DIY Mini ITX PC Case

Update 5/27/21:
I'm tired from getting comments by morons who think wood and electricity equals fire.
Comments in that direction will be deleted.
Update 10/12/2019:
The OS shown in the video is Mythbuntu 14.04 with a customized Steppes them to add KZbin and other streaming services. Unfortunately version 16.04 was the last official release.
cdimage.ubuntu....
For the latest OS version, you have to pick your favorite Ubuntu distribution and add MythTV on top if it, which is available in the official package sources.
Initial Description:
I wanted to replace the ugly metal case of HTPC with a wooden case made of Oak.
From the previous PC I removed all the parts that are not needed for a MythTV-Box.
All that's left is a nice small box made of Oak with a minimum of hardware,
An Asrock Mini-ITX board with a Core-I3-2120 CPU, a SSD and a Pico-PSU.
The box is made from a single laminated Oak panel.
For the bottom I used 5 mm HDF.
I have not applied any finish yet, it's just bare wood.
This time-lapse video will show you how I built it.
Music: Basement Floor - Electronic Medium von Kevin MacLeod
incompetech.com...

[@Wurmtal868]

It seems that a lot of people never worked with any other power supply than the standard silver boxes. Here is a video from "Tek Everything" explaining PicoPSU's: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJ-rnaSNiq1_d6s I'm using a PicoPSU-90 with a 12V/80 W external power supply. The PC draws a maximum of 40 W from the wall outlet while watching full HD video. E.g. this 60W kit www.amazon.com/dp/B0035UETHW/ should work with my mainboard/CPU combination with some margin.

[@Wurmtal868]

The back is open on purpose! The fan barely spins in this setup because there is a good natural convection transporting the heat out of the box. When you add any airflow restrictions the fan will spin a lot faster and you will hear the noise in the background.

[@侯逸群]

good

[@metalheadmalta]

I agree... I did the same with a 'cardboard experimental case', and the fan was always at the minumum revs. Without the power LED, I couldn't tell whether the pc was on or off.

[@CGFUN829]

ASMR*

[@hspxz]

my pc with g4560 / asus h110i plus / 8gb ddr4 / 120ssd /500gb hdd draw 7w idle and 10-12w in fullHD video =)

[@rcpattaya230]

Awesome. Combining craftsmanship with modern technology. Great idea. For those commenting about ventilation, the whole back is open. For those commenting about power supply: you can clearly see the connection to an external power supply.

[@subarc_]

Looks clean and goes great with your living room's aesthetics.

[@osgeld]

its nice to see a pc case made by a woodworker that is not 9 times bigger than it needs to be, typically I see a video like this and the end result is the size of a mini fridge lol ... hey is that a 10 inch sub on the side, hell no thats my HTPC! Great work

[@thomaswilson3437]

I appreciate this because I was pondering an esthetic solution for a wood build to simulate a vintage radio. You showed me an answer to a dilemma I was having.

[@Wurmtal868]

Glad I could help!

[@qrowdzgamingid]

this is what we called a true wooden PC bro

[@Nionix123]

that mobo board clearance you're giving to the wood is dangerously close man. At least 1cm

[@PapiBauby]

I know you're a beast, a very precise man, and with many years of experience, but i still get scared when you pass your arms, or hands around the blades at full speed.

[@ccricers]

Nice case, and I also like the cutting jig you've designed for the cuts, real clever

[@Wurmtal868]

Thanks, Without the box joint jig I would not have built this case.

[@RetroAdventure]

Nice little case! Looks pretty awesome. 6:31 Killing it in them shorts!

[@silkwoodification]

you might missing the air flow. but well done

[@armorgeddon]

Hi, I got a question regarding the scene at 7:10. What do you recommend from drilling clean holes in aluminium? I've got a very small ITX case all made from thin aluminium. It's topcover already has venting holes, but way too little, so I want to drill similar holes beside the original holes. Do you have any hints how to drill those holes so that it comes on cleanly looking, for example which kind of drill bit to use best?

