Some more pictures from Vogons' users:

More:

I guess either there's not a lot more information to be obtained or that the cases aren't that interesting to most people, a shame in either case, I think they look stunning

One of these very large towers is in the old hardware storage of my university. I can take a look next time i'm in the office. I'd love to grab it but it's way too huge and impractical for me so i'll very likely leave it there until they kick it out. Shame, but there's no way i can transport and store the thing. :<

andre_6 wrote on 2021-06-03, 15:10:

I guess either there's not a lot more information to be obtained or that the cases aren't that interesting to most people, a shame in either case, I think they look stunning

I find it interesting, but have nothing to contribute . Theoretically, someone who worked on sourcing inventory in a build to order PC clone shop at the time might have interesting tales to tell if he/she either remembers or has kept detailed records .

Shoot, I'm going to follow this thread as I've been trying to find out who made the clone cases for years.

Brands I've seen and can confirm are a thing...

KINGSPAO - Below is the Model 35 which seemed to be an extremely popular chassis on 386/early 486 systems from 1990-1994.

SONGCHEER - Below is their XT clone chassis. Seems Songcheer might have been the most popular company for XT/AT clones as I see the same control panels used on my GEM 286, DTK, and other various XT/AT/early-mid 386 clones from the mid-80's onward. This is the same one my current 486 system has. I bought it new old stock in 2004 and that's how I Found the name was it was in the packaging stamped to a few items inside.

MAGITRONIC - I know Magitronic sold cases, they may have even built them (seems to follow the power supply supplier brand = case thing as with Kingspao above). I don't have any pictures of them that I know about. That may be what the mystery case I'm trying to find below is...

I have seen boxes on E-bay with "Metal Case" and "Steel Case" on them but I recently figured out that these were referring to the metal type they are made out of vs. the actual brand possibly.

Stuff I'd like to figure out...

What the heck this thing was....or who made it....I want to find one of these and rehouse my 486 in it.

Thanks a lot guys, I'll hold out for more discoveries from your part. Even if it ends up in a dead end it's worth a try.

creepingnet wrote on 2021-06-03, 22:50:

Shoot, I'm going to follow this thread as I've been trying to find out who made the clone cases for years. […]
Show full quote

Shoot, I'm going to follow this thread as I've been trying to find out who made the clone cases for years.

Brands I've seen and can confirm are a thing...

KINGSPAO - Below is the Model 35 which seemed to be an extremely popular chassis on 386/early 486 systems from 1990-1994.

SONGCHEER - Below is their XT clone chassis. Seems Songcheer might have been the most popular company for XT/AT clones as I see the same control panels used on my GEM 286, DTK, and other various XT/AT/early-mid 386 clones from the mid-80's onward. This is the same one my current 486 system has. I bought it new old stock in 2004 and that's how I Found the name was it was in the packaging stamped to a few items inside.

MAGITRONIC - I know Magitronic sold cases, they may have even built them (seems to follow the power supply supplier brand = case thing as with Kingspao above). I don't have any pictures of them that I know about. That may be what the mystery case I'm trying to find below is...

I have seen boxes on E-bay with "Metal Case" and "Steel Case" on them but I recently figured out that these were referring to the metal type they are made out of vs. the actual brand possibly.

Stuff I'd like to figure out...

What the heck this thing was....or who made it....I want to find one of these and rehouse my 486 in it.

Is it me or is there a problem with your photo links? Can you attach them here? Would love to see them, thanks

fgenesis wrote on 2021-06-03, 19:43:

One of these very large towers is in the old hardware storage of my university. I can take a look next time i'm in the office. I'd love to grab it but it's way too huge and impractical for me so i'll very likely leave it there until they kick it out. Shame, but there's no way i can transport and store the thing. :<

What a find, would have loved to stumble upon one like that. Be sure to save it when the time comes!

andre_6 wrote on 2021-06-05, 13:59:

Thanks a lot guys, I'll hold out for more discoveries from your part. Even if it ends up in a dead end it's worth a try.

creepingnet wrote on 2021-06-03, 22:50:

Shoot, I'm going to follow this thread as I've been trying to find out who made the clone cases for years. […]
Show full quote

Shoot, I'm going to follow this thread as I've been trying to find out who made the clone cases for years.

Brands I've seen and can confirm are a thing...

KINGSPAO - Below is the Model 35 which seemed to be an extremely popular chassis on 386/early 486 systems from 1990-1994.

SONGCHEER - Below is their XT clone chassis. Seems Songcheer might have been the most popular company for XT/AT clones as I see the same control panels used on my GEM 286, DTK, and other various XT/AT/early-mid 386 clones from the mid-80's onward. This is the same one my current 486 system has. I bought it new old stock in 2004 and that's how I Found the name was it was in the packaging stamped to a few items inside.

MAGITRONIC - I know Magitronic sold cases, they may have even built them (seems to follow the power supply supplier brand = case thing as with Kingspao above). I don't have any pictures of them that I know about. That may be what the mystery case I'm trying to find below is...

