DSD Posted January 11, 2003 Posted January 11, 2003 I was thinking about making my own for my d8 b cpu and my HDR. Anybody ever done this? My main concern is ventilation, How much do I need. It never gets that hot in my control room,I have air conditioning. I was thinking 3/4" plywood with acoustical foam on the inside. Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated I just can't rationalize spending $1,000 on a pre made one.
not Cereal Posted January 11, 2003 Posted January 11, 2003 plywood sucks. use "high density fiberboard" and you will need little or no insulation
miroslav Posted January 11, 2003 Posted January 11, 2003 I didn't use plywood...used that high-density fiber board that has the white malmaline finish...or I think you can even find it in black... It's a bitch to cut with a hand saw, and a lot heavier than ply...but it worked out well. Use wood glue or some kind of sealer/adhesive between all your edges…and not just screws…to get a nice solid box. I lined the inside with this very dense 1/2" foam that is used in HVAC systems to deaden them. For the front door I got 1/4" clear plastic...drilled a bunch 1/4" holes in neat rows…where the CPU intake vents would line up. (Don't force the drill or you will crack the plastic...maybe pre-drill with a 1/8"...then follow up with the 1/4".) The tricky part is hanging the plastic door. I used Crazy Glue to attach two hinges to one side of the plastic door...and a small hook-latch to the other. Of course you can probably use small nuts/bolts to attach everything to the plastic. I tried some epoxy…but it wouldn't stick to the plastic. Every once in awhile, if I'm too rough with the door…, the Crazy glue might let go a bit…I just apply some more and it stays on for quite a long time. I ended up using some tiny screws and Crazy Glue on the latch, 'cuz the surface are was too small for just glue to work...but the hinges are just glued on to the plastic. I then lined it all up and screwed the hinges/latch to the rest of the box. I also put weather stripping along the front edges of the box where the plastic door would touch/meet it…it helps create a better seal when you close the door. Put the weather stripping on BEFORE you line up the hinges and latch. The back vent holes should be as big as your CPU fan holes...and then don't forget cable/wire holes...as many as you might ever need...but try and line them up with the back of the CPU. The sheet of 1/4' was the single most expensive item...about $25...the rest...fiber board, foam, glue, hinges....etc. ..maybe another $50...??? ...and of course...time and patience...try to be as neat as you can, otherwise it will look like shit when you are done. :D Those $1000 iso-boxes are very nice and professional looking...I think some of them use real glass for the doors... ...but my $75 iso-box came out quite good...and it does reduce the CPU noise substantially. With complete silence in the room....yeah, I can still hear the CPU...but when I open the iso-box door...WOW...THEN I REALLY HEAR THE CPU!!! So it's doing it's job. Next best thing...put it all in a distant closet...or out of the room. But that is not as realistic as it seems if you have a rather involved computer rig. I have 3 computers in my studio... 1)...my main DAW 2)...my (ancient but still fully functional) Atari for MIDI sequencing and console automation 3)...and my "Internet/everything else" computer Running cables to a closet or another room for all that would be a nightmare. My homemade iso-box works just fine! :thu: miroslav - miroslavmusic.com "Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
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