[@sikiemrong5639]

oh pretty nice . but i am concerned about the heat dissipation problem. Wood is not a good material for PC

[@TMTech]

Super geil gemacht :) Jetzt hast du dir soviel mühe gegeben da finde ich es sogar etwas schade das hinten das Gehäuse offen ist. Naja gut irgendwie muss das Gehäuse gekühlt werde. Aber super Arbeit :)

[@Wurmtal868]

Danke

[@fullfunk]

wheres the back mirror? if you gonna go effort to make it wood make it look finished on top you could drill small holes on a round pattern and put a 80mm inside for cooling

[@ejpmonline]

There is only one word I can describe to this video... PRECISION.

[@Wurmtal868]

Thanks a lot!

[@mfcfbro]

The music made me feel like I need to play Command & Conquer again.

[@andrewtran8372]

Nice build though I'm not quite sure why you needed a mini pcie to VGA adapter when there's already a dvid and a VGA port on the motherboard.

[@Wurmtal868]

I guess you are asking about the extra D-Sub cable? It is not a VGA port it's a serial port that I'm using to control my TV set.

[@gengpan]

Thickness of the wood board occupy a lot space

[@thatguyontheright1]

That's pretty good. What I would have done is opted for a Passive Heatsink on the CPU, and on the top panel, put a 200mm fan to suck heat out the top. It's similar to how I did my server, and with 4 7200rpm Hard Discs inside, temps don't go above 45 unless ambient temps are high.

[@armorgeddon]

Do you have pictures of that server case?

[@sporrow2001]

no vent? air intake?

[@Wurmtal868]

The open back is sufficient to keep the CPU at 50° with the fan spinning at minimum RPMs.

[@ryany.5184]

WoW that is cooler than i would have thought. Nice work .

[@JetSkiBuyFixPlaySellChannel]

But how will it ever work if you don't have 472 RGB LED fans going?

[@ryany.5184]

because nasa, has seen aliens? LOLOL troll X-D

[@XHFUTBOL]

Lol wait six months and all will burn

[@monkins1010]

A compass works wonders for rounded edges. Or anything round to scribe an ark. U can get press in nuts that would work instead of tapping wood. Very pleasing final product tho

[@Wurmtal868]

Thanks, my focus was on the oak shell. I could take more care on the round overs of the bottom panel but that's something you can't see from the outside ;-)

[@cyberspider78910]

what about cooling air circulation ? why there is no io shield ? Good work though

[@Wurmtal868]

Your second question is the answer to your first question and vice versa ;-)

[@jjay0831]

Good idea but there is something missing in your work is cooler place for mini PC. Good luck I hope you will pass it in future.

[@meganesenpai8360]

Looks good but the bomb without any airflow is ticking

[@thom-novi]

Matthias Wendall style finger joint jig?

[@Wurmtal868]

Matthias's jig was definitely an inspiration for building my own jig.The gears for my jig are actually made using his web gear designer. However, I consider my jig to be unique. It does not need a gear change to make different finger sizes. All you need for configuration is a device with a web browser that can connect to the jig's WiFi.

[@thom-novi]

@@Wurmtal868 I just watched your test run video. Brilliant! Not ideal to have a laptop in a woodshop but it's still very impressive. Nice one.

[@Wurmtal868]

The laptop was only needed in the beginning before I figured out problems with the ESP8266 going into power saving by turning off WiFi. Now I'm using an old phone to program the jig: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXuYgaN9a5JkepI

[@nekomimitheiii6091]

this man was like fuck it i aint paying 200 for case im only paying 50 dollars

[@ThienPhucVlogs665666]

bạn rất khéo tay, cám ơn bạn đã chia sẻ cách làm thùng cpu

[@gregcy89]

Pretty nice. Could be thinner and smaller if you use low profile ram sticks , cpu coolers and an nvme ssd. Also leaving the rear opened for more air was very smart 😉

[@Wurmtal868]

Thanks! I wanted a new case for existing hardware. You can always make it smaller if you design for a new hardware.

