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5150 Case Ideas?

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zombienerd

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New Hampshire
I'm tossing around the idea of building one of the PC-Retro DIY boards. The problem is that I don't have a case for the unit. I know that the 5150 has a cassette port and I think I remember hearing that the ISA card spacing is different than the standard AT case format.

Two questions - Would the 5150 board sans the cassette port fit and line up in a 5160 or XT clone case? I don't really see the need for the cassette port, so could leave it unpopulated to make my search for a case easier. Secondly, what is the ISA port spacing difference, how hard would it be to shoehorn it into a standard AT tower?

Or, if anyone has a 5150 case lying around they wouldn't mind letting go of for peanuts + shipping, that would work too. UPS shipping shouldn't be more than $30 or so. I just can't see myself spending ebay prices on a case for this potential build, when I'm already going to shell out way more than the finished product is worth to build it and make it work. I have zero PC/XT parts on hand as it stands. :)

Lastly, homebrew case ideas would be welcome!
 
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zombienerd said:
I'm tossing around the idea of building one of the PC-Retro DIY boards. The problem is that I don't have a case for the unit. I know that the 5150 has a cassette port and I think I remember hearing that the ISA card spacing is different than the standard AT case format.

Two questions - Would the 5150 board sans the cassette port fit and line up in a 5160 or XT clone case?
Click to expand...
Not even the keyboard DIN connector lines up. See comparison photo at [here].
 
A home brew case would be a piece of cake for me, but it wouldn't look like a 5150 unless I somehow get enough cash to sell my pan brake and buy a press brake and all the necessary tooling, which I don't see happening.
 
As its a homebrew motherboard, you could go ultra-low budget and build a wooden box. Lots of homebrew systems have been built out of wood. This guy built a 5150-ish case, although he seems to have used parts from an ATX case:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lLoO5tI5cQ

The slot spacing. You *may* be able to mount the board in one of those low-profile AT cases, and use the riser-board for the slots. You probably would have to move every motherboard stand-off to get the one ISA slot to line up, and drill a new hole for the keyboard port. I have on occasion used a case screw to tap holes for new stand-offs. If you drill the right sized hole, and go slow, the heads don't break off that often.

Alternatively you could just mount the whole motherboard to a piece of steel, and stick some kind of plastic cover over it. Or instead of steel a nice piece of hardwood. There are also lots of steel/aluminum project boxes. Some would be great for a 19" rack-mount piece of hardware.

Another thing that might work is to just secure the ISA card back-plates with a stack of motherboard stand-offs. As far as I can tell there would be room with the 5150 slot spacing. Any gaps between the back-plates, you can justify as "ventilation". I think that's what I would do, as fabbing up a 5-slot back-plate mount is going to be a real pain. If you are gong to cut steel I would highly recommend a nibbler and a straight-edge.

If you want to justify massive gaps in your case, just take a look at the TRS-80!
 
I wouldn't use a nibbler. Mark the line you want to cut with a scribe and cut with a cutoff wheel.

With practice, you can cut very very straight, and you can easily end up with a perfect edge.

If you have a bandsaw or jigsaw, rough your cuts with that first.
 
A nibbler, particularly a power one can make very clean and exacting cuts--doesn't raise burrs like a saw does.. I use one on occasion.

Doing one on an EDM would be a piece of cake, but that's not likely to be found in the average home shop.
 
Waterjet would be even easier not to mention faster. If you can get the cutting head, a pressure washer and cheapo CNC router can be turned into one. Get your checkbook out, don't forget the garnet.

I've never had success cutting perfect lines with a nibbler. Sure it can be done, but one hiccup and you've got a disaster. Cutting to a scribe line by hand with a die grinder and cutoff wheel or sanding disc is hard to mess up, with patience.

Maybe every nibbler I've used was dull and undersized, I don't know. I've avoided them for decades due to bad experiences. I've cut some amazingly straight and square lines with a die grinder.
 
I'm quite handy with a dremel and masking tape. I was considering Acrylic now.. Lot of work to build a case from scratch, but would look really neat when it was done.
 
You could probably use a 5160 case or clone there of and cut out the rear panel and make one of your own. That way you don't have to make the whole thing. I think the mounting of the motherboard is the same. Just the rear panel is different.
 
KC9UDX said:
Maybe every nibbler I've used was dull and undersized, I don't know. I've avoided them for decades due to bad experiences. I've cut some amazingly straight and square lines with a die grinder.
Click to expand...

Most of my nibbler work has been with nonferrous metals, so that could be another issue. I've even modified a nibbler to cut "dragon's teeth" for joint sheet metal.

After all, there's no particular need to make the expansion bracket out of steel. Brass might look pretty sexy.
 
I have an un-used 5150 case bottom frame. It's free if you want to take a day trip to RI. It's a nice clean one. I bought it for the top/cover. If I keep it I'll start another build, NO more for me.

framer
 
I have an empty 5150 case available, it's the B model case. $79 plus shipping. I bought boxes that fit them perfectly with padding to minimize the cost. I also have complete systems, displays, cards, motherboards, keyboards that I plan to put on Ebay soon. It's not my business, I am just trying to make space. These are all hardware that appeared on the XMEN Apocalypse movie, the 1983 CIA room. I rented them to the movie production house through my computer club when it was still called MARCH. I don't need them now. If you're near southeastern PA, you can pick these up cheaper than if you want them mailed. PM me if interested.
 
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