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

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

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.

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...

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...

[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

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?

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: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.

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.

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.

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: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: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: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. :)

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.

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.

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. ;)

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.