making enclosures for electronics

[Electric Comet]

anyone done this

how does the wood hold up over time

i am not expecting a lot of heat as it is a low power device but it
will be warmer than ambient sometimes and then cooler at other times


i found a project that is using wood for a custom laptop but i am
more interested in the longevity factor for wood in this application

[Bill]

Electric Comet wrote:
> anyone done this
>
> how does the wood hold up over time

Indoors, I would say it holds up pretty well, if you finish it and keep
it dry. Maybe a few hundred years? But, it does not last forever...

[bnw...@gmail.com]

Does it not only have to last as long as the remaining life of the laptop? What are the chances that the next laptop has the identical dimensions?

[未知]

"Electric Comet" <electri...@mail.invalid> wrote in message
news:nkaf17$7se$1...@dont-email.me...

I have built some boxes for electronics. I always drilled lots of holes for
air circulation. Put the holes so that the heat can escape upward and some
cool air can come in below the heat. It should be OK. If it does warm up a
bit, you can always install a fan. They have some very quiet fans for
computer now.

[ads]

Be aware that internal temperatures in laptops can get very high.

Look for CoreTemp, a free program that reads the temperature of the
processor to see just how hot the specific device runs.

The dual core Intel processor in my laptop can hit 172F or more when
working hard. This is in conditioned space that's 78F. Expect higher
internal laptop temperatures if the ambient temperature is above 78F.

[DerbyDad03]

On Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 12:15:37 AM UTC-4, Electric Comet wrote:

These were built by a Master Electrician that I "know" through another
usenet group. They are old and I can't speak to how they held up. (He
hasn't answered that question yet. I'll let you know if/when he does.)


PC/AT
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/Woodiy%20AT.jpg

PS/2 M30
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/woody%20m30.jpg

PS/2 M30/286
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/woody%20m30-286.jpg

PS/2 M70
http://gfretwell.com/electrical/woody.jpg

[Scott Lurndal]

ads writes:

>>
>
>Be aware that internal temperatures in laptops can get very high.
>
> Look for CoreTemp, a free program that reads the temperature of the
>processor to see just how hot the specific device runs.

That's generally measuring Tj (Junction temperature, the highest
operating temperature of the actual semiconductor) or Tc (the temperature of the
processor chip case itself).

The air temperature within the laptop is significantly less, assuming
that the heatsinks, cooling devices and ventilation openings are functioning correctly.

[John McCoy]

Electric Comet <electri...@mail.invalid> wrote in news:nkaf17$7se$1
@dont-email.me:

Unless you put the wood in direct contact with some
part of the electronics that is very hot (i.e. try
to use the wood as a heat sink) I would expect the
wood to have a longevity factor several orders of
magnitude longer than the electronics.

John

[未知]

"Lee Michaels" <leemichaels*nadaspam* at comcast dot net> wrote in
news:576980a6$0$9309$c3e8da3$5d8f...@news.astraweb.com:

> I have built some boxes for electronics. I always drilled lots of
> holes for air circulation. Put the holes so that the heat can escape
> upward and some cool air can come in below the heat. It should be OK.
> If it does warm up a bit, you can always install a fan. They have
> some very quiet fans for computer now.

One thing to keep in mind about a fan is that it sucks power. If you're on
a battery, having a fan could mean significantly reduced run time. It
might be worth considering a switch (automatic or manual) and making sure
your case is as open as possible.

Puckdropper

[ads]

On Tue, 21 Jun 2016 20:35:33 GMT, sc...@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal)
wrote:

All true, but I allow for the laptops that get set on upholstered
furniture and carpet and inhale lots of the stuff that nakes "dust
bunnies". I've cleaned large wads of that material out of a number of
laptops. If the user isn't aware of keeping the vents clean and
avoiding upholstered surfaces, the airflow drops drastically and the
internal temperatures go up rapidly.

[gray_wolf]

I agree. I've seen many a Fender, with wood cabinet, guitar tube amp that ran
plenty hot. I never saw the wood destroyed. Most of the old tube radios had wood
boxes. Didn't seem to hurt them either.

[Electric Comet]

On Tue, 21 Jun 2016 14:12:13 -0400
ads wrote:

> The dual core Intel processor in my laptop can hit 172F or more when

this is a more efficient design and lower power so will not get that
high

my concern is more to do with longevity

i am going to try and see how it does

[krw]

It depends on what that's measuring. If it's a thermal diode on the
processor chip itself, 172F isn't all that hot (<80C). The processor
should be able to take at least 105C (~220F) or perhaps 125C (~260F).
Of course, the key is understanding exactly what is being measured.
Without that information you have no information.

[John McCoy]

krw <k...@nowhere.com> wrote in news:lasomb1eees6pfpnvm47pe18dhkg3rrces@
4ax.com:

> It depends on what that's measuring. If it's a thermal diode on the
> processor chip itself, 172F isn't all that hot (<80C). The processor
> should be able to take at least 105C (~220F) or perhaps 125C (~260F).
> Of course, the key is understanding exactly what is being measured.
> Without that information you have no information.

Exactly so. In most cases what's being measured (because it's
what's we can really control) is the case temperature. But as
you note, some devices have an internal sensor measuring the
die (junction) temperature.

It would be unusual to find a case temp rating above 85C in
a commercial grade product. That roughly corresponds to a
junction temp of 105C. Automotive grade parts are usually
spec'd for a case temp of 125C. There is a significant price
premium for that temperature grade.

John

[DerbyDad03]

I heard back from the gentleman that built these.

PC/AT
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/Woodiy%20AT.jpg

PS/2 M30
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/woody%20m30.jpg

PS/2 M30/286
http://gfretwell.com/ftp/woody%20m30-286.jpg

PS/2 M70
http://gfretwell.com/electrical/woody.jpg

He said that they were built between 1986 - 1991, adding "They lasted until
they were too obsolete to use. I never had the RF interference problems
everyone predicted but that is probably due to the way IBM made the boards."