1st case mod attempt

[Merroc]

Hi,

A user on another forum has pointed me to this site to ask for case modding & other things. But I have been a bit hessitant to post here, asking for usefull tips and idea's for my first case mod. But well, i need tips mostly on how its done .

The idea started growing a couple of days back, when i ordered a shiny new PSU & CPU fan. I saw a couple of great looking cases, and thought "hey, why doesnt my case look like that". Cos right now its boring, this boring.
Now i know, i can never make a really nice looking case when i start with that junk, but for a first attempt, its better to start on an old crappy thing than on a brand new one...

So first i made some idea's in photoshop, mostly using its preshaped shapes though. I quite liked this one (the pictures are real sizes, the odd thingy on the left is that 'handle' you can see in the photo of the case). But it has a problem, it was waay too much to the right, you'll only see the hdd's & optic drives...
Moving it to the left was no option due to that handle . So i needed to add a bit. Which resulted in this design.

This one i really liked, and the handle was removed too. So I printed it, see how it would look, which you can see here.
Since that looked cool imo, i printed it again, only this time fully (on 4 A4 paper...) taped them together, and start cutting the black bits out. And I put it against the case side.

Now comes the bit where i need help... What tool to use? People recommend a dremel, but i dont have any (i guess i could buy a cheap imitation though). And after i cut it out, what kind of plastic/glass to put behind it? And where can you buy this? And other tips you guys want to give me perhaps?

27 dec - renamed title to contain project's name

[cloasters]

I like your design, it's different and cool. It looks like very little of the original side cover will be left after cutting it. Personally, I'd make a design that cut away less of the side's sheet metal. If you would only use a generic Dremel tool for cutting your case and then throw it into a drawer perhaps you could get a local macine shop to cut the design for you?

If you are going to use a "dremel" tool, wear safety goggles! The cutting wheels will break and fly apart. Make certain that there's nothing of value within the arc of the wheel! Including windows.

[captaincurran]

i would suggest 2 things. 1. lower the pattern slightly in the last pic. (that way the back after you cut it, will be completely flatish. not including where the metal will go back) and as for the second thing. for the material for the window, i used plexiglass for it. plexiglass and model glue. it's good just don't get glue on the plexiglass where you'll see it. it just makes it look bad. and imo, get a paint job for your case. beige is blah imo. but do it before you addhere the glass/plexiglass.

[Merroc]

First: thanks for the quick & positive replies

@cloasters
Yeah, i heard that before, about the breaking of the cutting wheels. A local machinery shop sounds like a good idea, but probably costly too...

@captaincurran
1. Yeah, i was a bit too quick on putting down the paper. Epect better ones later today .
2. I was thinking of light green (neon) light inside, and a darkgreen paintjob on the case. Any tips on (spray) painting a case?

[Favu]

Originally Posted by Merroc

Yeah, i heard that before, about the breaking of the cutting wheels. A local machinery shop sounds like a good idea, but probably costly too...

Shouldn't be too expensive, and very probably cheaper than buying a dremel, and cutting wheels and saftey goggles and so on....

For painting, sand it down first (you can either sand right down to the metal, or just to get the "glossy" finish off), then add a layer of primer, then a few thin layers of your chosen paint. IMO this works best. Although some people just spray their paint straight over the top of the old one. Also - cut the holes for your window, sand the edges down, and then paint it, that way it will look nice and profesional

Favu.

[Merroc]

A Quick short update:
Ive drawn the outline of the objects with a pencil on the case. It is starting to look cooler by every step i take

http://www.xs4all.nl/~jeckman1/PB100054.JPG
http://www.xs4all.nl/~jeckman1/PB100055.JPG (That discolourment is my shade ).
http://www.xs4all.nl/~jeckman1/PB100056.JPG

It might not be perfect, but i can rub it out again with relative ease.

[Favu]

Lookin' goooood!

[Merroc]

Oh, another question that just popped in my head, when painting, should i, and how do i, paint the DVD player and CD-RW drive? A beige player in a green case, thats like... bad..

I will probably look around tomorrow or Saturday about how im going to cut it.

