I think I could save money on a PC case if I got a large wooden box with a sliding lid and just screw the motherboard to it and carve areas for the PSU and storage. I suppose this could work, but I would need a big wooden case, like a meter tall and 50cm wide, but really thick so I can carve a few rectangles to mount the HDDs.
Sure, you absolutely can, just keep airflow in mind and remember that wood is flammable.
I could get fire-resistant wood, like hardwood a few cm thick, but I would have a drill and carve holes for the fans and engineer a solution to keep the PSU cool.
You could put some fire moronant paint/coating on it.
Who needs a case?
I know PCB can flex a little and not be an issue (especially large PCB), but still gives me the willies.
I am willing to bet 100% of my life savings that this photo was taken in Russia. At least the air cooling is on the ball.
>this photo was taken in Russia
yeah, carpet on the wall is a dead giveaway
>cloud computing
The motherboard is supposed to be grounded.
Note any mounting screw holes with metal around them - they should all be grounded by connecting them to the PSU's outer case.
If you fail to do so you might experience random instability.
Using a metal motherboard tray inside the box would make this much easier, as well as helping with stand-off clearance (even though wood doesn't conduct I wouldn't count on it for isolation because it might get moist on humid days)
>The motherboard is supposed to be grounded.
Don't make shit up. You don't even know what grounding is.
the metal isnt connected to anything. its just there so the screw doesnt scrape off the pcb
>the metal isnt connected to anything.
It's connected to the screw.
Which is connected to the motherboard tray.
Which is connected to the case.
Which is connected to the PSU housing.
Not all mounting holes have metal around them, it's a grounding thing.
>Using a metal motherboard tray inside the box
If that metal isn't connected to anything, what makes you think the metal tray is grounded?
What makes you think the 24v power plugs have no grounds on them?
Wood cases have been done before, they're not common because buidling a case with adequate air flow would be expensive without a mesh material and that would look like ass against a wood grain. If a wood worker put in a low of hours to make it big enough, route cables, and still have a reasonable "grill" for air flow, I bet it would be quieter because the wood would absorb a lot of the fan noise.
>what makes you think the metal tray is grounded?
You obviously have to ground it, but that's easily done.
>What makes you think the 24v power plugs have no grounds on them?
They can run traces to a grounded header, true, and they will do this as well.
But often it's easier to just ground via a mounting screw.
>But often it's easier to just ground via a mounting screw.
No, its often easier and safer to be done with all cables being grounded to the PSU and the PSU being grounded via the main power plug.
You'd only do it that way if you lived in a third world shithole that doesn't have grounded outlets.
How the frick do you think grounding works?
Yeah the outer case itself is grounded through the ground wire on the power cord, duh.
This is how all grounded appliances with a metal case are wired.
Grounded appliances have their metal case grounded to avoid fricking you up in case there is a short inside that connects a power line to the case. And not to protect the electronics that are grounded through ground lanes inside connectors and wires.
Problem is that isn't PC's supposed to run inside Faraday Cages to prevent interference outside and inside with radios running around 2.4 GHz (CPU CLK)?
No, each sensitive component has its own shielding. You can prove this by putting your cell phone inside your computer case. It doesn't suddenly go to no service and your bluetooth stop working.
fire hazard
I'm pretty sure wood is more expensive than plastics. Besides, it's flammable.
Cases are pretty much the cheapest PC part if you don't count mice and keyboards, makes no sense to save a dollar or two on something that's already only $30-$50