quick fabrication problem with my new pc build

[mkawa]

so, as almost no one knows, because i never really got far enough on this project, i run my desktop in a completely stripped-to-the-frame antec lanboy air. anyway, long story short, i'm rebuilding it to be even more minimal (because something went poof but i don't know what -- look for a huge deal in the classifieds on a 3770k package soon) and i have a SERIOUS PROBLEM GUYS

basically, i have no PCI backplate (you know, the slots in the frame that pci card ports back out into. i also have a video card that weighs, i **** you not, like 7lbs. i have no idea how to support this thing. even when i had a pci backplate, it sagged, and that was WITH a metal backplate reinforcing the pcb itself.

pics in a second. looking for quick but clean ideas that don't involve zip ties (unless they look particularly awesome). i do have a ton of instamorph though..

[mkawa]

potatocam incoming

ok, completely worthless. HOLD ON HOLD ON

[linziyi]

Can't you just place it horizontally?

[regack]

potatocam incoming

ok, completely worthless. HOLD ON HOLD ON

is there no support for the video card at the back of the "case" either?  First thing that pops into my head is either some kind of vertical supports from the bottom of the case (or PSU) to take the load off the top edge of the card, or some rivets and some pieces of aluminum angle...

[mkawa]

Can't you just place it horizontally?

so heavy that even in horizontally it threatens to destroy the connector.

[mkawa]

horizontal and vertical pictures that give a much better geometric intuition of what's going on.





ultimate orientation for the case will be vertical due to how the lanboy air drive mounts work

[mkawa]

potatocam incoming

ok, completely worthless. HOLD ON HOLD ON

is there no support for the video card at the back of the "case" either?  First thing that pops into my head is either some kind of vertical supports from the bottom of the case (or PSU) to take the load off the top edge of the card, or some rivets and some pieces of aluminum angle...

yah, i've thought about the latter, but want to keep the aesthetics as clean as possible (and i don't have any bar stock or channel sitting around right now). the former was my first thought, but instamorph, which i can dye, isn't strong enough to support that much weight over that much distance without just being a solid brick of the stuff.

[AKIMbO]

What about some cheap L-brackets from a hardware store.  Screw them into the pre-tapped holes in the case and use a few washers to set it off from the chasis.  Put a few o-rings on it to kill vibrations.  Spray it black for aesthetics or use some truck liner spray to kill conductivity.

You could install the L-brackets upside down like in the photo below (L-brackets would be the red lines).  It's hard to tell the geometry from your pics so maybe this idea won't work at all. *shrug*



Edit: I just realized I drew the L-brackets on the wrong side of the case (lmao)...you get my idea though.
Double edit:  Man I really need to read threads before replying.  I see my solution was already suggested. 

[mkawa]

actually i think you got it nearly right akimbo. the trick is to mount a support between the vertical bars that separate the drive cage from the motherboard compartment. that's where the vast majority of the weight is. i think i can actually do this with a single tensioned wire. off to do something crazy. thanks man.

also i think i'm seriously going to glue a raid card to a video card heatsink. wish me luck dudes.

[regack]

actually i think you got it nearly right akimbo. the trick is to mount a support between the vertical bars that separate the drive cage from the motherboard compartment. that's where the vast majority of the weight is. i think i can actually do this with a single tensioned wire. off to do something crazy. thanks man.

also i think i'm seriously going to glue a raid card to a video card heatsink. wish me luck dudes.

come back with pictures... once you work it out.  some thin aircraft cable would look pretty cool suspending the card from above...

[dorkvader]

actually i think you got it nearly right akimbo. the trick is to mount a support between the vertical bars that separate the drive cage from the motherboard compartment. that's where the vast majority of the weight is. i think i can actually do this with a single tensioned wire. off to do something crazy. thanks man.

also i think i'm seriously going to glue a raid card to a video card heatsink. wish me luck dudes.

I'm not sure if that's the answer, but you may have something with the wire idea.

I don't know which direction "vertical" is with your case, but I would suspect it ends up with the PSU on the bottom. If this is the case, I would recommend taking a wire from the hole that the PCI slotcover screws into to the top of the case and let it "hang" from that. Ideally, you'd also have one on the back end of the card near where the power connectors are, and if you want to be even more proper about it, having a standoff or brace (folded paper would work in theory) going from the PSU to the GPU for it to rest on (just in case) would also work.
http://i.imm.io/14eet.jpeg

[domoaligato]

I have a antec lanboy air just sitting in my garage. you want it? I have the pci backplane and everything as far as I know.

[fl0w3n]

I wouldn't worry too much about it with the card vertical.

I used to run my two DC2 580s without them secured to anything other than the PCI slot. They were triple slot cards, so I'm sure similarly heavy as yours.
Just make sure they are snug in the slot.

[Leslieann]

I've seen more than few people with sagging cards make a post that holds it up.

[mkawa]

I have a antec lanboy air just sitting in my garage. you want it? I have the pci backplane and everything as far as I know.

yah, i'll take it. pm me. i munged my backplane trying to strip it down then thought it would be cool to make it look like everything was levitating.

basically, i did the wire thing. to ron's chagrin it works. non-potatocam pics at some point when i pull the cables that make it actually work (they're still ugly).

i think this is going to work for about 3 more hours though before something breaks though, so eventually i'm going to need to return the LBA to a boring but functional state

but then i discovered THIS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811108437

which i think the final functional build will be in

[linziyi]

Or you can consider those "pc bench case".

[mkawa]

they don't look badass enough

HO HO HO

[mkawa]

ok, non-potato pics on request of ron

quite hard to see the actual high-tension wires because they are tiny compared to the logic-level stuff, but hopefully ron can get the idea from this. long story short, it was fun, but the wires are going to slip through the hot glue in due time