Considerations:
1. Size - at 30" width and anything up to about 3' height (although I'd rather build it shorter, and use some kind of final, dummy bottom section to get the overall cabinet height right), and I'm trying to keep the depth around the 8" mark so all these dimensions shouldn't be too much of a problem.
2. Access - I need to be able to access the PC fairly easily so that I can do upgrades, maintenance etc without too much stress.
3. Safety - never made a PC case out of wood, so I need to make sure I have everything well grounded.
4. Network - I know I'm going to stick a keyboard and mouse in the control panel section, but I'd rather solve as many issues, upgrade roms, ensure the OS is patched and updated over the network, so I'm thinking of dropping in an Ethernet port on the outside of the case section.
5. Power control - somehow need to turn this thing on by a switch of some sort, so unless the BIOS supports some kind of "power on keyboard press" through USB, I'm gonna need to put an external switch somewhere - probably best to do this regardless.
6. Wiring - need to get wires in and out of the case section, to and from the other sections (control panel yes, but I'm thinking of speakers, monitor, marquee, and all things above the control panel) so we'll we'd some big holes aligned between the panels.
Overall, I think I need some kind of fairly simple box with a "door" on another piano hinge, and have the computer mounted on the "back" of the door, so when the door opens the whole PC is presented - something like this maybe :
[caption id="attachment_226" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="PC: Sketch 1"]
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To turn on my computer I have a button (just like a CP button) inside my coin door. But you could easily put this button on the side or back of your case.
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