Project: Makeover [Part 3][Almost done] Pictures: 7/7

So this is the start of my first project ever, my first project here at Bit-tech,
and more importantly, the first time I held a dremel in my hand.
"Omg", you might say. This can't have a happy ending. Well your wrong.
Give me some slack, and judge after I have showed you what I have done so far.
So what am I about to do? Read on..

The original case:


This is a Aerocool 201S case from the Norwegian shop 3dfxcool.no, that I bought last fall. Well, I loved it for a couple of weeks, but then it started to look really boring and dull. About that time I bought my first Watercooling system, so that just pushed me over that edge where I just sat in my chair, doing nothing, to an experience I won't forget..

Planning:

Theme: (Green/Black with brushed aluminium)
From day 1, I wanted to make the case more attractive, by making it more transparent. First I played with the idea of making a casebuild, and just making a complete acrylic case from scratch. But, with my previous experience in this business (none to be exact), I decided to just keep it "simple", and mod my case. And today, I must say that I am happy I did.

So what I am going to do is:
-New mb tray in frosted acrylic.
-New (don't know what it is in English, but its where you put your dvds, harddrives etc), also in frosted acrylic.
-Acrylic windows in each side door, and top. All windows covered with green tinted film. In the windows i'll cut out a desing, and all honour to Deviate for that. I couldn't find anything myself so I had to borrow.
-And last, but not least, get rid of that stupid plastic front, and replace it with a acrylic plate that i'll ting.

Hardware:
-Pentium 4A 2GHz
-Abit IC7
-1GB Twinmos Winbond 400DDR (2x512)
-Sapphire Radeon 9800pro
-Couple of hdds and CD-burner and a DVD-rom
(This is my old stuff, I wouldn't have bought this today)

Watercooling:
RBX waterblock (my Maze 4 block got a rift in the acrylic top.. splash!)
Black Ice Extreme 2
AC waterblock, chipset (P4), "twinplex"
AC waterblock, GPU (ATI), "twinplex"
AC watertank, "aquatube", Titan
Aquabee 500, waterpump
Tygon hoses

Parts:
This project will be done in 3 parts.

Part 1: Internal modding. Mb tray, and that thing I have no idea what's in English. Im also going to build a small wooden box that will lift my case from the ground. This is so that my radiator that will be placed in the bottom of the case, can get fresh air. Pictures below will explain it all

Part 2: Side/top doors, and aluminium plates on the wooden box (so it will go with the rest of the theme (Green/black and brushed aluminium)

Part 3: Front, halfmoon and other exterior stuff

The Sketchups:







In the front im going to make a half-moon, where the start, and reset buttons will be placed. I'll make the out of acrylic, and then put som leds in them. In the front itself, I'll place the watertank, and two or four Usb contacts. Not quite sure yet.



Hidden floppy (Right now you might wonder where on earth im going to place it, but wait and see)

Here we go:

(Before I show you what I have done, it might be a good idea to tell you that I do NOT own a digital camera, and that this projects evolution (at least for you guys) depends on the good will of my friends, that lend me their cameras from time to time. Also, the cameras that I have borrowed, doesn't take especially good pictures.)

With that out of the way, lets start modding and 'ing



So, the first thing I started with was the wooden box. Not much to say about it so one picture should be enough. I gave it a couple of layers with silver paint so it would blend in a bit till I have those aluminium plates for the sides ready.




Then I stripped down the case, epoxyed the box to the bottom, and cut out the holes for the radiator fans.



Then I had to give back the camera for a couple of days, and when i got it back my new mb tray was done. One piece of acrylic, sanded with 60-600 grit. I drilled holes for the spacers, and glued them.



Then it was time for a test fit. Hurray, it fits



A quick fit with the top on, just to be sure that everything was as it was supposed to be. To hold it in place, I melted a acrylic piece to the bottom, and screwed it. It ain't moving at all (but I have some really irritating sounds (the kind you get when you pull long nails over the blackboard in school. That kind))



With that finished, I moved on to the drive cage. Pictures explain better than a thousand words (especially when your English is a bit rusty)



Well, things is going forward, and before you know it, it's time for a little test fit. And what do you know. It fits. Hurray..



Another test fit inside the case. To keep it in place I glued a acrylic plate to the sides facing the front, and screwed it in the holes where the drive cage were..



When your dremel is a bit old, and your dremmeling isn't so good, you'll get some uneven holes. But no worries, the won't show at all.




Same thing here as above. Even worse to be honest, so I'll keep the result



And there you have it. Part 1.
Will be back with the side doors, since im almost done with them..
But you guys are so spoiled, so i'll keep you waiting a bit longer

Part 1 everybody. Stay tuned..

 

wow the plans look nice
i cant wait to see the next update and the finished case

 

Thanks m8,
Warms a modders heart.
Think it will look great when im done. But you guys will be the judge of that..

