it? Maybe reduce or eliminate fan proliforation?

Re:thermal properties!?-Explosive growth.

[pclminion]

"The case is not a heat sink."

Why isn't it? Maybe reduce or eliminate fan proliforation?

Because a heat "sink" is a large mass of metal designed to store excess heat. It doesn't eliminate the heat. Heat sinks on processors are worthless without a fan on top of them, for example. You need to take the heat away, not just store it somewhere.

Large heat sinks can do without fans because they have a large effective surface area to radiate and conduct the heat away. In order for the case to be effective as a sink it would have to be very thick and heavy (and expensive). What's the point?

Besides, do you really want the outside of your case to be hot to the touch?

I submit for your consideration a wooden Ferrari

[Alien54]

This wooden Ferrari, owned and operated by Livio De Marchi. De Marchi is one of the world's finest wood sculptors, and is the only driver in the Italian city of Venice.

Think about it.

Leather

[Denix]

I want one made out of "pure corinthian leather."

Why not double it as a humidor

[humidors]

Heck...you want to spend that kind of money then have it keep your cigars also....I really do not understand why people would spend that much for a wood case? To each his own

Ok - so these are even worse for the environment..

[erioshi]

All the enviro problems of regular PCs + the added damage of un-needed wood siding. Great...

Re:Ok - so these are even worse for the environmen

[Anonymous Coward]

So whats in house, man made plastic?

Re:They make their own veneers

[Hognoxious]

Okay, they make their own veneer, something that's hard to do at home.

They claim to cut it into sheets with a lathe - that must be even harder.

Wooden computers

[skyhawkp2p]

What would the cooling be like on one of those? Doesn't wood hold heat? That'd be bad.