Mounting a Mobo

[Kabniel]

First off, this is a great place. I've been reading various posts and really like the atmosphere. Aero's Guide to Modding pt1 is a fun read too.

I was curious how most people go about mounting a motherboard in their mods. I've seen plenty of custom jobs and articles, but nothing really goes into how they mount things. If it's odd, they mention bending some aluminum or something, but not too much is said even then.

Do you like to use trays? Do you like to just mount the sucker to the side of the case? How much clearance do you try to place between the mobo and the case? Do you just use the little spacers? Or do you try to rig it higher? Does one take into account grounding? Is it necessary to take grounding into account? How does this affect metal cases vs other materials?

I have similar questions about PSUs too. Those above. Also, I know (not)grounding is important, but how can you check without frying something by accident? What do you take into account?

Basicly: If you have a metal box. And you want to put a computer into it. Is there anything that you pay particular attention to when you are mounting the components?

Thanks for your consideration. I've been all over the place trying to find answers in reviews/articles. I'm as giddy as this guy, , when i think about these things.

[ajmilton]

i don't believe a tray is necessary - i think their main purpose is to give the standoffs something to attach to without poking through the case. somebody might want to verify that though. trays also raise the PCI slots up enough that the cards can fit without running into the side of the case (all those expansion cards have that metal plate that sticks out from the bottom a bit).

that's a pretty decent question, actually. i'm getting a metal case ready to mount a mobo in and i'll be running into that myself shortly.

i'd suggest using the standoffs, they come with all motherboards. they give adequate height to prevent the motherboard from grounding on the case.

as for PSUs, grounding isn't generally an issue. you're not gonna ground it unless you strip a wire somewhere, or poke something into it.

there's nothing specific you have to be wary of when putting a computer into a metal box, that's all a standard case is. a metal box with pre-tapped holes for the mobo standoffs.

[Kabniel]

there's nothing specific you have to be wary of when putting a computer into a metal box, that's all a standard case is. a metal box with pre-tapped holes for the mobo standoffs.

That was my thought process. Wasn't too sure if say steel vs aluminum would be a issue. Most cases i've seen are aluminum or a poly of somekind.

With PSUs, i've usually seen a structure of somekind that it all slides into. Wasn't sure if it served the same purpose as standoffs do for a motherboard.

A question about trays: How do they usually go in a case? I've never used one. Do they slide in like your sock drawer? Or do they clamp? Any screws involved with securing it? Besides securing braces or what it slides into.

To give a better idea of what i'm planning; i've got a change machine chassis that i'm going to use. Used to sit on top of a counter giving quarters, but has since broken. I've gutted it and am getting measurements. Due to the way it's cut, i can't mount a mobo like a regular case. It's more going in from the front than the side. I figured a board can be mounted to a tray, and then slide that into a set of braces or something. The PSU would sit on the bottom where the old PSU was (for lack of a better term).

[ajmilton]

psus just attach to a case. some cases have a little slot for em to slide into, some just screw on.

most trays that i've seen in stock cases are riveted or otherwise permanently attached. you can get some cases with removable trays, but personally, i've never needed to swap out a motherboard like that. not to mention that you have to pull everything out of the computer to swap out a motherboard anyways.

as long as it stays put when you put it in, it doesnt matter if the mobo tray is permanent or sliding. as far as i can tell, your idea should work just fine.

[Kabniel]

thanks for the thoughts

btw, know of any really nice comp shops in east ATL? Easy to work with, etc.

[ajmilton]

best computer shop around atlanta is GIM computers, near ga tech ... not really east atlanta, but i don't generally head around that way. live near midtown, work in midtown ... no reason to leave my area :p

there's a Fry's up 85N a bit, 3 or 4 exits outside the perimeter

also, 3 or 4 CompUSA's scattered around. one near lenox mall, one up 75 somewhere, etc etc.

if you're looking to buy components, i'd recommend GIM first, if for no reason other than to support a local business, and the people there are good folks.
(www.gimcomputers.com)

so to answer your question, no. i know no computer shops in east atl just never been looking for em out thataways.

[Kabniel]

heh. no worries. I'm mainly looking for local pop shop type places. I like supporting those. I'll look into GIM though.

Thanks for your help.