 

dont be shy to post updates you hear

 

Good work bamsefar, altough I've seen the case already

 

After a little accident while I made my homemade fanbus (that i'll be posting later),
I fried my Powersupply. It wasn't a big loss, but it was money that I didn't intend to use.
An old Chieftec 360W is now wandering in hardware heaven (the one you saw at the last picture)

So I had to buy a new one, and after some talks with my bank account I chose a Mist 420W (Mist is a brand which is being made by the Norwegian webshop Microplex.no, if my memory isn't way off.
It's a ordinary Forton/Source in a new shell, and a different fan.

It looks like this:





Well, ofcourse you can't leave this little fellow untouched, so bring on the 'ing.
Im going to cut off all the wires, and connectors I don't need, and make a box in front of it, where I can hide the left over wires etc.
It's sort of a copy of G-gnome's box (only not in chrome), mainly because I liked the idea, and because G-gnome and Deviate has been my inspiration sources.

The box will be made out of acrylic, which will be tinted.
A couple of pictures says more than a thousand words..

Time to mod



This is the part I've used to make the box. It's all acrylic.
Some painted with an UV green color, and some tinted.
Please notice that the camera im borrowing right now do NOT get the correct color on film. The color is much darker, and not so light.



So after assembling the box together,
I cut of all the wires I didn't want, and those I did want,
I put inside some hoses I painted with the same UV green paint as earlier.





And here you have it. Still there is some work left.
Among others I will be putting in some green leds inside the PSU, and I will use this:



as a new cover. Its really dark green, and superb for my theme. Its bought from Microplex.no
(but they don't sell this one anymore. No one seem to like green in my country )

 

PSU looks great

 

o this mod is begining to look very TYPE-O-NEGATIVEishfor those of your who know who they are

 

Well, I for one doesn't know who they are? Care to explain?
Something negative?

 

WELCOME TO THE FORUM MY NORWEGIAN FRIEND!!! I Love your project!
To everyone who not have seen the end product of this case: STAY TUNED! Its worth it!

 

o godly goth rock band out of broklyn ny and this case is there colors exactly,....there pretty pop in europe to ok srry for the hijack
so if this mod is done we want teaser shots.....pwease

 

Never heard of the lads. Well enough of that..
You asked for a teaser shot, and you'll get one. But don't come asking for more, you hear me?



Now, let me make this crystal clear. I am NOT totally finished with this mod, so please don't move it. Im just putting you up to date, the slow way. More fun, and people might have some tips about things I might do better, instead of looking at 5 pictures, saying that they love it, or hate it, and move on.
And where I am now, you can't see jack of the interior work..

 

After some thinking I decided to paint the drive cage I made, with the same
UV green paint I used for the Psu.
The pictures are really dark, and I apologise for that,
but it was the only way to show you the true color. Turn the brightness up for a sec, and you'll see..

 

What can I say? just brilliant...
I have followed the thread in forum.overklokking.no and I am amazed over what you can do..


I expect som more photos soon..

Sorry for my bad english..

 

Wow this is looking very promising. I love the color scheme btw.

 

Hey make me one of those PSUs please! That kicks ass and looks better than G-Gnome's.

I really want to see how this turns out.

 

It's a very nice mod my friend Sorry that I gave them expectations by telling them it was finnished I thought it was So did you reach dead line? (since it was a school project or something).

Good luck with the rest of it I'll definately stay tuned

 

Thanks guys, warms my heart..

I had a little problem with my server so every god damn picture that was on it just wanished. Think I blew my limit. Well anyway, Im uploading them as fast as I can. Before I post the next part, I have to get feedback from Deviate, in respect for his work.

Acid Burn: Yeah, I did reach the deadline. And btw it was a competition, and I won (don't tell me you didn't know?)

 

I didn't know.. congratulations on your victory then

I hope I find a noob contest when I'm finished, so maybe I can get a prize too

 

Part 2:

-Side doors, and top.
-Side list for the wooden frame at the bottom (aluminium)
-Homemade fanbus (don't get your hopes up. Its really simple)
-And my own little mascot. Did anyone say Fluffy?

These doors took me quite some time to finish. They ain't that complicated, but it took me a long time to get that brushed aluminum look by hand. You can't see it very well in the pictures, but its there.
Another thing was that I couldn't use any machines to take away the beige color and the primer that came from the factory, so yeah, took me a while.

But here they are:



This door will be used at the right side of the case, so in this picture it is upside down. Think it will be a very good contrast for the frosted acrylic mb tray, especially when the acrylic for the doors are in place.




And this door will be used at the left side. It's just plain and simple since I want the attention at this side to be the inside.

Candypic:



(Inspired of Deviate, so you might see some similarities)