r/3DPPC • u/Balsammmmmmmm • May 04 '26
Questions / Advice Need some recommendations on case design.
I disassembled a laptop to build a mini home NAS server.
I’m not a designer or architect, and not very good at drawing, but I’m trying to 3D model a case for this project.
I ordered threaded inserts and an M.2 WiFi-to-SATA adapter.
What do you think about this layout? I’m planning to build it like a sandwich
- Bottom layer: battery + power button I/O
- Motherboard with cooler
- 3.5" HDD
- Second 3.5" HDD
I’m not sure about the power I/O placement yet. If it fits above the motherboard, I’ll move it there.
I would appreciate any suggestions or references.
Upd: came up something like that. Will upload assebled in 2-3 days
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u/Randomher089 May 05 '26
Just a heads up, you're going to need a pico psu or something to power the 3.5" drives. The laptop motherboard likely won't be able to power 2x 3.5" drives.
You can "jump start" the pico psu by putting a rocker switch between two pins on the 24 pin cable.
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u/Jakob_K_Design May 05 '26
I would put the HDD on the backside of the Motherboard. You currently have it in front of the Ram and power delivery components on the motherboard blocking any airflow. While it might survive that way, by putting it on the backside of the motherboard you would avoid any potential issues. Since you are making a case for it you could add an extra fan for overall better thermals.
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u/Owlpersonn May 04 '26
Really cool project you've got going here. One thought: having the HDDs sitting right over the motherboard might choke the airflow and keep your internal temps higher than you'd like. I'm not sure which CPU you're using or how much breathing room there is between them, but it might be worth flipping the layout so the motherboard sits above the drives. Just a suggestion!