Basic Thin Mini-ITX case

thingiverse

After seeing how nice wood would look as a computer case, I built another one. This time for my Synthesia machine, which runs on a salvaged Core i5-3330S processor from an old broken AIO given to me, installed on an Intel Desktop Board DQ77KB in Thin-Mini-ITX form factor. Before this, it used to be bolted onto a scrawny-looking plexiglass piece. I'm extremely pleased with the result this time around. The wood grain looks fantastic; the CPU fan now functions as both a case fan and a CPU fan, cooling down the voltage regulators and PCH more effectively than before; it feels great when held in one hand; and it resembles a piece of furniture rather than something from an EE lab. This is one thing that needs to be made from wood, not clear acrylic. Cut settings: 3mm Baltic birch plywood, 16mm at 12mA, some sanding applied. Wi-Fi antennas are taped down to the bottom board for optimal placement. Parts required: Intel Desktop Board DQ77KB. The CPU position should be standard on all Thin ITX boards. Rubber feet for added stability. SilverStone low profile cooler selected due to its sleek design, quiet operation, and thin enough dimensions. I used 6mm standoff screws on the bottom because they're the lowest screws that can accommodate the heatsink's backplate. Twenty-two millimeters of clearance was needed, so I utilized 20mm standoff screws with a nut (the nut is required because the screw is 6mm long and too lengthy for the 6mm standoffs below).