What risks do I face by building my computer w/o a case?

[c789]

I'm planning on building the following without a case:

• XFX 6770 (I hear it runs hot)
• Another card that gets around 90 MH/s
• 600W PSU
• 4GB RAM
• AMD A8 APU 3.6 GHz processor (will mine LTC simultaneously)
• all on Xubuntu running cgminer (BTC) and cpuminer (LTC)

...connecting it all to the motherboard, and pointing a 10" fan at the setup from a few inches away.

It will be in a place where nobody else can get to it, and the room temp will be between 65-73 F. Do you think the setup will be safe/ok? I realize the hash rate won't be that much, but it's what I have.

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[Crystallas]

The only risk is whatever risk you make it out to be. Case-less is fine. But if you run your system on a desk next to where you keep your drinks and *think* you'll be good, because you claim to be 'very disciplined', you may want to rethink a bit.

[dogie]

Need to use an alternative to standoffs to get some air underneath the motherboard. A lot of designs actually rely on back side airflow to help maintain temps. Even though you won't be stressing CPU, you will the mobo with all that PCI-E power draw.

[Gator-hex]

0) More fan noise
1) EM Radiation, wont kill you, but will probably mess up radio/TV/wifi reception.
2) No airflow over the motherboard caps can cause them to overheat and catch fire.
3) Electrocution from small fingers/paws touching it.
4) Short circuit from dropping crap in it and the bottom touching something metal.
5) For god sake don't put it on anything flammable you could burn down your house down.  

davincij15's cardboard server cabinet gives me nightmares!  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lkrGimFimk#t=0m56s

[c789]

Thanks for all of the replies!

No cats or any other animals around...just me. Plus, I won't be bringing drinks near the setup.

However, several of you mentioned airflow around/under the motherboard and I hadn't taken that into consideration...but I will now. Great feedback!

[m3whiteknight]

I was in the same route like you few week back and decided to get a case instead. Without a case all I save is $19 cost for a case. But with a case come with many benefit:

don t have to deal with a mess of cable laying around
I can move the whole thing quickly to any where I want
Do not have to worry about wire touching or short out and fire
maybe better cooling for the motherboard
a big plug if you have pet or kid in the house

[Vuxil]

Get some air flowing over the mobo otherwise capacitors will cook off from hot ambient air.

[ryantc]

here is my miner running totally naked
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=7216.msg1660185#msg1660185

I tried to put it in a case but the temp will go up 5, so I pulled it out again.

I am living in an apartment and there is no dedicated space for the miner, also it's to noisy with the big 20 inch fan running.

so I drag it to the kitchen in the evening and drag it back to my bed room during the day (without turnning the rig off), and I always stay in the living room, basically it's safe

[cedivad]

Cats.

Happend to my old home server. What a bad end.

[GernMiester]

Spilling a beer in it when showing your buddies is the biggest open case mining rug issue.

[itcamefrommars]

I had my first 386 mobo screwed to a wall in 1991 with sheetrock screws... had no problem.  It was a packard bell.