The outer frame will be covered with sheet metal, but the mount for the DVD drive will be 60-80% visible... But it will only be visible when the case is open... I'm planing on not putting a window in this case... And now for the update... I've been working on it the last few days, but i couldn't upload the pictures because i took my computer apart. I need to take some mesuments for the motherboard mount. The last days i've been working on the rear part of the computer, making the plate, the hole for the PSU, and then then mount for the motherboard, that really took a lot of time. Shouldn't i just let the pictures do the rest of the talking? feel free to ask about anything... The last picture shows how i'm thinking the "side-door" will be...
I think it is to get a cool effect.. It will make the mobo more visible.. and the watercooling-components will also be more visible (if he gonna have a window)
It like Tuppen^^ says, to make it look more cool, and make something a little differnt. And you did read that correctly... but i'm planing on making the side easy to open, so it will be more like on a car, where you open the hood to see the "hardware"... If i don't like it i can alwayes make it into a "evo", with window...
In that case - COOL! It doesnt look bad at all - was just curious as to why you did that - I actually thought it was or some reason to do with the water pipes or something.
Here a little update... I finnished welding the motherboard mount on to the back, and then grinded it smooth... Then i have been working one the rod that will make the frame for the opening, and this one was a little hard to bend, because it had to follow the shape of the case-side and also have the round hole tha i wanted... But the really had thing is making the rod for the other side, because it HAS to be a 100% mirror of this one... And here is the pictures...
Today i did very little building and more "modding". I changed how the harddisk mount i suspended i the rubber tubes, this was to make more room for a lager PSU. And then i made the rod for the other side, it was not as hard as i thought. But i also didn't make it in one peace. On the first side i wasn't really happy how the round shape looked, so i cut of the top of the curve, and made a new pease. Doin this on the rod for the other side made it alot easier. And here you can see it all... The last pictures shows how the hole case looks right now...
Today i make one of the "side-doors". This was also a little difficult, but after a lot of bending it was finaly time for some welding... The sides will be able to open, i more or less the same way as on SOWS 3. But i'm still figuring out how they are going to open up. I can't use the "normal" actuators, because the smallest ones i know of are way to big for this case, so if i want to make them open automaticly then i have to make the system myself Now the pictures...