Contest: What can you do with a $30 case*?

[Azriel]

Hey kids, do you like violence?

As it pertains to that sorry little $30 case of course. Through a chance meeting of incompatible medications, alcohol, and his own morbid curiosity, Daniel has given me the okay to start this off.

The contest:
To heavily modify a $30 case. Originality and raw skill are what is being tested here.

Prize?
The winning entry will be featured on AOA's front page along with the people's choice winner.

Some basic rules:

Please document your project well. Get as many pictures as you can, and write your entry thread step by step. Please do not post pictures or give away details before the end of the contest.

A micro-atx must be available for a retail price of $30 or less. The can include any instant or mail in rebates. Most cases available for $30 are micro atx. If you require a larger case for the hardware you intend to transplant into the case, you may spend an additional $10 provided you use an atx case.

You must use common tools. Not everyone has a Mill and lathe in their garage. For example, some acceptable tools would be general hand tools, Dremel, Roto-Zip, jigsaw, Drill, sledgehammer, and chainsaw, welder.
Edit:I added welders, because I think it's just sick.

Paint should be spray paint. No powder coating, no automotive quality spray guns.

Materials should be common and inexpensive. If you want to use laser cut fan grills, feel free, but they will not impress the judges. If you want to build a high powered laser and cut your own in the driveway... well.. that's another story.

Extreem measures. There are some rather unintelligent destructive things you may want to do to your case in the interest of a theme. Please do them safely.

Deadline

The contest will begin on Monday June 30th, and run through Wednesday August 13th. All entries should Post a new thread in "The Chop Shop" detailing their work on August 13th. A peoples choice poll will be posted on Thursday August 14th. The judges will return with their decision by Monday August 18th. The contest may be ended early if everyone is finished.


Judging will be based on:

Documentation

Originality

Cost (Less being better. This includes the cost of materials, but does not include the $10 allowance for full atx case.)

Use of unconventional materials


To enter:

Please reply here to let us know you are entering. In the event that you finnish early, please PM me to let me know. If everyone who is entered has PM'd me to let me know they are finished. We can end it early.

Please be creative, and have fun. I will not be entering, myself. It would be a conflict of interests.

[ccperf721p]

Is welding allowed? I can use Oxy/Acetylene and skip firing up an expensive welder but still want to make sure I'd be within the guidelines.

[Azriel]

Originally Posted by ccperf721p

Is welding allowed? I can use Oxy/Acetylene and skip firing up an expensive welder but still want to make sure I'd be within the guidelines.

Yes, you may weld. It's not exactly a common tool, but it is a very creative implement of destruction. I'll add it to the rules.

[Redroar]

So, what, alcohol is a requirement for safe destruction?

[Azriel]

I was thinking coffee, actually, which can be much worse.

[robbie]

I might offer to be a judge on this.

[Azriel]

If so, you have to be Paula or Randy, I'm Simon!

j/k you're hired, robbie. I'd rather not be a judge, myself. I think that judges should all be staff, and three would be a good number. I'd really like to see Gizmo in on this. What ever happened to Spode and Surly Joe?

I was also thinking a case badge would be a good perk on this one. If someone could send me a graphic of the AOA case badge, I'll tweak it and spring for a one of a kinda case badge for the winner's case.

[Daniel ~]

I said all of that? Well...maybe I did...I can't remember... .... .....

Just don't make them to big or I won't be able to fit them on front page...I'm going back to bed...carry on...

[Gizmo]

Apologies for not responding to this sooner; I've been busy keeping our servers running.

Azriel, I'd be delighted to judge the competition. More to the point, I'm elated that you've decided to to take on driving this forward!

I know Spode and SJ still pop in from time-to-time, so you might see something from them in response to this, but I suspect they are probably pretty busy with their own projects.

[Daniel ~]

Ah good! GIzmo can help you guys out!

He knows what size case will fit on our front page...who turned my monitor side ways...ohhh....it's ok , I just laid my head down and forgot...

careful with the high expolives around women and children and the cops....

[Azriel]

the spode and SJ question was just some ADD kicking in, totally unre... look a kitty!

[captaincurran]

well, depending on the size of my paycheck that should be entering my bank account in the next few hours. (it being 1:50 am on payday) i'm thinking i'm gonna do one, though i'm probably gonna have to "proxy" a working system in it. i don't have a spare working system that'd be good. I've just got a desktop computer (that's mid-mod [just needs a slight bit more paint]) and a dead system kicking around. though depending on the cost of a cheap system at a local thrift store, i might be able to get a working system in a case. Here's a hint as to my proposed idea, it's not gonna be a star trek themed, it's actually gonna be based off on one of my newer hobbies. Warhammer!

[Azriel]

It's set to run for a month, so plenty of time.

[captaincurran]

technically, it's not set to start for a few more days...

and i got a Question. Now the answer may be very obvious, or in something i already read, but it's 2am, and my brain is addled. But, i've got various craft/modding supplies here that would be quite difficult to cost out. do i need to include them into the price of the mod? or do we just figure cost for things we needed to buy?

oh, and paint; can it be non-spray paint as well? i've got a large supply of paint that needs to be brushed on (i'm a miniatures painter nowadays).

[Azriel]

Things you have on hand, just estimate.

[captaincurran]

oh, and i Officially enter myself and my future case into this contest. Qapla'! IT IS A GOOD DAY TO MOD!

[Samuknow]

OK...I'm in on this....

My wife will just have to shoot me later...

Is water cooling allowed?

[Azriel]

You can water cool, but the contents don't take the prize. How you implement you water cooling may help though. Creativity.

[booman]

I've got mixed feelings on this one....
I don't have the money to purchase a $30 case, but I have several large ATX towers that I plan to mod. I also have very little time due to working 3 part-time jobs and most of my mods have taken more than 1 month to build because I work on them once a week or so.
I'm not even sure I can qualify....
so I guess some questions are in order:
1. does a free existing case qualify?
2. can it be larger than a micro-atx case?
3. does it have to be a working computer or just a modded case?
4. is there any chance we could have more than a month?
5. is there any chance of a $$$ prize (I wonder if AOA can get some sponsors?)

[Azriel]

Originally Posted by booman

I've got mixed feelings on this one....
I don't have the money to purchase a $30 case, but I have several large ATX towers that I plan to mod. I also have very little time due to working 3 part-time jobs and most of my mods have taken more than 1 month to build because I work on them once a week or so.
I'm not even sure I can qualify....
so I guess some questions are in order:
1. does a free existing case qualify?
2. can it be larger than a micro-atx case?
3. does it have to be a working computer or just a modded case?
4. is there any chance we could have more than a month?
5. is there any chance of a $$$ prize (I wonder if AOA can get some sponsors?)

1. If the free existing case can or could be had for the $30 to $40 (micro-atx $30, atx $40)
2. Yes
3. It can be just a modded case, or you can just put some seriously old crap in it.
4. There's always a chance. I think that would only be at the discretion of the people who are entering. If you are running late near the end, I think they'd agree to hold off to give you time.
5. We are trying to keep this fun. I think adding a cash prize would take the fun out of it. Maybe in the future, but not this one.

I know the feeling on slow mods. I've been cutting on the same case for a long time.. months. When inspiration and a bucket sized latte meet up, you'd be amazed at what you can do in 2 or 3 hour bursts. I have a problem with planning.

Send me a pic of the case before you start. If it's old and not a big name. I'll give it the okay and call it a $40 atx. PM it so you aren't giving anything away.