archsan wrote:

brostenen wrote:

Wood-bezel, like that of an Atari 2600?

If you're asking me then... not quite really... try google image search: "Power Mac 6500" and "beige leather ottoman" -- you'll see what I mean! 😁

Can't imagine that. Have my own shape in my mind. Anyway... 🤣
I was only thinking in stuff like a case with leather and wood. You know. A bit like a highclass thingy.

I've been wanting to make my own AT mini tower case that's styled like an IBM 5150/5160. I'd put the 5.24" bay above the left grill area. I started modeling it in 3D -- but I got busy with other things. I'll put up a rendered pic once I get back to it.

What's frustrating, is that there are two guys I've spoken to in town that have cases in their storage and garage, I've offered to buy them and make it worth their time, but both have been complete flakes...

Here are my attemps on making miniature ATX and AT cases, + links to related topics

Re: Adorable 1/3 scale Macintosh
Re: Little Voodoo (cardboard) Box [P1] + 486 with small DIY AT case
Re: What retro activity did you get up to today? detailed photos of 3d printed mainboard standoffs

both cases currently are "open-style" as I didn't make any panels yet, but eventually I will finish them.

Great! I can even see my 4dps Inside 😀

Oh, that's you. You have probably already seen that 🤣 i will try to make the front panel maybe this or next weekend, I got some new blank HIPS sheets, I just need to cut them and maybe 3d print some details.

Some additional thoughts on using an ATX case,
OK, it might be the easiest thing ever to just drill a round hole on a rectangular piece of metal, but if you're really after an original backplate for an AT m/b on an ATX case you might be surprised by either the inexistence or the prices. Been there, searched for one recently...

adalbert wrote:

Oh, that's you. You have probably already seen that 🤣 i will try to make the front panel maybe this or next weekend, I got some new blank HIPS sheets, I just need to cut them and maybe 3d print some details.

I really wish I had a 3D Printer! 😀

Those tiny PSU are a great idea. Are the as stable/reliable as the larger ones?

Currently I'm not using anything else for my retro projects, they are quite good. I didn't experience serious problems, you just have to remember not to overload those PSUs. When too much power is drawn it gets hot, some interference on screen might be noticeable (due to voltage ripple) and the PSU will automatically shut down because of temperature. Such problems may happen on that smaller PSU, with AGP video cards stronger than GF3 Ti200, or cpus like Athlon. But the larger PSU is pretty powerful. So, to sum up, you can run 486 or P1/K6 on basically anything, but select adequate power supply for something more powerful. If things get too hot, capacitors can slowly dry out, and stability will be worse.

Thanks! I have a 486 DX4 100 with a VLB video card, so hopefully with in the limits of these tinier PSU. Prior to seeing your post, I was considering those micro 200 watt PSUs.

First of all sorry for my poor english,it is rare for me to write in this language.

Well, i had a bunch of Pci and Isa cards sitting in a box.Also a nice Abit Pb4 motherboard (really tiny 486 MB) which i recently upgraded with a PnP bios.
Problem is i still don't have any pc case available for such old hardware and i do not want to put stuff from '95 into modern cases.

That's why i have decided to build a wooden case.
Handle is made by my father.Good Lord he has this urge to put handles on everything 😀

The big flip button and round reset switch come from an old helicopter cockpit, the keylock mechanism from an old cash register.
Leds have their little circular metal encasement, scavenged from old and broken equipment.
Making right and proper measurements was the hardest part, doing perfect rectangular holes for floppy drives it's quite the hassle!
10 layers of 'wood finish' and a nice glossy effect is added to wood.

Here's the back. I opted for Compact Flash because i'm scared to damage old hard disks and reinstalling everything 😀
It's a bit cramped but everything fits! Lower level dedicated to power supply (atx with at adapter and switch), leds and buttons.
Upper level occupied by Motherboard, peripherals and expansion cards: Cirrus logic pci with 2mb ram, 3com isa lan , ess 1868 audio.
I really like ess 1868 midi !

Gorgeous work! Congrats!

Very nice mongaccio! Love those flip switches... and the keylock fits the case really well!

I wish I had the skill to build something like that!

Nice mongaccio! I like everything about it!

*LOL* at your father putting a handle on everything, I can only imagine. 😀

mongaccio, that's a fantastic job! 😁

And concerning the leather/wood, even though it's not a desktop or tower, I really love the looks of this 😁
But lots of work though, real craftsmanship.

Amazing work!

This is a part of the reason why I've been slowly 3D modelling my retro PC's over the last few months. With some modifications, and a decent 3D printer or a CNC + vacuform, the 3D modelled case fronts could be used on existing ATX cases.

Hmm... Imagine a nice tanky ATX case with a classic AT front plastic attached to it 🤣

All right, so my micro AT case is almost complete 😀 just need to 3d print the turbo button, add the stickers with names of buttons and improve some connectors in the behind of case.

I made a LED MHz display using a Atmel ATTiny13 microcontroller so it's programmable and doesn't require messing with jumpers 😉

Very nice indeed!

I have to admit, though, modern cases are usually much easier to work on than retro ones. True, they're not as beige tastic, and they won't handle someone standing on them without buckling, but neither will they slice your fingers trying to fit components.

Personally I'm very tempted to create a modern system, but with a mini computer case. It'd be a fair bit of work, though, and I really need to stick to systems that Just Work at the moment.