I have seen boxes on E-bay with "Metal Case" and "Steel Case" on them but I recently figured out that these were referring to the metal type they are made out of vs. the actual brand possibly.

Stuff I'd like to figure out...

What the heck this thing was....or who made it....I want to find one of these and rehouse my 486 in it.

Is it me or is there a problem with your photo links? Can you attach them here? Would love to see them, thanks

Yeah, I tried to use VCFED.......don't think the forum knows how to parse their pictures...

I'll repost them in this reply....

What a beauty, that full tower! I would love to have a case like that. Where did you find it, and where can I get one?
I love that translucent black bar across the machine. Makes it look like a monolith.

I love that upside down mini tower!

FAMICOMASTER wrote on 2021-06-06, 06:55:

What a beauty, that full tower! I would love to have a case like that. Where did you find it, and where can I get one?
I love that translucent black bar across the machine. Makes it look like a monolith.

Personally, I found it in a local ad, but they seem to have been sold in many countries. I was amazed when I stumbled upon it, I only knew the version from the Youtube link in the OP, which is a smaller version. I think you're right, the format, the slick black band and dimensions make the case in my opinion. The metal plinth just gives it the final touch which I absolutely love. All the pictures I showed are from users at Vogons, mainly from the "Bought these (retro) hardware today" thread, I loved seeing the different cases people got.

Repeating what I said in the OP, I would love for Vogons to have a visual database of AT and ATX case models, I don't know how easy / hard that would be but I think it would help a lot of people. I know many cases of people that would like to find their childhood case to make a retro computer but just don't know where to look to get a hint of what they might have had beyond the cases' look and design that they remember.

megatron-uk wrote on 2021-06-06, 10:14:

I love that upside down mini tower!

I agree, I think they are all so original and distinctive, I also love that they found a design aesthetic that was so easy to incorporate in many formats without looking forced

creepingnet wrote on 2021-06-06, 06:16:

andre_6 wrote on 2021-06-05, 13:59:

Thanks a lot guys, I'll hold out for more discoveries from your part. Even if it ends up in a dead end it's worth a try.

Is it me or is there a problem with your photo links? Can you attach them here? Would love to see them, thanks

Yeah, I tried to use VCFED.......don't think the forum knows how to parse their pictures...

I'll repost them in this reply....

Never saw a front panel composition like the third picture, really cool to see

andre_6 wrote on 2021-06-06, 13:36:

Never saw a front panel composition like the third picture, really cool to see

Yeah, that was a 1994 486 DX2-66 that I upgraded heavily back around 2009 or so. It was built by Cat Computers out of Kirkland WA, and funny story is I found it at a Pawn Shop where it had been for sale for at least 10 years. The price tag said "1994 486 DX4 - $200 (line through the $200) - now $20".

I've had three of those cases from the following builders...usually they don't have the sideways 3.5" slots used and just the 3 5.25" bays.

1992 Flight 386 SX
1994 Unbranded 486 DX4
1994 CAT Computers 486

FAMICOMASTER wrote on 2021-06-06, 06:55:

What a beauty, that full tower! I would love to have a case like that. Where did you find it, and where can I get one?
I love that translucent black bar across the machine. Makes it look like a monolith.

It's mine. My regular supplier 😀 found it in a recycling park I think.

Dang. Would love to have one someday, it's a beautiful design. If anyone finds one they'd be willing to sell..

A visual database shouldn't be terribly hard but it might be storage intensive, I think.

FAMICOMASTER wrote on 2021-06-06, 22:05:

Dang. Would love to have one someday, it's a beautiful design. If anyone finds one they'd be willing to sell..

A visual database shouldn't be terribly hard but it might be storage intensive, I think.

If someone could pass that suggestion to the higher powers of Vogons that would be great. Even if a filesize limit would be applied, or something along those lines to streamline it a bit. From my own experience and for what I saw in many threads the cases' design is a very interesting theme for users around here. Surely would be less heavy than the drivers database?...

creepingnet wrote on 2021-06-06, 06:16:

Yeah, I tried to use VCFED.......don't think the forum knows how to parse their pictures...

It doesn't. There's another post you've made recently where you tried to use VCFED too - please don't do that, it won't work. 😉

I'm just here for the desktop AT porn.

I actually have a Kingpao, or something similar to it. I like the Songcheer, and of course the OP's desktop case. I like the tower, too, but I have a ton of towers.

creepingnet wrote on 2021-06-06, 06:16:

KINGSPAO - Below is the Model 35 which seemed to be an extremely popular chassis on 386/early 486 systems from 1990-1994. https: […]
Show full quote

KINGSPAO - Below is the Model 35 which seemed to be an extremely popular chassis on 386/early 486 systems from 1990-1994.

I have two low-profile versions of this for my 286 and 386.

Re: post up pics of your "computing area"