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Case Mod - In Progress BS Mods (BOBDBONE)- Thermaltake Level 10 GT/SS

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by BOBDBONE, 25 Oct 2011.

  1. BOBDBONE

    BOBDBONE Owner at BS Mods

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    Hi guys.

    I was one of the 5 chosen to do a mod for the Thermaltake contest so I thought you might like to see what I had cooking.


    I have renamed the case the "Level 10 GT/SS". The SS is for "Super Sleek". All the bumps will be shaved down to make a much smoother, cleaner looking case. Usually we take a smooth case and change it to something crazy, but I will be doing the opposite. I will use the look of the handle with the ribs and duplicate it on the top and front. The side door area will be smooth.

    Here is the case as it comes out of the box - minus the puppy of course.

    [​IMG]


    Here is the original concept that was voted in -

    [​IMG]


    The finished result should be very, very close to this but a lot nicer of course.


    So I got the case home and unwrapped it. It's a huge beast. Very well built and they thought of everything. I didn't waste any time tearing it completely apart and separating all the parts into plastic bags. After that it was time to get dirty.

    I started sanding on the individual pieces to prep them for paint. Since they are plastic and textured they need sanded smooth. I have started on the handle and hot swap s4ections since these will take the most time and patience.

    So it's a boring update but it's a start of what I have going on.

    The more I look at this case the more ideas I get but I need to keep it to the original plan. :?

    Here are some pics that I shot before and after sanding...

    You can see the rough texture-

    [​IMG]

    and after sanding with 120 grit-

    [​IMG]


    Getting in between these ribs is going to be a challenge-

    [​IMG]


    The under side of the handle had some little ribs for extra grip but they are going bye bye too.-

    [​IMG]


    Sorry but this is the boring part.

    After sanding on the old Chevelle I'm working on I took some time to sand the side panel for the case. It's the only metal part I'll be painting, other than the screens, and the back of the case. The rest is plastic.

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    There goes another 100 bucks!! This is the best stuff in the world! Epoxy primer. It's different than the primer-surfacer I'll be using on the plastic parts.


    [​IMG]


    The plastic parts will get prepped with the Bulldog adhesion promoter just before I primer. It's great stuff and this can runs about $25 or it comes in larger quantities too. You spray it on very lightly so it will do quite a bit.

    [​IMG]


    The acrylic I'm using for the top/front and door is 1/2" thick and will require a lot of milling so I am working on it but I need to find a better price. I need an acrylic sponsor . .

    More very soon.
     
  2. Vetalar

    Vetalar *learning english*

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    I jumped in for SS - singlestage... darn
     
  3. BOBDBONE

    BOBDBONE Owner at BS Mods

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    Well I am using single stage paint if that helps???:D
     
  4. BOBDBONE

    BOBDBONE Owner at BS Mods

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    I was able to get the primer done today. I ended up using Primer-Surfacer on everything instead of the epoxy primer. I was shooting some car parts and had enough extra so I just blasted everything. It's thick as hell and will require a bit more wet sanding but it's definitely going to hide any imperfections.


    Here's the parts all out on the shop table after I masked off what I needed.

    [​IMG]


    This pic is a little fuzzy. I was trying to show what the adhesion promoter looks like when you spray it on correctly.It looks all bumpy and blotchy. This is right. Most people think it should look like it got full coverage so they load it on there and then the paint fails. It has to be a super fine mist basically.

    I also flamed all the plastic parts and cleaned them with alcohol but I didn't really show that. Not a big deal.

    [​IMG]




    Here is bodywork area. You can see the car parts i was doing and the case handle.

    [​IMG]


    And all the parts primed :)


    [​IMG]
     
  5. BOBDBONE

    BOBDBONE Owner at BS Mods

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    Here are all the parts that I've been sanding on. They are just about ready for the sealer but I need to get my top and front made so I can get those ready to be sprayed at the same time.


    [​IMG]


    I cut this part off so that I can integrate it into the new panel -

    [​IMG]


    I cut this piece off and will also be removing more but I wanted to leave it for now so that I can use it to line up the new panels. It also has the lock for the hot swaps that I will be changing around a little.

    I just cut this with a razor knife.

