Case Mod - In Progress ZdMods | Project 720 | Started on the top - Oct 17

Looking even better than 180! Can't wait to see what you've got in mind for it.

 

Thanks guys

B-Neg: Jesse?

Didn't have much time to work on the case this week. I've made some small parts for the front and started frosting the plexi for the front, but it's not enough for a real picture update.

Oh and I've ordered an Aqualis 880ml res that should arrive tomorrow

Phone pic of the front:

 

Jesse is on the Modzoo,really nice guy...not sure why he is over there and not here tbh.

 

Very nice start. Always liked those old XPS cases. To sad dell stopped making them after they bought alienware. The new ones are kind of...blank

 

Lookig great. Love that style.

 

Been a while since the last update (I should patent that phrase!) but I've continued working on the case in the meantime
I'd planned some time to take pictures of the progress yesterday, but both my camera and my camera skills let me down. Out of 60+ pics not a single one was decent enough to show in the logs. Either the colortemp is all messed up (way too orange) or the pic is just too dark to see the details.. Problem is I don't have a decent space to photograph my build, I have a small computer room with terrible lightning for taking photo's. Tips and tricks for better photo's are very welcome (

So for now a small update with the progress, pictures are taken with an iPad, sorry for that..

The acrylic strips in the front of the case will be lit with UV leds, in the 4th strip from the left the led is visible


With power it looks like this, in reality the whole strip is lit like the bottom half, pink/purple. The camera makes it look alot more blue than it really is.



Continuing on the internals of the case, first made a small Sketchup to see the idea before building it


So I ordered 6 plates of aluminium (493x210x3mm) and started to cut and file it. First plate I finished was the midplate


After that I started on the rest of the plates, made a drawing in Sketchup, converted it to Layer and made 1on1 stencils on stickersheets. (May thanks to Waynio for explaining this to me!)





Cutting


Alot of filing


And done!


I finished 4 of 6 plates, for the other 2 I need a mobo to get the correct measurements so the plates won't touch the hardware




And I've been playing around with Sketchup a bit



Comments are welcome

(Almost 30k views and only 26 replies Come on, don't be shy, hit reply! )

 

As ever, brilliant.

Can't believe you didn't do better in MOTY.

 

Thanks

I was very happy to be nominated at all between all those great builds, and I hoped for a better result, but unfortunately the vote(r)s decided otherwise.

Ah well, there's always next year

 

Starting to get shape. Love the idea with all the midplates something new. ^^

 

Thanks Alain, The plates are something I haven't seen in any other build either

 

great idea with the multiple midplates man, very original. Always something new to look at around here.

 

Awesome progress Meelobee. I like the mid panel design.

 

I love the way your mods always have originality to them, like now the tiered middle plates. Keeps at least me coming back time after time.

 

Wow that XPS is such a great canvas to start with, very nice work done so far.

Great design with the front and mid plate. So will be following the rest of your build.


For better lighting grab a Daylight bulb in a desk or clap-on stand.

 

I remember seeing pics of that case before but never knew what it was seeing as google couldn't find it for me. Nice idea that you have here and I can't wait to see what the finished product will look like. Subbed!

 

Like how this is shaping up, any plans on colour ? or are you going to leave it bare metal ?

 

Thanks guys I always try to find something new and original, but with all the great builds out there it's getting harder to do something that hasn't been done yet. I've spend alot of time looking at other builds and multiple midplates hasn't been done before to this extend I just hope the result will be as good as I have it in my head

Thanks Craig Ans thanks for the bulb tip, I'll try to get two of them, which colour temp should I get for best results? (My camera is a Casio EXILIM EX-H10)

Thanks Zondorf

Thanks Andrae Not sure on the colours yet. Bare metal would be cool but only if the finish is superb, which is quite hard to do with the tools I have. Perfectly brushing the panels myself isn't going to happen. So either I need to have the panels brushed somewhere, or maybe I'll go with white again, at least for the interiour. Highlight colour will be something in line with the front leds.

 

Daylight bulbs 5000 - 6500K

 

Thanks Craig, ordered 2 5500k bulbs which should arrive today

Finished the main shapes of the midplates yesterday, 2 quick pics:





The edges need some sanding to smooth them, but man I'm so happy with the result.
For the first time in my modding career I've first drew the parts in Sketchup and used that to make stickers with the cut-lines, holes etc. The result is much cleaner and the dimensions are spot on!

 

They came out really nice

Tip - keep the face sanding to one direction, as those cross scratches will really stand out.