From Rags To Riches

CompuRyan · 07-31-2006, 02:44 PM

I'm taking an old case which use to belong to my parents and make it awesome. I'm not sure what i'll do with it, but it's gonna be sweet and thats all thats important.

I have already cut out the pre-fan grill on the back of the case (80mm), cut a 92mm hole in the top, and cut a window hole in the side. I plan to paint outside gloss black with gloss red accents, with the inside gloss white. It's gonna end up sorta looking like a U2 ipod. lol. Also, I will be using black window molding on almost everything I cut. From past experience, I will be using bolts to affix the window (yeah glue doesn't work that well).

I have other pictures, they're just on my digital camera, and haven't uploaded them yet.

front face, nothing done yet:

back exhaust, now cut open:

92mm blowhole on top, cut:

planning for the window:

ta da! it may not quite look it because of my webcam, but it's very square.

vsingh · 07-31-2006, 02:54 PM

now this is gonna be some case. how'd you cut that exactly?

Riddlinkidstoner · 07-31-2006, 03:23 PM

LOL reminds me of when I cut my window with a jig-saw...oh jesus. I thought it would be easy because there was already like 10,000 vent holes on the surface i was cutting but instead it just kept moving the damn jig-saw around, like hitting air pockets...ugh..I spent a lot of time power sanding down the metal :P

**Grez** · 07-31-2006, 04:22 PM

Look like a good start, bro. I'll keep an eye on this one.

One thing: looks like you cut your fan holes with a rotary tool (or jigsaw). Not bad as cutting circles with those types of tools goes, but hopefully this will help you out a little in the future: Cutting fan holes / Guide to hole saws

The window cut, on the other hand, looks fantastic. Good work.

Keep those updates comin'...I love fixin' up the old cases.

DJ-Nokey · 07-31-2006, 04:27 PM

looking good.. ill be keeping an eye on this too :) :P

**WhiteBoy88** · 07-31-2006, 05:28 PM

Who the hell's that nerd in looking through your window?

I swear I've seen you before somewhere......

Anyway, the aesthetic mod plans sound good, and I'm sure you'll do an awesome job. Red on black = raver-girl sexy.

travis712 · 07-31-2006, 08:43 PM

This could have potential bro! I'm subscribing for sure =)

CompuRyan · 07-31-2006, 09:28 PM

ooo sparks!

my pride and joy

my official workbench

CompuRyan · 08-01-2006, 11:21 AM

Paint!!! 1st coat. will being doing at least 2 coats.
it is 96 degrees today, with about 80% humidity. so I needed a plan

red stuff

later i also added the front, which I'm painting part of it red, and I couldn't detach the red part, so it's going red first. then later black

black stuff

the white chasis, very difficult to do, because after getting one side, then another, then another, the fourth side already has paint running through. It worked out though

vsingh · 08-01-2006, 11:30 AM

hey dude thats AWESOME!!!! (wish my parents would let me tinker <_< )

hey man when can you drop off your stuff at my house so i can pay you $115 for it?

**Grez** · 08-01-2006, 11:45 AM

It's looking good, man! Another piece of advice that was handed to me when I first started modding: get your parts up off of the ground. First, this will make it easier to spray difficult parts like the case frame where you have to hit it from a lot of different angles. Secondly, you want your spray paint to be as close to perpendicular to the ground as possible...when you have to spray down toward the ground, you tend to leak propellant and can end up wasting paint at the end if you run out. Plus, it can cause the paint to have more of a tendency to come out unevenly and cause some splatter. It doesn't have to be anything fancy...just find some old, sturdy cardboard boxes, and duct-tape them together into a 3'-4' tower so that you can place parts up there. It will make your paint jobs a lot easier. Hope that helps, and keep it up, bro. I think you're working on a good rig here.

vsingh · 08-01-2006, 11:52 AM

so what're u gonna put inside this case

wolan9004 · 08-01-2006, 12:01 PM

oo i'm sure it will be some nice parts man i like the way you painted your grills i never tought about that i think i will do that to mine grills

CompuRyan · 08-01-2006, 12:28 PM

thanks for the paint advice Grez. Now that i think, i did get a little spattering. When i do my next coats I will prop them up. I'm not really sure what I'll put inside. My flagship rig will stay inside the little case (see sig) so it'll be more mobile. so i dunno. might try to sell this mod.

danlk2 · 08-03-2006, 08:14 PM

Humidity kills a good paint job :(

'DomE ^ · 08-04-2006, 07:58 AM

good work so far can't wait to see the finished product

CompuRyan · 08-04-2006, 10:15 AM

the paint job is beginning to look like crap. I tried putting on a second coat of black and the humidity (as mentioned) I believe messed some of the curing of the paint. I tried putting on a clear acrylic coat, but it ran on one part, so might have to do it again there. Otherwise, I don't think it'll be too bad. I ran out of gloss black paint, so am gonn hafta go buy some. I am doing this mod cause I'm bored, so if it turns out so-so, i won't be dissappointed.

zus · 08-04-2006, 11:11 AM

dehumidfier ?

CompuRyan · 08-04-2006, 03:02 PM

lol.

one word

garage.

vsingh · 08-04-2006, 07:11 PM

its not so humid up here in ohio anymore which is good. today was a drier, cooler day.

post some pics when you can; this looks like a great mod! hey dude this beige case you gave me on wednesday looks good for some heavy moddage; i'm planning to put 2 headless folders in there.