[@PaweRerak]

In the past - for example 50', 60' till probably 80' wood and electricity was a standard. Example: tube radio - which generated in many cases more heat than PC, TVs and still today in UK you can find fuse boxes mounted on wooden desk. BTW nice case. Do you plan to make back plate?

[@Wurmtal868]

Thank you for your comment! Finally someone remembering that all good electronics was encased in wood :-) I see no benefit in closing the back , it will only block the airflow.

[@mariorivera8817]

Hola muy bonito el video me gusto su trabajo pero no veo donde puso la fuente de alimentación de la pc

[@Wurmtal868]

I'm using a PicoPSU as a power supply. Please check my pinned comment on the top of list!

[@analuizadaconceicaoferreir1673]

Didn't understand how he installed a jack connector on the motherboard?

[@Wurmtal868]

If you referring to the power supply, please check my pinned comment about the PicoPSU ! For further explanation of a PicoPSU there a lot of videos here on KZbin, e.g. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJ-rnaSNiq1_d6s

[@infidelgermany]

6:29 The moment you think he saws into the mainboard.

[@Wurmtal868]

No worries, the mainboard I used in the workshop is dead ;o)

[@infidelgermany]

Even better. Still, the way you cut the video made it look like you where about into the board. :D

[@Wurmtal868]

That is purely accidental. But thanks for pointing it out!

[@bassred7065]

Wurmtal 868 Also nice daisy dukes...

[@maliwan666maliwan7]

Was expected to see original handmade backplate...XD

[@kevinfluet5977]

Nice. I have been thinking of doing something similar. I wonder why more people don't do PC cases in wood. Of course, it is the total opposite of all the Blinky RGB fans and strips that seem to be all the rage lately.

[@striker09dx]

imo, you should have made a more visible space for it.. its a shame to hide it in here :) could have made it a drawer if that was where you wanted to put it. btw. have you done any finish on the case? couldnt see it.

[@Wurmtal868]

I have not applied any finish yet. I'm have not made up my mind if I want to keep the straight edges or apply a round over to the box joint edges. Rounded box joints have really nice look due to the transition from with grain to end grain.

[@MichaelMolli]

I would love to draft a case and create it in wood, but you need lots of tools for that.

[@greenprotag]

I would upgrade to an HDPlex 400w DC-ATX unit and add in GPU support for that case... but that's just me. I am sure this was built to spec for your application. Very nice build.

[@Wurmtal868]

In the old HTPC I used a GT210 to have VDPAU support. The Linux Intel drivers have matured since then and are now the internal GPU is good enough for full HD playback. VDPAU might have an advantage on interlaced SD videos but I don't watch the TV channels that are still using that crappy format. I don't play games on this box, so I had no reason to burn any power on a discrete GPU.

[@SgtStarSlayer]

It is a nice idea, BUT isn’t wood the worst choice when it comes to thermal conductivity properties? Besides airflow of course.

[@Wurmtal868]

Hi Andy, I guess you did not read the pinned comment and missed the max power of my used case. This is not gaming PC consuming a kW of power. What ends up inside the case from 40W out of the wall outlet barely warm up the mainboard. Regards Wurmtal868

[@SgtStarSlayer]

@@Wurmtal868 oh didn’t read it, guess it is not a bit deal.

[@imastriker1570]

You can use this to warm your self in the winter

[@PaulFillmoreIII]

That was very satisfying to watch. Nice work!

[@Wurmtal868]

Thank you!

[@dethskullcrusher]

That thing is going to overheat like a champ! You must put intake fans and exhaust, otherwise is going to thermal throttle

[@Wurmtal868]

In my application as an HTPC the I3-2120 is bored. The maximum power consumption for the whole system does not exceed 40W. The CPU temp is around 50°C with an non audible spinning fan. The open back is all that is needed to keep it cool. If want to use the system for other things that need power I would built it different.

[@L1A1Rocker]

Very nice. I've been thinking about making a pedestal for my HAF X Ryzen build to house the PSU and a 360 rad. A nice wooden pedestal may be just the ticket.

[@gabrielemacchi1500]

what's the point of linking it to tv and then surfing on you tube from the smart tv app?

[@Wurmtal868]

3D is only smart thing that this TV can do. The KZbin on TV app is running on the HTPC as part of my MythTV setup.

[@gabrielemacchi1500]

@@Wurmtal868 wow, I didn't get that, how did you use the remote in that built?

[@24cata24]

wood il a verry good heat insulator .. you did a great job keeping the heat in with this project, why leave the back opened ..close that sucer in for good

[@javilarg]

I reckon this is a very sleek project 👍🏻

[@talos86]

Great work! But it have a flaw: the wood is one of the worst enemy of the electrical devices. Its generates ESD, because of the moisture and the ESD can kill the pc easily.

[@karlw8135]

Did you know that moisture increase the conductivity in wood and therefore prevent the wood from accumulating electric charges that cause ESD?

[@talos86]

If u use earthing inside the case, but u need to use a lot: 1 for the mobo, 1 for the hdd, 1 for the power switch, 1 for the PSU, and 1 for the wooden case. I didnt saw any in the video. I work in ESD environment, even the usage of the paper is forbidden.

[@karlw8135]

ESD protection is all about controlling the discharge current by connecting everything through a high resistance path. Thats exactly what the untreated wood is doing here as it is connected to the mainbord ground with the metal standoffs. It seems your mixing up ESD protection with Protective Earth which should connect everything metal that can be touched to prevent an electric shock.

[@georgrenelt1948]

Nice, but no shielding at all...

[@Peter-gb4ey]

6:00 I realized that he's not going to put a gpu or psu in the case.

[@themssorokin]

This is not a computer case. This is an ordinary box.

[@armorgeddon]

So any ordinary box has mini-ITX mounts, a HDD mount & a power switch?

[@butre.]

It's too bad in 2017 the Ryzen APUs weren't out yet. A 3400g in this system would be killer, and this setup is just begging for one of those motherboards with an integrated IO shield. Not to mention the ability to use M.2 form factor SSDs. faster, no cables to manage, and and way smaller, you could have gotten the total size under 5 cubic liters no problem then.

[@spencer3580]

Very cool, I'd like to try something similar for a full sized rig. How are cpu temps with only a single rear opening and no active airflow?

[@Wurmtal868]

What do you mean with no active air flow? The CPU fan is spinning slowly. The whole system draws a maximum of 40 W from the wall outlet. The max temperature watching full HD movies is around 50°C.

[@spencer3580]

I meant active airflow through the case, i.e. case fans. I guess that's not too bad, even though it's a low power chip. Another fan would just make it more noisy.

[@dix9702]

Nice Case, but no air condenser. I would be scared of my configuration about the order for you.

[@katanakhip]

as a woodworker and pc enthusiast, i would've gone with some thinner boards... after all wood is known for a material that keeps heat. also would've liked it with a design or at least a finish. other than that, this case sure falls into out of the box section :P

[@David_Powell]

Looks good. Is the power supply now external?

[@Wurmtal868]

Thanks, I'm using a external 12V brick and a 90W picoPSU www.amazon.com/Mini-Box-picoPSU-90-tiniest-smaller-picoPSU-120/dp/B005TWE3ZM.

[@koenchiau4002]

Sir, what great craftsmanship. By lack of any other means to ask you my question directly, can you please provide the brand and model of the table saw you are using ? It seems compact and very practical. Thx in anticipation !

[@Wurmtal868]

My saw is a Scheppach HS80 www.scheppach.com/product-details.aspx I modified it with new tabletop made from resin coated Baltic birch plywood. I can not recommend this saw unless you willing to modify to your needs. I bought because it was on sale for only 79€ at the local hardware store and it seemed to be good base for my modifications.

[@sirdee9607]

Soo schön, such a beauty, well done, and great Craftsmanship

[@MovieTrailerTeam]

wait did you just demonstrate PS4 (or whatever has same youtube interface) on TV and said us it is PC?

