Framework Forever case
Description
PDFAs in, this is taking Forever…
Framework 13, fully modular, desktop/laptop. Mount, case and EGPU dock.
This is an attempt to replace my desktop replacement Clevo P870TM with 9700K and full speed RTX2080. Its a desktop replacement replacement if you will. Its because when Im at the airport with my “laptop”, my back hurts because now I am old.
Use case will be largely CAD machine, with the ability to game at a reasonable level.
Hopefully I can use this with a portable monitor, carrying just the case and monitor, mouse and KB through the airport in my carry on, while the GPU and EGPU dock lie VERY snugly in my luggage. This is something that I may come to regret later when my $3-400 GPU is broken.
Ive been tinkering with EGPU's for a while now, and have concluded that Thunderbolt 3 / 4 is too compromised, so have settled on an Oculink solution. Its not perfect, but USB4 v2 to M.2 adapters and their accompanying EGPU docks are not quite here, so there you go.
So after destroying several EGPU docks and setting fire to one RTX 3060 Ti, Ive learned enough/not been discouraged enough to settle on this design. Its been 2 years in the making. The case is fairly inspired by Not From Concentrate on youtube, although nowhere near that level of craftmanship and design.
Parameters
- Must be at least as powerful as my Clevo P870TM. (9700K w/ RTX2080 (this cost me $1200USD to upgrade from a 1070 back in the day! what was I thinking???), 1080p 120hz)
- Must weigh at least the same but ideally less than the P870TM (approx 12KG inc power brick).
- All parts must be replaceable (obvs the CPU and Mobo are a whole unit)
- Usable as a laptop, at least as much as the clevo. No battery is ok for now.
- Reliable. There may be jank, but not too much, and can be refined.
- Ideally no throttling, or very little. 120hz 1080p has to play without lag or stutter, any game (recent) at reasonable settings. (ie not 720p low everything, thats what IGPU's should be able to manage) (Ok the truth is I really only play Call of Duty, sometimes Battlefield, thats all my life has room for ok?)
Issues: There are far too many to list all of them here. The big obvious ones are:
- The 1280P is an absolute hotbox. Why? just Why? It absolutely needs an extra fan at least, buffering all that heat away from the CPU. I have created mounting holes in the top plate of the case to mount an 80mm fan. Also, I used a usb 5v to 12v pwm controller to try get the most out of the speed. A case for this will follow at some point. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000172954148.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller.6.63846kyD6kyDqN&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40050.354490.0&scm_id=1007.40050.354490.0&scm-url=1007.40050.354490.0&pvid=5d216ed5-579c-4c99-8b35-20cce99c545b&_t=gps-id:pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40050.354490.0,pvid:5d216ed5-579c-4c99-8b35-20cce99c545b,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238116%232002&isseo=y&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21NZD%214.01%214.01%21%21%212.20%212.20%21%40210318c317366334428004254e4462%2110000000598774866%21rec%21NZ%212042526832%21X&utparam-url=scene%3ApcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller%7Cquery_from%3A
- If I use an oculink adapter in the M.2 slot, where is my OS going to live? On a samsung T7 Shield of course! This requires Hasleo Wintogo and some patience. You dont have to do this if you are willing to put up with TB4 speeds. I have to admit it would all be a lot tidier without oculink, but FPS!!!!!
- If a portable SSD is going to horde a USB C slot, where am I going to plug all my other crap in to? Well Im glad you asked, becase the answer is, my Stay Go handy dongle of course! If you dont have these two items, then bad luck, you cant use my Dongle and SSD mount. https://www.twelvesouth.com/products/staygo-usb-c-hub?srsltid=AfmBOoqQ0j3ju6msF5AKCNsD5mCs5ai4rkRkiicM5I7HJjMhyQSabABK
- I hate the exterior Antennae. My computer is not an ant! I bought these ones here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001631216182.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.30.715818024C5Z3p They could be crap, I dont know. We'll find out together.
- Screen. Well you can have any you want. I bought the cheapest 16" I could find: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CXJ19MDR?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1 I thought it had a VESA mount, it doesnt, so I have to stick the VESA pad to it. I put holes in it, so you can use a proper VESA mount if you like. I do have plan to use my Ipad as a screen using one of these (https://www.genkithings.com/products/shadowcast-2?srsltid=AfmBOooT2abHhBWrHNw9heOzjwtQtFTOW6F6yeNdmUCdNa1Nv-Otq1tz) but thats for another day. Will my 16" Framework outperform your 16" framework laptop? Who knows?
With printing the top and bottom panels, I printed them with the interior facing the build plate so my outside design was all nice and crisp, but supports are a pain, so if you want a better fit to the middle piece and dont care about the pointless functionless design on the outside, I suggest you print at lease one of the panels outside face to build plate. I will probably rework the button cap to make this work for both panels.
Asembly of Framework Case:
The main part of the board is in 3 parts. Top, middle, bottom.
The top houses the brass lugs (or whatever you call them) and 16mm and 8mm M3 bolts come from the bottom to hold the three pieces together. The middle piece also has brass lugs to secure the mainboard.
To secure the SSD and USB adapter casing, 4x 8mm M3 screw through the casing in to the brass lugs on that side of the case. These brass lugs (in the top panel) have to be 7mm long ones in order to also accomodate bolts from the bottom also.
All other lugs are 3mm M3.
