Good evening folks... I guess after lurking around here for as long as I have, not posting and all... I should get of my duff and put the account to good use! So, here we go. This is my first project. Background on what I am wanting to do: 1) No case coverings. The project is to be strictly computer frame/chassis mobo and cables. No case coverings. I instituted this since: A) I wanted an open air case B) The case I was starting on did not have a lid! C) Wanted to see if I could put my ideas in my head to work regarding cable management and hiding. I've read quite a bit, observed a ton, and now it is time for me to do something about it, and I thought that, "Without a cover, cable management will be at a premium! What better way to learn!" 2) Wanted a reflective frame to handle indirect lighting. Will be using EL rope predominantly, and wanted as much ambient/indirect lighting to have a subtle effect on the components. Not a harsh tube or strong but diffused LED, I want quantity of mid level lighting. 3) Wanted a case/mobo color scheme. Too many single tone machines out there. Wanted to change it up. So I chromed the case, and painted the mobo tray an adonized red (lemme tell you, that came out SWEET!!! ). 4) Same color schemes to be used on the CD ROM. I have pulled the front bezel off of my Ricoh CD burner and painted it the cherry/maroon and then I pulled the eject button off, and chromed that. Then reinstaled the switch. I plan on chroming the metal case covers of the CD ROM, but I need to strip them off first and I have not had the time to perform this as of yet. 5) Will likely have a red LED fan for the front, depending upon how well the light blends in with the rope. If it is too bright, or obscures the rope effects, then I will move to a clear fan or a chrome fan. Seeing as I will not be using a case cover, air flow will not be an issue, so the fan could be chunked all together. History on this particular case was that it came from a Sales office that was closing in my building. Me and the head man in that office had struck up some chats about technology, and he knew I was a total hardware nut. When the office was closing, he saw me in the hallway, and told me about the 3 computer cases that were in the office, and that I could have them if I wanted. I jumped all over them. Ended up with 3 fully functional mobos from 3 different generations of hardware, but only one complete case. This was one of the incomplete cases, hence the restrictions on the fascia! I have done no cutting on this machine, I'm using the P.O.S. e-machine as my cutting biatch for learning the dremel!! Getting better with each cut. Here are the pics of the Raider thus far: I've had some focus probs on the digi cam, and my other pics that I took did not come out. I'll retake them and show the back, as that is where the mobo tray really shines and the painting has the most impact. Plans for the EL Rope: Will recess it into the tops of the channels of the case for a downward feed of red lighting. Will feed one of the lengths through the holes on the back of the mobo tray and either hot glue or spray adhesive the red el rope to the mobo tray, under the mobo. I am hoping that the light will bottomlight the motherboard, and throw off an erie kind of glow from underneath the motherboard. Also looking at placing some rope under the bottom of the front bezel (yes, that is a gloss black to gloss maroon fade paint job. Still contemplating how to get the orange peel off of the clear coat. Curved plastic is not the ideal wet sanding surface.) I am hoping to get a ghostly red feeding thru the air channels on the bottom of the front bezel. Well, that is about all for this one. I have another one that I am about to start planning on, and will have pics of that case posted up. That one is going to be FUN!!!! Thanks for this Forum and all of the excellent ideas floating around here. It is always a true inspiration to read what is going on! MOD ON!! -TD
Oh yeah.... "Raider" is for the color scheme. Kinda goes after the red/black of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. TOTALLY unintentional, but the name seemd to fit the color scheme!
Nice choice of cases to mod in my opinion. I am currently modding the same case, but I still have the cover for mine. Looking very good so far.
I love the color on that mobo tray Now was it actually anodized, or is it just an anno-like finish w/ paint?
Dupli-Color MetalCast Red. Mind you, I did NOTHING to the mobo tray. No prep, no primer (I just looked at the grey tray and thought, "Go for it, see how it comes out! You have 4 other cases that you are going to train on... just do it and learn!"), no MetalCast primer... just me, the tray, and a can of red MetalCast! I want to try the red metalcast on properly prepared plastic. I tried it on regular primered plastic, and it did not look good. But, FWIW, Duplicolor Metal Cast is rockin paint! It also comes in yellow/gold, and blue. I've got a can of each that will make their way into other projects as they happen. I just came in from snapping the back/port pics that I promised. I'm cropping and compressing right now. I'll have them up in a sec. Thanks for the compliments everyone!
Pics that I promised Ok, I promised the pics that I futzed up earlier, these are detail of the mobo tray, the ports, and the paint used to pull of the mobo tray, enjoy! I painted the spacers on the PCI/AGP slots, though I brain farted and forgot to pull the slot adaptors off of the cards that I will be installing! Consistancy... looks like I'll need another can of paint! You can catch a glimpse of the CD ROM cover near the bottom of the case in one of the pics. After looking at it tonight, and comparing it to the front, I need to darken that baby down a shade or two! I had an epiphany while taking the pictures regarding a solution for the ATX port cover that usually ships with the mobo's to take up the extra rectangular space around the ports (parallel, serial, USB, PS/2, etc.) Hehehe... I'll hopefully be dropping some money in the ol' Paypal account and get the remaining items on order and shipped to me so that I can finish this up! More soon!
starbuck3733t - You are right. I will be. Is is a curved surface, si I'm going to need to be VERY patient, and with 2 kids and a 60 hr/wk job, I have not had the time to perform said sanding... but dont you worry! I've got that on the "to do" list! Thanks for the suggestion though!
