The modding begins.

KilJaedenKilJaeden USA
edited June 2003 in Hardware
In the next few days, I will start cutting the side panel. I am waiting for my dad to bring the jigsaw back from his workplace. As soon as I get it into my hands I will start the cutting. I am planning on documenting the whole procedure. I am going to write and article about it. I would like to submit the final draft of it to the administrators of this site, in hopes they will put it in the guides section as a how-to. Maybe, if I screw up, it could be submitted as a how-NOT-to.

Comments

  • jj Sterling Heights, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    before you metioned something about a stealth CD drive and gave a schmatic for it. There is a much easier way to mod the cd drive to have the tray pop in and out. how is it going to be stelth and were are you going to put the button for the cd-rom?
  • KilJaedenKilJaeden USA
    edited June 2003
    It was going to have lights and stuff on it, and they would have changed when you hit the button and stuff. I decided not to do it, because the case is going to be my sisters. So I am going to try to keep it simple.
  • ClutchClutch North Carolina New
    edited June 2003
    Most of the stealth optical drives I have saw, is they just take the face plate of it off, take a drive bay cover and some double sided tape and stack the tape over the button. The take some glue or something for the rest of the drive bay cover to stick to the drive. Then when you press in the area where the button is, it pops out.
  • KilJaedenKilJaeden USA
    edited June 2003
    I know how to stealth drives, I just think that it would be best if I did not do it for this case. I have a feeling that my sister would not like it. It is going to be hers not mine. So I have to keep her in mind when I make it. The stealth idea that I had was not a convential one. Just something I thought up one day. The main reason why I am making this case, is because her case does not supply enough cooling. Her case is just too small to do anything to it. It is very compact. It has I think only 3 drive bays, and one for a hard drive, and one floppy.
  • jj Sterling Heights, MI Icrontian
    edited June 2003
    ya my sister would kick my ass if I mod-ed her computer, if she had one that is. a computer
  • KilJaedenKilJaeden USA
    edited June 2003
    I think that my father will pay for the supplies, if I do a good job. Also, if my sister likes it an decides to use it. The reason why is that my fahter was just going to let my sister buy herself a case online with his credit card. He told her that she could basicaly spend how much she wanted on it. I am going to use the fans from her case and put them in the new modded case. Even when I do that it is still like 60 or 70 dollars excluding the windows but includeing the molding. I am most likely going to use 1 single sheet for the side panel. I am just going to cut holes and such for the holes and fan.

    EDIT:// The case that I am modding is not the one she is currently using. It is a left over case from the an older computer. I like the design of the computer a lot. I wanted to mod it even before I found out that she was looking for one. Even if she dosen't like it, no skin off of my back. Just money out of my wallet. :banghead: If she dosen't want it, then I will just use it as a dedicated folding rig. All I need are computer components. :D Only problem is, is that the components cost money. :banghead: Heck I was thinking of modding her current case to be used for folding.
  • KilJaedenKilJaeden USA
    edited June 2003
    Well I cut the side panel, excluding the fan hole. I want to get a hole saw for that, but I do not know how long that will take. So I will put that on hold for a while. Next I will start the top panel, I want to redesign it a little. I want it to be a bit more stable. I also still need to clean up the edges of the side panel. Well here is what it currenly looks like.
  • KilJaedenKilJaeden USA
    edited June 2003
    You might notice that it is not all that clean. I will work on that a lot tomarrow. It did buckle a little. I think that it would have probably been better to use the dremel instead. Well it was the first time that I used a jigsaw and worked with metal. I am going to straighten up the edges with a dremel. I am also going to use window molding when I am finnished, so it will look a little better.
  • KilJaedenKilJaeden USA
    edited June 2003
    I want to mount the window using the same method in the picture below. I want it to be held in with screws like the one in the picture. Does anyone know of where I can get the screws needed to do this?
  • ClutchClutch North Carolina New
    edited June 2003
    Looking good for your first mod man. Wouldn't regular screws work for what your using it for? like the fan screws or something.
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited June 2003
    I would get something with s smooth rounded head tho. I wouldnt want slots on the outside of my case like screws I use for my HDDs.

    Go to Lowes or something nearby and take a look at what they have. Maybe if you find the right person they could give out some advice.
  • KilJaedenKilJaeden USA
    edited June 2003
    What I really need, are those chrome caps that work like nuts. It seems to me that they would require a special screw. So that is what I meant. I need a strong window for the panel. Is acrylic stronger than plexi or vice versa?
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited June 2003
    KilJaeden said
    You might notice that it is not all that clean. I will work on that a lot tomarrow. It did buckle a little. I think that it would have probably been better to use the dremel instead. Well it was the first time that I used a jigsaw and worked with metal. I am going to straighten up the edges with a dremel. I am also going to use window molding when I am finnished, so it will look a little better.