    [​IMG]


    I've got my drawings ready for the other panels I need to make. I'm not sure if I'm going with aluminum plate for the top/front or acrylic. The aluminum would be better for me to paint but 1/2" is heavy!
     
  6. BOBDBONE

    BOBDBONE Owner at BS Mods

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    I stopped into the plastic supply house and got my 1/2" Acrylic sheeting. Man that stuff is heavy, ...and expensive. :cry:

    But it's going to put me into the final stages of the build.


    But first.. Time to paint some stuff.


    I wanted to get some paint on the parts I have ready so I can assemble the case. That way I can make an exact template of what I need for the acrylic top, front, and door.


    I got out the trusty spray gun and mixed up some super shiny black. I hit everything with 2 coats.

    I managed to get it about 95% perfect. Which actually sucks cuz I want 100% :evil:

    I just got a couple little sags on some rounded parts. I thought I might so I sprayed it as lightly as possible while still trying to have a decent flow-out so the paint would lay smooth. Oh well, it'll be fine once I touch it up.

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    Shiny!


    While moving stuff around I damn hear cut my whole hand off.
    -
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    Not for the squeemish...

    -
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    -
    -
    Are you sure?
    -
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    -
    -

    [​IMG]



    Hey don't laugh! It hurt! I got lacquer thinner in it! :p
     
  7. peteski

    peteski long live the pc

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    grate start and love the paint job :jawdrop::jawdrop:

    subbed :rock::rock::rock:
     
  8. Vetalar

    Vetalar *learning english*

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    awesome paintjob!!!
    [OT]singlestage stands for single stage phase-change cooling unit in opposite to cascade (multi stage)[/OT]
     
  9. Canardwc

    Canardwc @French_fab_factorie

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    Pretty nice painting man!!! :thumb:

    Is that car paint?
     
  10. BOBDBONE

    BOBDBONE Owner at BS Mods

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    Yea it's PPG Acrylic Urethane. This was a single stage paint. I usually use single stage when it's a solid color so there's no need to do a clear coat. It's already shiny. Costs a ton of money but it's the only way to get a real pro paint job.
     
  11. p0Pe

    p0Pe gief cake?

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    That dog of yours reminds me of this:D

    [​IMG]
     
  12. peteski

    peteski long live the pc

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    lmao :rock: :rock: :rock:
     
  13. BOBDBONE

    BOBDBONE Owner at BS Mods

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    Haahahaha love it!!!!

    If I could get one in his size I would do it for sure. That is EPIC!! Thanks for that.
     
  14. OC Maximus

    OC Maximus What's a Dremel?

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    LMAO!! Love the dog.
     
  15. BOBDBONE

    BOBDBONE Owner at BS Mods

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    I put a few panels back on to get a view of what all this shiny black is going to look like. It looks pretty sexy. My lighting is horrible for pictures but you can tell it's pretty shiny. I will have to do a little buffing but overall it's pretty nice.

    I even sprayed the inside of the case to match.

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]



    I'm going to mark out my acrylic for the door and get started on that next.
     
  16. BOBDBONE

    BOBDBONE Owner at BS Mods

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    Spent the day in the machine shop making the crucial pieces I need to tie this thing together.

    It's been kinda boring with just pics of sanded parts, and some paint, but now the real modding kicks in!


    I am fortunate to have a great friend with his own kick ass machine shop full of everything every man could ever need. Thanks Greg!

    [​IMG]



    And even with all this he can still fit his airplane in here and a couple cars at least. 8O

    I showed him what I needed and he drew it up and sent it to the CNC -

    [​IMG]


    Then he started makin chips -

    [​IMG]


    This is the front piece that will have the ribs going up and down. I decided to mount the fan and light controls in the front rather than up on top where they were originally. So you can see a rectangle cut below the ribs for that.

    [​IMG]


    Ahhh ...so sexay -

    [​IMG]


    Then the top piece got milled -

    [​IMG]

    Here it is showing the 45 degree angle too. I am mating the top and front with a 45 so the mate up nice. -

    [​IMG]


    If you noticed that the top is dark acrylic and the front is frosted acrylic - - it's becasue I am just using some scraps that will be painted black so it doesn't matter.


    Here is the 2 pieces together -

    [​IMG]


    :D


    I also have a big door to make so I took care of that on the manual mill.

