Building Your Own PC Case: Design Notes and Boutique Makers
When no off-the-shelf case fits your constraints, you either build one or buy from a small-batch maker. Both are realistic.
Dimensions you must respect
You are free in most dimensions, but motherboard standoff positions and expansion slot geometry are fixed by standard.
Slot openings are tied to the board's slot positions. A 1mm error and the card will not seat.
| Standard | Board size | Slots |
|---|---|---|
| ATX | 305 × 244 mm | 7 |
| MicroATX | 244 × 244 mm | 4 |
| Mini-ITX | 170 × 170 mm | 1 |
| Mini-DTX | 203 × 170 mm | 2 |
Material and thickness
Around 0.8mm for steel, 1.5mm for aluminium. Thinner panels flex when lifted and put load on the board.
Aluminium is easy to work and light but softer, so it needs more thickness. For 3D-printed parts, watch heat: PLA deforms near 50°C.
Acrylic is used for looks but is not structural on its own. Use a metal frame and acrylic as panels.
Airflow paths
Whether intake and exhaust face each other matters more than fan count. Insufficient intake area means more fans do not help.
More intake than exhaust creates positive pressure and reduces dust ingress through gaps. Filters are only needed on intake.
A GPU pulls and pushes its own air. Leave clearance beneath it; if that is blocked, nothing else you cool will help.
Boutique case makers
When no mass-market case fits, small-batch makers are an option. 18 makers, grouped by country. Each commits to a different design goal.
| Country | Maker | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| アメリカ | Sliger | SM550/SM580、Cerberus。板金の自社製造 |
| アメリカ | Velka / Velkase | Velka 3/5/7。3〜5L級の極小 |
| アメリカ | Winter Charm / WCC | 少量生産のオープンフレーム系 |
| オーストラリア | Xproto (Singularity Computers) | 水冷前提のオープンフレーム |
| オランダ | Streacom | DA2 / FC・DBシリーズ。ファンレス筐体も |
| スウェーデン | LOUQE | Ghost S1 / Raw S1。意匠と冷却の両立 |
| スウェーデン | Fractal Design (Terra) | Terra。木材前面の10.4L |
| チェコ | Thor Zone | Mjolnir。5L級でフルサイズGPU |
| ドイツ | Dan Cases | A4-H2O / A4-SFX。SFF筐体の原点のひとつ |
| フランス | Geeek | A50/A60。自作キット的な販売形態 |
| 台湾 | Cooler Master (NR200P MAX / NCORE) | 大手だがSFFに本気の系統 |
| 中国 | FormD | T1。容量を組み替えられるサンドイッチ構造の代表格 |
| 中国 | NFC Systems | S4M / S5. 薄型サンドイッチ |
| 中国 | SSUPD (Lian Li) | Meshlicious / Meshroom。メッシュ全面 |
| 中国 | Jonsbo | アルミ削り出し。V/Nシリーズ |
| 中国 | K39 / Custom Mod | K39/K55。3〜4L級の超小型 |
| 中国 | Metalfish | S3/S5/T40。安価な小型アルミ |
| 中国 | Mechanic Master | C34/C28。極小志向 |
Check stock and pricing on each maker's own site. Small-batch runs often have limited order windows.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need special tools?
If you form the metal yourself, a bender and a nibbler. If you design and outsource laser cutting and bending, a screwdriver and a riveter are enough.
How do boutique cases differ?
They commit to one goal — minimum volume, silence, a specific radiator — and give up versatility. Part compatibility is correspondingly tighter.