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Case Mod - In Progress Project Tony Montana

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by swaggahurtz, 26 Jan 2013.

  1. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    This is my 5th full case mod. it was an old ps2, i cut up a while back, but never got anything else done on it. Originally I was thinking a marble orange paint with florescent orange plexi. Then a new idea hit me: Scarface. As in the movie.

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    i after the cuts i put some fan/air vents in and then the case sat around for a long time. in the mean time i had a lot going on, one of them was my personal rig Project N.V.G.

    the aim of this build is to create a pc that would have looked right at home sitting on Tony Montana's desk. I'm using the three colors used in the decor of his office. black, red, and gold trimming. this pc will match in color and style.

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    When i came back to this project with a new inspiration, all the ideas came together in my mind almost at once, and it has been moving right along.

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    i sprayed everything with a flat black. and then the inside of the case with a deep dark red.

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    the window in the top of the case i am going to etch. this is just a visual.

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    sprayed a little bit gold flake over the black, and then followed with the clear.

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    put it together with mock parts to check the look.

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    gold trim means the window, the vents, and the bezel will have molding/frames that will be sprayed gold. most of the frames are made of wood , but the bezel is plastic.

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    at first i planned to cut and fit a solid piece of plexi to the front of the pc. but later came up with the idea of using hinged doors for the bezel.

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    i also found the perfect frame for the top window. the dvd is there in place of the etch.

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    ok so i still have more stuff to post just to catch this work log up to the actual progress on the case. more to come soon. thanks for looking.
     
  2. dream1

    dream1 What's a Dremel?

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    Be careful !!! He is classic. !!!
    Dam i like the idea :) And using photo frames not bad, good start bro.
     
  3. KidMod-Southpaw

    KidMod-Southpaw Super Spamming Saiyan

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    Hmm, this is interesting! Not too sure at the moment, but I really like where you're taking this project, keep it up!
     
  4. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    thanks guys. still got a ways to go with this one, but it is coming together very well.
     
  5. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    using the photo frames as doors that swing open and closed, this will hide the drive bays. i have not decided exactly what im going to display in the frames in the front bezel but i do have some ideas. the fan frame (left one) was shortened about a half inch and the one to the far right was removed and replaced with a power control panel. spayed the frames with a light coat of white before i started sanding.
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    only added a power button to this piece. the power and hard drive leds will go into the back of the plexi, which will go into the the frame itself. the hinge screws extend into the plexi which will bare the weight of the frame door. other buttons, rocker switches, and/or pentameters i add go behind the bezel doors on the front frame itself .
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    respayed and resanded the frames. they will be sprayed gold, so they need to be really smooth.
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    the frame on the right side of the front bezel is where i think im going to place a metal cut out of these initials.
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    the psu, same color as the inside of the case, black fan, gold grill.
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    added gold flake to the fan then clear.
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    when i started on this case i planned to use a piece of plexi as a back panel brace for the psu. the original psu and vent were not standard atx size and i was a little aggressive when cutting. hence the gap.
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    so what im doing is using a metal frame that will go into a wooden frame that will be attached to the back the the case itself. that frame will be sprayed gold.
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    waiting on the psu frame the cure before sanding down starting the paint process. cut the mother board and psu tray from plexi. leds will go into these. the mobo back plate in the pic is just there to check positioning.
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    the case feet. using iron and glass pieces, held together with really strong epoxy, these are almost finished and the leds will be added soon.

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    added these glass beads to the feet, the colors are really close and it looks cool.
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    added gold flake and a little clear to the metal pieces.
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    drilled a few holes into the top of the case to attach the frames. im using small screws to go into the back of the frames ill add a lil epoxy at the very end of the build.
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    ok and that just about brings this work log up to date. waiting on epoxies and paints to cure. please note the none of the paint is at it final stages. after everything is put together and fit properly the focus will be finishing the paint job and moving on to the leds and the hardware. a small lcd may go into one of the doors, either the hdd door the the optical. depends on the size of the screen i use.

    for the leds at first i was thinking of using only red and white, but i have some amber ones and am thinking of adding them too. also ive been looking at some andreino controllers and im think about using one for the first time in this build. see how it goes.

    ive been able to put a little work into this project almost daily, and am really happy about that, more updates soon. thanks for looking.
     