[@Wurmtal868]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6vQqIqMgqZ9a7M

[@ChiTuSai]

nice, i'm new to the htpc world; what is the os installed? KZbin interface is the same as my Hisense smart tv, so, it's a special os for these purposes?

[@Wurmtal868]

I'm using mythbuntu 14.04. But you can get this KZbin interface on any OS. Type kzbin.info# in the URL bar of your browser and you should see the same GUI.

[@ChiTuSai]

Thanks a lot

[@dr.zippymcscoots8725]

Nice job. Im going to do the same with high density plastic.

[@АлександрМатвиенко-ч5ь]

C таким количеством инструмента можно было и по интереснее изделие своять. Задник должен был быть, на корпусе можно было пропилить прорези для вентиляции. Скорей всего это макет почтового ящика)

[@ztdep]

Could you please list all the electrical tools used in this process. I want to make a wood lab.

[@Go.el_Hadam]

I play this video in my car. This beat is mean.

[@Wurmtal868]

I hope you're only listening while driving ;-)

[@katyperry1061]

Where is the power supply?

[@Wurmtal868]

Please check my pinned comment about the power supply!

[@ashfaq7812638]

Excellent, hope you will make more

[@ralphlouren6332]

Hola, no entiendo, y laa fuentede poder? PSU?

[@srk9939]

how to cook your parts

[@Skott62]

How is the mobo and components grounded? Don't they have to be grounded somehow? Curious how its done in a wooden case.

[@Wurmtal868]

The PicoPSU with the external isolating power supply eliminates the need for a ground connection. Think of it as an notebook computer with a wooden instead of a of plastic enclosure.

[@Skott62]

Okay thanks for replying. Great case!

[@ketiljensen5479]

Thanks for the inspiring video! Where did you get the power button? And how did you attach it to the cable? I'd very much like something like that for a build I'm planning myself! :)

[@Wurmtal868]

Thanks a lot! I got the switch from amazon in Germany. The wires are directly soldered to the terminals but now there are also plugs available. A similar switch that I'm using is this www.amazon.com/Ulincos-Latching-Pushbutton-U19C1-Stainless/dp/B01N751TAW/ Regards!

[@111danish111]

This is a pure work of art .

[@Wurmtal868]

Thanks!

[@charliebrownau]

Gday Do you happen to have the CAD PLANS for this (PDF/JPG/CAD) and bits of wood you used exactly ?

[@Wurmtal868]

Sorry, I don't have plans. I started with the idea of the case using just a single panel of laminate oak: www.bauhaus.info/leimholzplatten/exclusivholz-leimholzplatte/p/14089216?adb_search=leimholz%20eiche I adjusted cuts to get the maximum volume that could comfortably hold a mini-ITX main board. For the bottom I picked some scrap HDF panel I had lying around. By accident the dimension almost match the Grundig MR200 standing next to it on the shelve. ;-)

[@dasciuri]

Hi good! But what operating system did you install? you get me the link? thank you!

[@Wurmtal868]

I'm using Mythbuntu 14.04 with a modified steppes theme for KZbin using chrome. You can get the latest version here mythbuntu.org

[@kokoymaoyebol183]

He make a pc in the wood but he play a youtube on tv not using a pc in the wood but in the tv alone using wifi lol

[@Wurmtal868]

Thanks very much for for your comment. If you had watched the video link at the end before commenting you would think different. This video is especially for for you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6vQqIqMgqZ9a7M

[@frankrizzo1994]

It would be easier to work a few extra hours at work for a new case instead.

[@lalherlian9382]

What power supply did you use

[@Wurmtal868]

Please check my comment I pinned on top of the list!

[@maritrunks]

Very nice case, and looks great!

[@poonhandler520]

I thought he was making a bird house 😄 😆😂

[@Wurmtal868]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqepeKWEn7lnhpY

[@yubinator7455]

or you can just use a 10mm standoffs and put the SSD or 2.5 inch HDD under the motherboard

[@Wurmtal868]

I doubt that 10mm is enough, considering that the minimum height of an 2.5" SSD/HDD is 7mm.

