Tough cases that aren't $40,000.00

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
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Does a computer case exist that can be dragged behind a pickup truck for a mile¹ that will still work and look fairly decent? Yeah very tough but not crazy expensive? Composite (resin) preferred.


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¹Expression, not literally! ;)
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
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Probably cheaper to get a metal fab/welding shop to make one. If you want something that can be dragged behind a pickup it would probably be a higher end rack mount case and you're looking at a few grand for that.

I can just see it now, a checker steal case with metal tube framing. That would be kinda cool.
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
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Well it has to be able to reasonably protect the contents too! Carbon fiber frame with 1cm thick panels attached. Submersible to 5 meters would be helpful too but not required. (splash resistance would be though)
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
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Hmm maybe a case inside another case, held by thick elastics or shocks of some sort. Could be 100% sealed off to protect from water and just use a small heat pump for cooling.

Now it's getting expensive though. :p
 
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lopri

Elite Member
Jul 27, 2002
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How about granite? I've just finished my basement kitchen and the granite top is solid like a rock. Pretty, too.
 

manimal

Lifer
Mar 30, 2007
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How shock resistant is the motherboard? Would the hsf be ripped out of their mounts? The case may survive but the contents may look like scrambled eggs if you didnt get some shock mitigation.
 

GprophetB

Platinum Member
Jun 20, 2003
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You need to tell us what this case is going to endure... not "drag it behind a truck for a mile"

What type of environment will this be in?
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
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I would be more concerned about the hardware inside the case. You could make a case out of 1 inch thick titanium and dragging it behind a truck would make it fail . PC boards can only take so much shock before traces will break and the chips will crack.
 

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
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dude for 40g you can buy a civic, Gut the car inside, keep the safty EQ, and build your computer on the inside.

:X
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
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Well I have to deal with an engineer who likes to use comparison to things "that I can understand" [sic] He's new (with me) and I'm going to let the line spool out to the end before calling home! ;)

In any case shock does take its toll. I have an aging X5DAE Xeon based box with U320 drives that are getting media errors.

So they want new boxes. Drives won't be a problem - they are putting Pliant LS300S's in there! These are SAS 3.5" 300GB SSD devices. Perhaps some may make it into my system but they are NOT your typical desktop drive! ($$$$)

The waterproof chassis looks nice but it has metal exposed. Non sparking, no ferrous metal is acceptable but it also dings.

The ideal would be to find RELIABLE hardware and POT it up but TDP on ANY cpu just prevents this nevermind Nehalem chips! A long heatpipe coupler may work but honestly they will probably just go fairly conventional inside of a very rugged box. (aka double boxed)

No molex connectors are permitted either!

I wish regular PCs and peripherals would abolish POS molex connectors ASAP! Also SATA power and data connectors are quite fragile and easy to unplug. Very clumsy and flimsy IMO. All my drives are bolted tightly into backplanes for this reason.

How about granite? I've just finished my basement kitchen and the granite top is solid like a rock. Pretty, too.

LOL we don't have weight limits but do you have any idea what kind of damage that box would do when the restraints give (which they would unless they were made to hold 10 tons!) way and it flies about? The phrase "take out some serious shit" comes to mind! ;)
 
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Wuzup101

Platinum Member
Feb 20, 2002
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How about granite? I've just finished my basement kitchen and the granite top is solid like a rock. Pretty, too.

Solid like a rock? ... you don't say...

Sorry I had to... what color did ya get!?!?!?!
 

wwswimming

Banned
Jan 21, 2006
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Does a computer case exist that can be dragged behind a pickup truck for a mile¹ that will still work and look fairly decent? Yeah very tough but not crazy expensive? Composite (resin) preferred.


___________________________

¹Expression, not literally! ;)

those diamond-plate aluminum toolboxes are wide enough to fit an ATX motherboard.

it would take some engineering but the result would cost less than $40K.
 

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
20,905
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In any case shock does take its toll. I have an aging X5DAE Xeon based box with U320 drives that are getting media errors.

So they want new boxes. Drives won't be a problem - they are putting Pliant LS300S's in there! These are SAS 3.5" 300GB SSD devices. Perhaps some may make it into my system but they are NOT your typical desktop drive! ($$$$)
Hello~ you building my Lind?
 

manimal

Lifer
Mar 30, 2007
13,559
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Was about to ask ruby how the build was going but it looks like ruby is banned? I have been getting about 3 hours of sleep taking care of our newborn triplets so I may be hallucinating...
 

ChaiBabbaChai

Golden Member
Dec 16, 2005
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multimedia center on a boat? (hence the dragging behind a pickup truck and splash proof parts) ??