[fearless joe]

the entire front bezel of a dvd cd and floppy drive comes off esaly, with little clips on the side and top, also dont use a dremal yourl end up blinding youself from flying peices of cutting wheel and buringing you house down from sparks, and the noise is bad enough to make you go insane,

odd question but how old are you, if you still in scool/colledge, go ask a technition to do it for you, they prbly will, if not, go get a coping saw and one of thes round blades that look like files for them, they go through metal a treat.

only other thing, get car paint, i wonce unitentionally got plasticote and well that didnt end well,

good luck
joe

[captaincurran]

Originally Posted by Merroc

Oh, another question that just popped in my head, when painting, should i, and how do i, paint the DVD player and CD-RW drive? A beige player in a green case, thats like... bad..

I will probably look around tomorrow or Saturday about how im going to cut it.

i painted my dvd burner and cd burner, i did mine with a paint brush and painted it while closed. bad idea. i had a heck of a time getting it to open back up. i had to get in there and scrape the paint out. make sure you have a little pick or something to pick at the paint afterwards to get it out of the button space and out from around the edges of the door.

I agree use automotive paint, it gives it a nice shine. the brand i used was X-Pert Metal Clad.

here is my mod, how i painted my case nice and black. A case a Klingon would love

[Merroc]

Originally Posted by fearless joe

odd question but how old are you, if you still in scool/colledge, go ask a technition to do it for you, they prbly will, if not, go get a coping saw and one of thes round blades that look like files for them, they go through metal a treat.

Yeah, i go to an university, problem though is that its more economic, law, writing, theology, and that side. No 'engineering' studies at all, so none of these facilities...
But i live in a (to dutch standards) large city, im sure i can find a shop or something , just have to look around.

[Merroc]

Ok, sorry guys, but i went against your tips to not use a dremel and bought one... I have to get a few safety bits and other stuff tomorrow at my local DIY shop, and then i can get cutting next week... not sure when i will have time though... Ill keep you guys updated.

[Favu]

Thats cool, let us know how it goes

[Merroc]

Soo... First victim is made...
I start cutting this night, and after ~50 mins this is the result... one broken 'wheel'... but i think its my own fault (being a bit too careless), and i hope i can avoid it, as my stack of wheels isnt endless.
Also, it takes longer than i thought, well maybe thats me being carefull & slow. But ill get there.

[Favu]

Lookin' goooood

[Apap]

Keep at it. Sand down those edges when you are done.

I prefer a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade. Just have to keep it under control. The jigsaw is MUCH faster though.

[weldzilla]

Looking real good merroc, Glad you bought yourself a dremel. It will last you for years and work for a variety of projects. You need to come up with 2 shades of green that work well together. One for the outside of the case and one for the inside! On the inside of the case Just break the glaze with some 600 grit paper. Clean up real good and then prime it and paint it. I like to use white primer. It makes the paint glow just a little more. You will be glad later if you paint the frame now!! Even if you paint them the same color you will be happier in the end.
Here is a look at a thread I posted some time back. Take a look at the effect of painting the inside
Mat's new modded case, Not Blue!
Good luck, you are doing very well so far!

WZ

[Merroc]

Small update:
Last week i was kinda busy enjoying myself in the great city of München, so no work then.
I just did some work again, but it is starting to get annoying... And i dont mean the speed at which a dremel cuts, i can live with that. but its the speed at which im loosing the cutting wheels. Ive cut about 20 cm now, and i already blown up 2 wheels. At this rate i can only cut out the smaller hole, with the 6 wheels i had...

Moral of the story: a dremel is nice, if you dont have much to cut :P. Im probably going to use it again to sand/smooth out the edges...

So, im going to send in some reïnforcements and see what big guns my dad has . Unfortunately i can only do that next weekend, not earlier... so untill then, no work...

@weldzilla
Thanks for the tip of painting the inside, yours looks really cool . Ill see what i can come up with, after i cut the case (one thing at a time )

[Toro]

is it a cooling problem thats causing the blades to blow up? or are they just of crappy quality?

[fearless joe]

seriously, go spen like 15 bukz on a nice cooping saw, then spend half an hour cutting and yourl be done