[@devtank]

Stunning! Id love to do this myself with Bamboo.

[@Wurmtal868]

Bamboo could have made my life easier. After cutting the Oak it starts warping very bad. The clamps that I used while gluing the finger joints where forcing the wood to be strait again. To my experience the laminated Bamboo panels I used for the arcade stick were straight under all conditions.

[@devtank]

Very interesting. Thanks for the response, and keep up the great joint-work, it looks fantastic.

[@Luiko0406]

and the cost of the tools?? higher than most expensive mini ITX PC case :D

[@Wurmtal868]

If you are looking for a cheap alternative for commercial available cases this video will be very not useful unless you already have some woodworking tools. However, I doubt that you can buy a comparable ITX case for the cost of my tools.

[@deoliac820]

WHERE IS YOUR SMPS PART HOW TO START WITHOUT SMPS

[@Wurmtal868]

I'm using a 90W PicoPSU, that little yellow connector that plugs into the ATX power socket and an external 12V power brick. Please check my pinned comment for details!

[@martinflecha9153]

Los fan?? Muchi no va a durar sin enfriamiento

[@flack9638]

heat will be the huge problem

[@Wurmtal868]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/roaWY6Zurd6Aa8U

[@chasebarnard1223]

sir. I give you an A+ on Skill, Craftsmanship , ingenuity, and background music!! oh yeah as well as talent! you deserve more subs! so heres one more!~

[@lidenmds113]

y la ventilacion ?

[@bettalinks]

Yeah I'd just buy one for 30 bucks instead..... good video though

[@j.h.4570]

Don't call people morons just because they don't know better and were too lazy to look up flammation/ignition temperatures ;-) I hope you didn't have any accident with whatever tools you've used since you made the video, so here's some late advice. Never ever wear gloves, not matter which type, when working with power tools or machines that rotate in some direction. That includes that nifty table saw you're using. Check it out on here or else on the web. You'll find out quickly I'm giving you well meant advice only.

[@doitvocemesmo]

Nice work. What OS did you use?

[@Wurmtal868]

Mythbuntu 14.04

[@phitrow]

what is the process current on the bus 3.3 V? Does the PicoPSU-90 highlight enough?

[@Jonathr6700]

What kind of is it is ?

[@Wurmtal868]

???

[@dragon77411]

Is case airflow ok?

[@Wurmtal868]

It depends on the application. For watching videos the HW acceleration of the internal GPU was effective enough, 40-50W total system power, that n high airflow is necessary. However, although the CPU temp was well below it's limits, the CPU fan was spinning up because the chipset got a little warm. This resulted in a whining noise of the CPU fan. Therefore I exchanged the stock CPU fan with 120 mm low noise fan: kzbin.info/www/bejne/roaWY6Zurd6Aa8U

[@domingueschen8216]

No air flow? This is a error! Hot temperature of hardware inside case 🌡🌡🌡🌡🌋

[@Avdeevk]

Good idea and so many tools! But so inaccurate and unfinished result.

[@Martin-ot7xj]

Hi dear, if it is possible please make a backgammon

[@the_hunterghost9231]

where did u get the power button switch ???

[@Wurmtal868]

I bought it on amazon , e.g. www.amazon.com/WerFamily-Momentary-Waterproof-Stainless-Indicator/dp/B01KHNKV4E

[@sterlingwendt6288]

case was great needs better ventilation other than that B+

[@darkjedimaster1988]

What operating system are you using in this htpc?

[@Wurmtal868]

I'm using Mythbuntu 14.04 with a modified Steppes theme. mythbuntu.org

[@andreslezama3910]

Le hubieras puesto una malla de plástico para protección de cualquier alimaña

[@mustafaal-aqabi788]

a great way to burn your computer. you need good airflow for the long term. Theres a reason why good cases are expensive.

[@fckinnonstick9919]

Ok. A mini pc that run without a psu. Congrats ;)