    First I had to cut the basic shape.

    Now THIS is a band saw!

    [​IMG]


    I had to mill out a couple pockets for the door hinges here -

    [​IMG]


    And I recessed the door where the factory latch is so I can still keep a locking door. I had to mill a long relief in it and then make 3 pockets where the door pins stick into the door.

    [​IMG]


    I'll be cutting the door to use the piece on the far right that the pins lock into. It's a great locking system. I will keep it hidden.

    [​IMG]


    These pins are the lock -

    [​IMG]


    and they fit into here -

    [​IMG]

    That's the part I'm chopping off and will mount it to my new acrylic door.


    I still have a little bit of fabricating work but then it's final paint.


    And here's one last shot of the shop. If I had this I would be unstoppable.

    [​IMG]
     
  17. BOBDBONE

    BOBDBONE Owner at BS Mods

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    I got some more done today and it's starting to take shape.

    First, I cut the piece off that I need for the door lock -

    [​IMG]


    I cut it off, sanded it down. and dry fit it into it's place.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    I was always told if you want to go faster "Just put the hammer down on that bad boy", so I did. I didn't notice anything different in my production speed. :twisted:

    [​IMG]


    I also put my awesome modding ruler to work on this build and all I can say is - This is a must have!

    [​IMG]


    I had to modify the top switches to fit in the front panel and so I worked a little magic and BAM! perfect fit and it looks great!

    [​IMG]



    I want to retain the locking feature for the hot swap bays so I needed to change the way it works. It's a great system but I can't have the key lock in the front anymore so I decided to make a button underneath that you can push on to unlock it. Kind of like the door lock.
    Here you can see how there are little arms that slide on a piece that was connected to the lock. I'll be modding this for sure.

    [​IMG]

    This arm sticking up went to the key lock but it's now in the way so bye bye -

    [​IMG]

    I chopped it off and then drilled a hole in the bottom of the front panel that I sill stick this tube through. It will act as a rod to work the locking system.

    [​IMG]

    I cut it to length and glued it on.

    [​IMG]

    I drilled holes for mounting screws in case it needs removed. Actually it will, because I need to paint it black. I will insert a rubber plug into the bottom part where you press it. I also need to install a spring so that it has tension towards the lock side.

    [​IMG]



    I installed the front fan and discovered a clearance issue with my new locking system!
    The front won't snap on all the way.

    [​IMG]


    Luckily it just needed a little relief cut out of the housing.

    [​IMG]

    It's hard to see in the picture but it BARELY makes it. The fan blades are only a hair from the tube. Modding at it's finest... :p

    [​IMG]


    I glued up the 2 pieces that make the front/top. When I'm in need of perfection I grab my granite slab. I set the pieces on it and line it up to glue it. Very nice.

    [​IMG]

    A machinist square is good too. Just in case.

    [​IMG]


    Here it is sitting in it's final destination. Once painted this should really look awesome.

    [​IMG]




    Next I have to work on the door. It will be a little tricky getting it perfectly lined up. I have to install hinges that are NOT adjustable so it has to be right the first time. :roll:
     
  18. Marcos_Viegas

    Marcos_Viegas Minimodder

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    Wow man, awesome acrylic work man, congratulations! :thumb:
     
  19. bulldogjeff

    bulldogjeff The modding head is firmly back on.

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    This is looking really sweet, wicked design. The paint is fantastic. nice work dude.:thumb:
     
  20. BOBDBONE

    BOBDBONE Owner at BS Mods

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    Thanks guys. ;)

    It's coming together!

    I worked on the door and got it mounted.

    The first thing I needed to do was line up the hinges perfectly. Drill and tap the screw holes.

    [​IMG]

    This was a little scary becasue the tap is so small and they break real easy. It came out great. Hinges mounted.

    [​IMG]


    Slid the door on and it fits great!

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    And with the door closed -

    [​IMG]


    Next thing to do was line up the latching mechanism. I found the right spot and glued it in place. It will sit tonight and will be ready to go back on tomorrow. It now acts as a hidden lock. The case will be so much smoother without all the locks showing.

    [​IMG]


    Tomorrow I will be adding new case feet and hopefully I can paint the top and front.



    :)
     

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