Nobody does the button properly and I am no exception. put it in the top and glue the cap on top and hope it is in the right place and works. I'll probably revise this…
The Vesa mount should slot through the holes in the back. If you need to stick on the pad to a surface rather than using Vesa mount holes (as I am because this portable monitor doesnt have holes lol) I recommend using extra strong double sided tape, which is used for mounting stuff without tools. WARNING, once you stick it down its a mission to get it off! you have been warned.
https://www.scotchbrand.com/3M/en_US/p/d/cbgnawus1861/
This isnt perfect, but Im in a hurry…
Wifi antennae should fit in the two cutouts along the bottom of the board. Im afraid double sided tape or glue was my only thought here…good luck.
There will be a version of this case printed in Resin (the detail is so NIIIICE!) but Im still figuring out mix to get some flex but loose the brittleness in the material. Im desperate to do a clear front panel version as Ive figured out how to make it look completely transparent (without spray painting it), but I just cant fit it in right now with my 60 hour weeks.
Also, the cut out vent pattern on the top and bottom panel can be cleaned up carefully with the shaft of a low power soldering iron, before or after youve set the lugs, if you in to quick and dirty clean up…
EGPU dock.
OK this is a remix of the OGRE 250 which I found here:
It uses a NFHK Oculink board: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007083828089.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.25.715818024C5Z3p
and the HD Plex 250: https://hdplex.com/hdplex-fanless-250w-gan-aio-atx-psu.html
The first thing to know about this is that the HD Plex gets excessively hot!!!!!!!!! It will burn you. What this really needs is a fan that plugs in to the PSU and is always on, but I just dont have the where with all right now.
Ive opted for Resin prints for this one as they seem to handle heat better (I used 25% Anycubic Tough Resin Ultra and 75% Standard). Your mileage may vary with PLA. In fact dont use PLA, at worst use PLA+. I have tried this and it seemed to be fine.
I havent used lugs in the Ogre250 because I ran out of time. The cables from the HD Plex have to be SHORT. Changing the length of your power cables is on you. Im probably just gonna run it with no lid and long cables for a while. The cables at the other end have to be zip tied in to a nice coil to fit in that end.
The prints in the pics are really just drafts so the quality is poor. Ive likely done things wrong as I m rushing for this competition, and Ive never posted prints publicly before, so just bear that in mind internet.
Ill be back to revise stuff periodically (hopefully that doesnt mean never), feel free to add advice or comments, I may or may not ignore them…
Oh and this will be a holiday project, so I will post final pics once Ive got it together…
edit: added assembly images of egpu. (Yes I know working on carpet is a bad idea, but I don’t really have a choice as I’m away…)
edit: added assembly of main case images, Vesa mount for my initial portable setup, working case screen, mouse and KB with no egpu, working case etc WITH egpu setup (such as it is), and some firestrike and timespy results with comparisons to the aforementioned 9700K and RTX 2080. Currently the thing is a mess, yes I know. Im waiting on some nice 13cm USB4 cables, and there is a fair amount of tidy up to do in all departments as Im certainly no QuadMovr (look it up).
The main thing is, it goes. Another messy, not as succint as an actual laptop, DIY laptop. Its pretty modular, everything is replaceable, its powerful enough, its not loud, and its probably luggable. Not sure how robust it is yet, but we'll see how we go…
edit: Added a corner stand (they only attach at the ends), and plugs for the fan mount. These need to be shaved down to fit the holes of your fan after a length of m3 bolt thread has been screwed in. Its a bit of a pain in the ass. I would potentially just get heatshrink wrap and use that next time…
usb 4 accessories:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006321550313.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.1a4238daaqAiJ6&mp=1
edit:Added pwm fan controller case which latches on to a 80mm fan. this needs to be refined methinks but it is functioning currently…images attached. It goes together with 4 x m1.6 4mm bolts. oh and the 13cm usb 4 cables are attached to tidy up the left hand side a little bit. all my peripherals are connected at the moment so it looks fairly hectic. if i was away my kb and mouse would be wireless as would the internets…
edit new Vesa stick on pads added with better locks. With holes and without version and new back panel for mainboard case to fit new Vesa pads.
edit
Kickstand for portable monitor!
This is the final piece of the puzzle really. Ive already started planning a slimmer version…
Instead of using the portable monitors flimsy wrap around cover, I decided to make a kickstand for the monitor instead. The monitor is very flimsy, so Ive also attached a strip for the top so it doesnt bend too much with the weight of the case.
The kickstand is just two pieces (sorry to anyone who doesnt have a bed size of at least 300 x300!). The hinge is very simple, its just a M3 35mm and a brass lug sunk in to the hole on the inside. It also has a lip for the case to sit in to, so when youré sticking on the VESA mount you need to postion it to sit in this lip so its nice and secure…
thats it! Ill continue to refine, and I do want to add a bay for the battery witha custom plug that can withstand plugging and unplugging multiple times, but tha might be a while off as im back to 60 hour weeks, and version 2 of this is already brewing….I will split these in to three or four seperate builds once this competition is finished with (surely by now!)
Thanks
edit April 24
Ive added a universal ish enclosure for more usb dongles, rather than just selfishly having my stay go enclosure only. There are images added for two different dongles. The gist of it is you slot the dongle in to the cage and strap it down with velcroe straps (or zip ties I guess) . a strip of rubber or double sided tape wouldnt go amiss to secure it too…
Im switching to a 3d printed external ssd expansion card to run the OS, so this doesnt have the T7 Shield holder attached, and of course, if I could get one, I could just purchase a Framework 1TB expansion card, but I cant, so make my own it is…
Im off to try finish off the slimmer V2 version of this case… eventually with support for detatchable battery hopefully…
Tags
Model origin
The author remixed this model.
Differences of the remix compared to the original
Changes to length, holes, antennae type. Ok so the only original thing is the basic layout of the board.
The Ogre 250 is altered to fit a NFHK oculink adapter. (its just wider and power plug is on opposite side.