  6. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    small update: the weather just won't cooperate so i have not got much done. but i did get to a few other things.
    i changed my mind about spraying the wooden part of the psu bracket gold, so red it is. the small metal bracket which goes inside the wooded one will only have about a quarter of an inch visible, so im going to spray it black with the gold flake.

    wet paint. flat black then the red.
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    final version of the case feet. just lacking the leds. painted the top third of the glass. however i didn't paint the top of the lip or the inside. with the washer on, there is a small gap of clear glass around it, this is intentional, and should give it a cool effect when lit.


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    removed the frames from the top case panel, to sand and paint. the two side vent frames need some touching up too.

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    got the psu tray and mobo tray positioned and marked for cutting and drilling. get that done today.

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    the front intake vent.
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    the 120mm fan will be mounted to plexi which will be mounted to the case.

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    i will do a round vent cut out in the plexi and light it.

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    more to come soon, thanks for looking.
     
  7. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    got the bezel and the case frames sanded down really smooth. 1000 followed by 2000 grit sand paper. i thought i might at least get some paint laid down, but it was not that type of day. nasty outside. today still ended up being pretty productive.

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    good thing is all those pieces are ready of the next step. i did get some flat black laid down on the psu frame before the wind kicked up. glued down some washers to reinforce the psu screw holes, the metal bracket attaches to the wood with screws and i will add a little epoxy before seating it in the wood for the last time.

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    after that i did some etching for the first time. this one was just practice but this etching is the idea for the hard drive access door/frame. it will be back lit.

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    trying it out in the extra frame i had.

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    colored in the lettering with a dry erase.

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    using the original piece of glass as the cover changes the look. cool.

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    the colors match well. im wondering about the red lettering under a red led. im going to need to wire up the leds to test the look fully. red, amber, and white. im thinking two of each color, each on opposing sides of the frame.

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    as always thanks for looking.
     
  8. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    got some paint laid down this morning.

    bezel

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    top window and side vent frames.

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    psu frame

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    power switch/led plexi panel. sprayed the back of this thing. painted in reverse too , gold flake then black. the front stays clear. also painted the little pieces that lock the top panel in to place.

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    the access door hinges and the outside pieces of the panel locks

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    and i wait.............

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    thats all for now, tonight i hope to finished the front fan intake bracket and get the mobo and psu trays in. thanks for looking.
     
  9. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    got the front intake bracket pretty much finished. counter sunk the screws the attach to the out side frame, added a few holes for leds later. went with a square blow hole because it fits the theme and the case better than a round one would have.

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    made sure every thing lined up.

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    did a stencil last night of the initials

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    the initials go in the middle of the intake, on the front of the mesh....something like this.

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    right now im thinking of drilling into the initials and attaching each with a a small screw through the mesh. hole placement like so........

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    thought i might get all the pieces from the center piece that came out of the frame, but it was cutting it really close.

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    and they're cut, just need a little bit of polishing around the edges is all.

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    the clean up....."ChiChi! ...Get the yeyo" :)

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    thats all for now, more soon. Thanks for looking.
     
  10. Darkwisdom

    Darkwisdom Level 99 Retro Nerd

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    I like where this is going, but I think you shouldn't add too much more to the design. It's starting to look a little 'busy' and if you add anymore it'll look bad.
     
  11. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    thanks Darkwisdom. tonys office was a pretty busy place and a little over the top :) .

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    after i sand and polish the initials up , im probably going to spray them gold.

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    also i remembered that i know someone that engraves professionally, hope to catch up with him this weekend. tonight i hope to get most of the sanding done, the case too, and go to the next step of the paint. hope to have the case all put together by next weekend. then time to move on to the leds, the ardruino controller (first time), and the hardware. still toying with ideas on the optical drive door.

    more soon and as always thanks.
     
  12. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    small update. steady progress. got all the frame pieces wet sanded 2000 grit sand paper. still had a few rough spot to work out. probably going to lay down two more coats of gold. get the case done tonight. and spray everything down again in tomorrow.

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    placement and fitting the logo. probably going to elevate these piece off the vent a couple of millimeters. ill drill the holes and finish shaping them tonight so i can spray them tomorrow too. i only pulled the plastic off the back of them so far and im going to just spray the back at first to check the look out.

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    more soon. thanks for looking.
     
  13. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    top case panel sanded down.

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    sprayed it and the frames.

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    more soon. thanks for looking.
     
  14. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    the motherboard tray. the case has a couple little tabs that the original tray hooked into. the drive cage is made the same way. i started to cut them off back when i cut the case up, and again when i repainted it. instead made the tray tool less. the tray pops into place pretty tight. i might add one of the a little swivel tabs from the back of one of the frames just to lock it down.

