When you build your own 3D printer you can put the electronics just about anywhere. I chose a RAMPS 1.4 enclosure off of Thingiverse and then modified the sides to my liking.
RAMPS 3D Printer Electronics Enclosure
ramps
RepRap Prusa Mendel V2 Complete Build
Introduction
Building my very first 3D printer was quite traumatic and time consuming but also fun and rewarding! I don’t suggest building your own unless you have a love for tinkering, and making. There are some other qualities that will come in handy such as tendency’s for hacking, electronics, and computers. As this is a computer controlled machine complete with a microcontroller you MUST know how to turn a computer on. Be aware that building your own RepRap is more like getting a hobby than getting a project.