My first idea was to adapt an ATX PC tower case for the A500++ board, but then realized I could create a custom case. Since 2016, I have worked as a welder/fabricator and I am experienced in metal work. Most importantly, my workplace has a CNC laser cutter. The case was designed by a workmate who referred to my sketches and measurements. This service was very expensive, so I designed subsequent cases myself.
In order to practice, I designed two prototype big box cases for A600 and A1200.
After seeing me tinker with Amigas, my son became interested in the Amiga ecosystem and chose the A600 due to the smallest footprint. I designed a compact case significantly smaller than the original prototype.
After successful assembly of the A500++, I decided to try an A2000. I ordered a blank PCB (by Floppie209) from Rob again and built that. I acquired an original case in poor condition with the intention of designing my own. This was a big step for me due to the challenge of aligning the rear Zorro openings with where the slots would actually be. I am pleased to say the finished prototype came out very well. On the rear is a mounting position for an ATX power supply. I have also created a bracket that holds either Ian Stedman's power adapter PCB or my board that is simpler and provides -5 volts and TICK signal. The power adapter's PCB is my design and the code for the IC is written by my friend Jacek Grzebyta.
Towards the end of 2020, I wished to become an owner of an A4000. I am handy with a soldering iron and can solder SMT parts, but a dense project like the Amiga 4000 was beyond my ability.
As a result, I ordered a pre-assembled board. However, I was missing a case (again)!
I was unable to obtain an old case for a reasonable price, so I designed my own, based on pictures this time. In previous projects, I measured boards manually using a caliper, but at some point, I discovered that I could extract measurements from Gerber files, if available. I pulled hole spacings from the gerbers, but to make sure, I acquired a blank PCB for fitting purposes in order to avoid using a precious working board. This time, there was a new obstacle of accounting for the horizontal daughterboard. I had to find precise measurements for vertical daughterboard position and horizontal Zorro card placements.
There are not many case replacement options available especially for the big box Amigas. I make these cases as a hobby and only for individual orders. They are not mass-produced so pricing is steep. My cases have a minimal and industrial appearance but are very sturdy. Some people like them but others are less enthusiastic.
Recently, I decided to make an A3000 case after encouragement from a fan of my previous works. As much as I'm a fan of the 3000 and it's design, it is beyond my budget. I was donated a broken board from John Hertell for fitting and measurements, as well as using the gerbers as a source. I managed to acquire a reproduction of the daughterboard from Francis Bernier and dimensions of the Firebird from Hese. My case is fully compatible with the AA3000+ project, original A3000, and the original daughterboard or the Firebird can be installed and secured using 3D printed clips. This case is currently my most advanced. It is designed to accept a modern SFX PSU and has accent lighting mounting above the front ventilation for fans of LED lighting. There is a mounting bracket for the previously mentioned power adapter, as -5 volts and the TICK signal are needed. I have also created a bracket in which you can mount an SCSI2SD board in the rear, as well as additional fan locations for improved airflow.
It brings me great pleasure to tinker with Amiga hardware and I hope my work extends the life of at least a few systems.
The text above is written by me and published in Amiga Addict issue 10. I was given permission by Jonah Naylor to republish it. I would like to request that you support the people at Amiga Addict or buy one of their magazines.
I am very interested in acquiring an Amiga 1000 model for a reasonable price. I will consider any condition. I am UK based.
:mrgreen: