Dangerous Prototypes

Here's a layout for a case for your power supply and atx board.

Layout for laser cutter.
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7789108800/)
atx case layout (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7789108800/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

The atx board attaches to the front cover with holes for all the connectors.
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7789049096/)
atx case (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7789049096/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

Inside view of components passing through  the front cover
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7789048898/)
atx case side view (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7789048898/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

The mounting holes for the power supply are set for the location on my psu, but should work for all.
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7789048716/)
atx case back (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7789048716/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr


Ernie

It might be a little bit hot in there since there are no vents in the plexi for incoming air into the PSU....

There's plenty of holes in the front cover just put some spacers between the board and cover. If not I can always put some vents on the side's need be.

I'll add some vents tonight  after work.

I think some holes would look better than having spacers - and it is a no-cost solution to the problem as well....

Have you planned to cut off the connector from the cable from the PSU and then solder the wires into the holes on the boards where the connector normally would be?  If you put the connector on the back of the board the connections would be reversed.....

I plan on changing the way the connector sits on the board and sending it to the board house. I can solder a straight through connector on from the back or just change the pinout on the psu connector.

I suppose that the "cubes" would be glued to the front/top/and bottom sheets, and then the sides would fastened with a screw into the cube.

But what about the backside?  It's bolted into the PSU, but there are no cubes or other screws to hold the PSU/back-combo together with the rest of the enclosure.

The back side is glued to the top, bottom and sides. The psu slides in from the front only the front comes off and the blocks are attached to the front cover

Ah. That's nice.  I almost want a kit... ^_^

links to modified case with vents.

case solid
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7794975144/)
atx case with vents (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7794975144/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr
http://http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=d4da76d009a7cdb59025297b7e5f982e

case layout
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7794974922/)
atx case layout (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7794974922/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr
http://http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=c6e6f9d1774bebec9025297b7e5f982e

Ernie

Here are the results of the drawings.

Nylon screws hold the board on to the front cover.
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852003558/)
IMG_1510 (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852003558/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

I haven't drilled the screw holes for the cover yet.
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852003208/)
IMG_1512 (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852003208/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

Waiting for the atx connector to arrive (straight not right angle).
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852003700/)
IMG_1509 (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852003700/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

Have to drill out the holes for the banana post there a little to small and wont let the board lay flat on the cover.
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852004056/)
IMG_1507 (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852004056/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

Cut the opening under the power plug to low.
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852003376/)
IMG_1511 (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852003376/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

As you can see the hole does not match-up.
(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852003074/)
IMG_1516 (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/7852003074/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

I think it will still look good on the bench. What do you think?

Ernie

it would look even better if you remove the case of the ATX and expose the smps... not sure about EMI but it would look nicer :D... add some lamps in ...

I have similar setup (I use black non transparent acrylic, I cut bunch of holes and have number of outputs, some additional filtering and few adjustable outputs too with some current measuring etc etc ... anyhow, experience show that you *must* have load on 5V. The ATX will work without load on 5V but it will work poorly, the transients will run all around, the stability ain't gonna be worth sh1t and all in all you do not want to use it like that - so you want your 5V load. Now, you can do as designed by DP and add a big resistor on the 5V rail and generate useless heat or you can do something better and attach a number of leds, lamps, neons.. on the 5V rail and light the sh1t out of that case... it will look nice + it will make a load on 5V that you need for ATX to properly work :)

p.s. I went for black acrylic many years ago when I made this psu because initially I used for another project with ATX inside transparent acrylic and it became very ugly after few months of use (dust collects inside the case and looks terrible, especially as at the time I was a heavy smoker so tobacco fumes + soldering fumes + cat hair + regular dust ... very ugly)
You can see the supply in my right corner of the desk
(http://https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pItPgeRy-iWZzgwKy656StMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink)

I use to have a HP 3310a just like yours. I have some black acrylic but I decided to go with the clear just to keep with the whole theme of seeing what you built. Back in the 80's I had a man cave a 14'x 12' shed with A/C, Electricity and then came Andrew Hurricane Andrew Aug 24 1992 and it was all gone. All my ham gear, Tektronics scopes and HP meters, function generator all gone. most of the gear was military surplus couldn't afford the new stuff. You have a nice setup makes me want to start getting a nice bench going again. I have been using the bench at work all this time.

I really like the case, thanks for sharing!