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Just realized that although I had shared some pictures and video in various blogs/threads, I never actually posted this one as a project…

I entered a case design contest for an Intel NUC (really tiny computer). The contest was to design a case to hold the hardware, and then Intel picked 5 winners. The winners of the design contest were then sent the hardware from Intel and got 2 months to build their case (interestingly, this case was the only one done in the 2-month timeframe, the contest was extended for the rest of the participants).

The case construction is 1/8" plywood with some quilted Sapele veneer (hammer veneered). The rest is solid Wenge and Curly Maple. Finish is a couple coats of shellac.

In the last picture, it's shown next to the original case the computer came in, and that measures 5"x5"x2".

Gallery

Comments

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I'd be proud to have that on my desk Mos. Nice work and shows a high level of skill and artistry.
 

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I thought yours was the best case design. I have a space on my desk where it will fit if you don't have roomin your new place.
 

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Thats a sweet lookin computer!
 

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Mos, that case came out great. I love wooden computer cases and plan on making more someday. How did you fare in the contest results? That looks like a winning entry to me.
 

· Just Plane Crazy
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Thanks guys, was a lot of fun to make.

Bruce, I'll have more room in the new house for this kind of thing, so I think you're out of luck ;-)

Allen, I ended up taking 3rd by 2 votes in the popularity contest. Pretty much as I expected, but there were no prizes involved there so I won just as much as everyone :)
 

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By default you should have won just because you were the only one to finish in the allotted timeframe. I would scream at them to be acknowledged as the winner….....that's B.S.
Sure would like to see the #1 and #2 winners if this was a #3.
Well done.
 

· Just Plane Crazy
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Thanks Mike. I wasn't that worried about it, I knew mine was done on time. One other guy had theirs done but didn't wait long enough after clear-coat to put it in a foam lined box (we had to ship them, supposedly), and that ruined the finish (polka dots, was kind of neat). Oh well.

Lots of us here may be partial to the wood cases though lol. I quite liked the first one, if she would have finished it on time (and followed the rules of all the motherboard ports being accessible instead of just some)

First place:


Second place:


Third place:


Fourth place:


Fifth place:


More details and pictures are here: http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2015/06/08/intel-nuc-case-design-competition-finished/
 

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Creative, nice break from the standard beige or black box.
 

· Premium Member
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Mos, you have an awesome talent. How do you bleed off the heat is what I want to know?? :D
 

· Just Plane Crazy
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Thanks Rick and Beka.

Beka, on mine there's a laptop sized blower style fan that blows over a heatsink on the PSU and out the back of the case. This thing doesn't really produce much heat otherwise, so it hasn't really been an issue so far.
 

· Just Plane Crazy
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Here's a picture of the back, that shows the exhaust on the left:


And there's air intake on the side towards the arm
 

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Very nice. Good job.
 

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I demand a recount!!!

I'd rather look at yours than any of the others Mos.
 

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Excellent case design which was made and delivered on time,

yeah there's something fishy going on there. Yours is definitely the best

Mos, thanks for sharing.
 

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No accounting for taste, Mos. Yours is the clear winner, both by design and following the rules!
 

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Bondo is right-you got robbed! Highway robbery, my man!

Yours is definitely the most creative, as the other entries are just functional, with no artistry involved.

Artistic merit should be a consideration in contests like this, because not only does the item need to serve its intended function, it should be aesthetically pleasing as well. After all, if you've got to look at the thing all day, it should be something worth looking at!
 

· Just Plane Crazy
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hehe, thanks for the support guys (and gal). It was a community vote, so like i said I lost the popularity contest lol The two that beat me have larger "groups" than me, but i also know from many of my past projects that woodworking in the computer case modding scene is pretty hit or miss. Not as much interest in the wood builds. Oh well, I still enjoy it all the same :)

Dean you hit on the very thing I enjoy about building computer cases like this. Just because you want the form to stand out doesn't mean functionality has to suffer; just have to get more creative in design!
 

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Your design is the most outstanding, most esthetically pleasing and most artistic without question! I haven't seen anything this beautiful since Dennon used to make rosewood bases for their turntables back in the 80s; and, even Dennon's comes in a distant second to your design.

P.S. The next time you enter one of these "popularity vote" contests, how about giving us members of the LJ community a heads up so we can support a true winner?
 
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