Part Four: Cleanup and Final Assembly
If you've gotten this far, you're almost there!
OK. You've done all of the cutting you need to do and you're ready to get this machine up and going! By now you know where everything goes and how it fits, so I'm going to leave you with some tips on how to finish up.
Take everything out of the case. (You may leave the motherboard plate bolts in place.)
Drill some 1/2" holes above where the processor and cards will be. (For air intake.)
Vacuum EVERYTHING thoroughly, including the case itself and the inside of the power supply. We want no plastic or metal dust anywhere near this thing when it goes online.
Assemble everything in these steps.
Important Note: Use hot glue to secure all nuts in place, including the one inside the power supply!
Backplate
Motherboard mounting plate
Motherboard
PCI/ISA/AGP cards
Power supply (screw the board in and screw the cover on after securing it)
Drive bay bracket
Drives
Once everything is connected, this puppy is ready to go. Remember to attach a power switch to the motherboard! :)
Interior and exterior diagrams of what the case should now look like.
Here are some extra ideas:
Seal around case components (backplate, power supply, drive bays) with a silicone caulk.
Mount a permanent power switch (if you've made the case this will be easy!).
Cut holes for and mount extra case fans for improved airflow. (Right now mine is running cooler than it ever did with just the holes drilled in it, but it'd be nice!)
Coat the inside of the case with an RF-conductive spray for shielding purposes.
Hope you've had fun with this project! I certainly did...
Louie Hannen