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Thread: Building a PC in an IBM Mainframe-style case?

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    ALT0153™ Rob_B's Avatar
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    Building a PC in an IBM Mainframe-style case?

    I'm wondering where to get hold of old 'mainframey' chassis (small ones not huge ones!) to build a PC inside as they look quite funky.
    Fittings could be hacked as I imagine they wouldn't fit but where would I start to get hold of one of these & what sort of cost would I be looking at?

    for an example I'm after the chassis shown here (the small ones!) http://www.bluechip.co.uk/content/1/...i-iseries.html

    Cheers!

    Rob
    Last edited by Rob_B; 26-09-2008 at 03:34 PM.

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    Does he need a reason? Funkstar's Avatar
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    Re: Building a PC in an IBM Mainframe-style case?

    eBay would probably be your best bet.

    The small boxes in the front of those photos aren't mainframes, but the consoles that provide access to them i think.

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    Fried Chip Extremist alsenior's Avatar
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    Re: Building a PC in an IBM Mainframe-style case?

    was you thinking something like this type of case which is an RS6000

    linked because it's huge

    or something like this like a older As400. the Rs6000 above is more or less a atx case (might need minor modifications)
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    mush-mushroom b0redom's Avatar
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    Re: Building a PC in an IBM Mainframe-style case?

    Yeah, something like ab IBM J40 would be better. Or even a Sun E450. Had both of those as 'desktops' at points in my career.....

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    Senior Member Pob255's Avatar
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    Re: Building a PC in an IBM Mainframe-style case?

    Well I modded an old server case, and I'm still useing it. http://forums.hexus.net/chassis-syst...e-project.html
    Main problem I had was/is the back panel, the IO sheild is far smaller than an ATX one and I've had to cut big chunks out of the frame work to fit in an atx board (and I still cannot use an IO shield in there)
    Also the motherboard stand offs were in the wrong places, no addtional holes for the atx, the tray and spacers are designed to come out (spot welded in place) so brute force was needed to get them out. Then I had to repair the tray and drill new holes for ATX spacers and finally gluegun'd in it to keep it in place and not fall out.

    However the things you linked look like server rack mount cabinates, I do hope you realise how big they are?
    Rack mount cabinates are just large metal frame works with power and cabeling built in, it's devided up into "slots" the actual computers that make up the server are in units that slot in to these.
    Think of the 5.25" drive bay on the front of your pc but scaled up to fit a pc in each bay.

    When you say "old 'mainframey' chassis" I think you mean one of the far older servers (pre-server tower cases), most will of gone into landfill by now as they are near enough musseam peices now.
    You might get lucky and find something, where I have no idea.

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    ALT0153™ Rob_B's Avatar
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    Re: Building a PC in an IBM Mainframe-style case?

    Im aware of what I linked to & what a mainframe/server is I was trying to show the style I was after hence the 'mainframey' comment (to be fair something modelled on the IBM z10 would be great but then again they look pretty similar to the z9)

    alsenior - thats the kinda thing! Basically think of a mainframe, shrink it to ATX size. That's what I'm after!

    This'd be good but I don't need the inner parts! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IBM-Netfinity-...em270279421896
    Last edited by Rob_B; 26-09-2008 at 11:19 PM.

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    Senior Member Pob255's Avatar
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    Re: Building a PC in an IBM Mainframe-style case?

    Well just so you know most server cases are not that larger than high end atx cases.
    they are often quite heavy because they are built from thicker steel, also makes them quite solid. (and harder to cut through)

    The specs for that case are listed as
    H=42.7cm W=21.7cm L=65.9 cm W=37.46 kg (that's with all the stuff in it)

    An Akasa Mirage 64 is
    H=46cm W=24cm L=56cm W=6kg

    SilverStone KL03S Kublai
    H=52.4cm W=22cm L=59.4cm W=14kg

    Antec p182
    H=52cm W=21cm L=51cm W=14.1kg

    Coolermaster RC-1000 Cosmos
    H=59.8cm W=26.6cm L=62.8cm W=16.9kg

    Don't want to put you off, I did it, it's fun

    Oh and I found the standard size of a U5 server case (most server cases are designed to be uses stand alone like a tower case or on there side in a server "rack")
    H=42.65cm W=22.19cm L=50cm

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