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    still need to take about an inch off and cut out a hole for access to the cpu bracket.

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    picked up a few things. the hard drive case is for the guts (nice solid case though) and is for a future project, similar to rilo-1.

    the h70 and two fans for it. the before.............

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    the lay out for the cpu cooling. i looked at a couple of all in one units. i figure as a way to break into liquid cooling, $50-60 for a single 120mm rad, a pump, and a copper plate, all new, aint bad. ill add the tubing, reservoir, and fitting. will separate the pump and use the copper plate to make a block.
    a small res is going to fit nicely in the vent over the mb back plate, the pump goes under the hard drive bay.

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    rounded up a few leds and the wiring for the power button, the power and hhd leds.

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    that's all for now. thanks for looking.
     
  15. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    re-sprayed everything................

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    the cooling....took everything apart. the copper plate.

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    this will become the pump tank. the round cylinder will be cut down to about an inch in height.
    the stem will be cut off the other piece and it will be attached the bottom of the cylinder, ill also add a partial divider on the inside for in and out.

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    then the pump will be attached to the top. will finished the pump will be about two and half inches and will fit fine under the hard drive bay.

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    i need to put up a treader bit to add the fitting to the pump. took the top of to check the thickness of the plastic, its good.

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    the reservoir.... found these scrubber things at dollar tree for a dollar each had the rim from an rc car that broke long ago.

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    the inside of the rim will be removed and it will be painted black.

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    the rad. will cut the nipples off and tread in the fittings

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    going to keep the retainers shape with the plexi block.

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    more soon. thanks for looking.
     
  16. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    small update. steady progress.

    got most of the work done on the pump. cut the tank down to size, attached the bottom, drilled and counter sunk the screws for attaching the motor, and threaded the fittings. also cut shaped and attached the flow separator.

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    still need to finish shaping and then attach the lid to the pump.

    cut the stems off and threaded the radiator for the fittings.

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    getting the block together

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    more soon, thanks for looking.
     
  17. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    small update. steady progress...... bout 85% done with the block, still need to drill and thread the fitting in as well as the bracket holes. then sand and polish it up.

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    the reservoir is finished and has been leak tested. shortened the top-off cap on this on this piece too, it was too tall for the case.

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    put the o ring in the pump and peeled the plastic backing off the plexi tighten all the screws down and added a little sealant, leak test it tonight. this is a pre pic though.

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    got the sleeving in

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    i plan on getting the psu sleeved and put together later this week. either going switch to black mollies or dye them red. i will test the dye first.

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    first assembly coming soon. thanks for looking.
     
  18. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    "Every day above ground is a good day." -Tony Montana

    too much pressure on the drill tends to crack plexiglass. so.......
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    started over.

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    i will leak test the loop next.

    touched up the radiator.

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    the reservoir mounts

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    the psu back bracket.

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    last few pieces are painted.

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    assembly begins.

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    logo

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    more soon. thanks for looking.
     
  19. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    assembly commenced.

    i attached the frame to the top panel of the case.
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    the feet.

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    tops of the feet.

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    the front intake bracket

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    the front intake bezel.

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    the logo

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    i couldnt get really telling pics but the before and after is huge. the left is an untouched frame

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    rear exhaust fan grill.

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    exhaust fan mounted

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    got the hoses pretty much sized cut and crimped.

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    got the res mount in. i got some little screw in things i still need to seat properly

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    more soon. thanks for looking.
     
  20. swaggahurtz

    swaggahurtz 2 c not what is but what can be....

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    small update, steady progress.

    i leak tested the loop. i thought i might have problems with the block but it was the left side of the reservoir and the pump that started leaking immediately. i will take apart and clean the pump, re-tighten the screws, and reseal it. on the res, i will be replacing the left tank, then hook it up and test it again.

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    i got the res mount seated level, also added a back piece so that the res is clear of the exhaust fan grill, and painted the mount. first silver, then black, i left the top edge the res will actually sit on un-painted. i will add an led later.

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    i painted the intake bracket, also left the inner edged un-painted.

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    painted the 120mm fans too. the ring mounts in these are made of plastic and i had no trouble popping them out.

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    i put the mobo stand offs into the mobo back plate. next up getting the psu sleeved, making sure the loop is leak free, then a post and the led wiring.

    more soon. thanks for looking
     

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