    KilJaeden said
    I want to mount the window using the same method in the picture below. I want it to be held in with screws like the one in the picture. Does anyone know of where I can get the screws needed to do this?


    Looks like you're off to a great start!

    When cutting thin sheet metal it sometimes help to lay it on a thin piece of scrap plywood. 1/4" or 3/8" works well. When you cut the case, just cut the wood along with it. It helps to clamp the sheet metal (in this instance the side of the case) to the wood. I know you've already cut this one, but once you get the modding bug you'll probably want to do another. (And another, and another, and...)

    mmonnin's suggestion is great. Any decent hardware store should have a variety of fasteners in all colors and materials. Depending on the color scheme, you could use brass, aluminum, stainless steel, or even cheap-o bolts which could be painted to match or contrast with the rest of the case. The screws that come with the fan should work, too, but you might eliminate some vibration by getting bolts that go all the way through the front and back holes in the fan. If you do it this way you should put lock washers on the back (inside the case) end.

    Your fan hole will be much easier if you do what you mentioned and use a hole saw. Drill out the little pilot hole in the center before you use the hole saw. This will make it less likely that the hole saw will slip, or bite at a funny angle and leave you with a jagged edge. Using a hole saw is not only quicker and neater (no "ovals" when your hand wiggles) than the jigsaw, but will save you even more time when filing the burrs and rough edges. Some cheap door trim from an auto parts store will give you a really professional look. I bought some for about $5 and was able to trim six fan holes with it.

    I'm looking forward to seeing your next step!


    Prof:cool:
  • KilJaedenKilJaeden USA
    edited June 2003
    You got the bug thing right. I am already thinking of things to do with my sister's current case. But I am trying to reframe from it, for fear that it might jeprodize my current project. I will take your idea for the plywood into serious consideration for the next one.


    I really won't a thin chrome window molding. The three colors that I want to use are chrome, black, and blue. I want to paint the frame blue as well as some of the front features. I also want the fan on the front chrome along with the molding. I am probably going to ditch the idea of having two 80mm fans on the top of the case, instead of that I will put a 120mm fan. Both the fan on the front and the fan on the top will be chrome. Hopefully my father will finance the mod. Because as of right now I only have 25 dollars american in my wallet. I have just finnished redesigningg the top of the case. It will have an inch of distance from three out of the four sides. The window will extend one inch over top of the PSU. It will just be a plain oval. I decided not to do a fancy design on the top of the case, in fear that I will botch it. After all, it will be the second most seen part of the case. It will most likely spend most of it's time in a cubby hole. I can't wait till I get that 80mm hole saw. I am going to use it on my current case as well as the one I am modding now. I want to add a blow hole for my current case, and cut out those dumb ass case grills that block 90% of the air flow. So my current case will have 4 80mm fans, and my sister's will have 2 80mm fans as well as 2 120mm fans.
  • Kristof2Kristof2 Member
    edited June 2003
    KilJaeden said
    What I really need, are those chrome caps that work like nuts. It seems to me that they would require a special screw. So that is what I meant. I need a strong window for the panel. Is acrylic stronger than plexi or vice versa?

    I think I know the screw caps that you mean. You should be able to use a regular screw for those. Just check what size you need.

    Acrylic is much better to use than plexi.

    Good luck with teh modding


    Kristof2
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited June 2003
    Kristof2 said
    KilJaeden said
    What I really need, are those chrome caps that work like nuts. It seems to me that they would require a special screw. So that is what I meant. I need a strong window for the panel. Is acrylic stronger than plexi or vice versa?

    I think I know the screw caps that you mean. You should be able to use a regular screw for those. Just check what size you need.

    Acrylic is much better to use than plexi.

    Good luck with teh modding


    Kristof2

    Kristof2 is right - the things you're talking about are threaded to work with standard bolts.

    They are called "Acorn Nuts".


    Prof
  • OldDogOldDog Whittier,Ca.
    edited June 2003
    Having used automotive door molding for windows in cases and
    other things I can tell you that it makes for a nice neat look but
    I think you'll have trouble due to the tight radius of some of your
    corners. I used an 80mm fan from an old power supply for the
    blowhole on the top of my case. No fancy lighting effects from it
    but it moves a lot of air rather quietly. It was the single most
    effective thing for bringing the case temp down.
  • fuxorfuxor i live in a giant bucket
    edited June 2003
    when you used the jigsaw did you put oil along the cut outline? The oil helps absorb the heat caused by all the friction, and in my experience made the cut a lot easier... I was cutting a window into my thick Antec case, and after the first jigsaw blade broke it dawned on me.
Sign In or Register to comment.