Project: Transparent Tower 95% DONE UPDATE

Howdy everyone. I am a newbie to modding and have been perusing these boards for quite awhile. After seeing everything here, I knew I didn’t want to have a stock computer, at least not the case. So I began by cutting a good size window in the side of my case. At first I was happy with the results but then realized quickly that this is something most everyone does when it comes to modding. So I started trying to think of a unique idea for a case. After picking up the issue of CPU with the Orac by G-gnome on the cover, I knew I wanted to go with a clear, acrylic case. But I didn’t want to copy G-Gnome’s case. I only used it for inspiration to make my own clear case.

Now I had to come up with a design that seemed pretty unique. So the following is what I came up with. Some of you may recognize it as I posted it awhile back for feedback. I have made a few minor design changes since creating the model, but you get the overall idea.



A little about it now. The overall height is around 26” tall by 14” deep and 14” wide. Everything clear is ¼” acrylic from Home Depot. I am thinking of calling it Transparent Tower, but that is still up in the air right now.

To start, here is a pic of my sheet of acrylic goodness.



I also have received some of the parts for my computer, like cable sleeving, a white LED fan for the power supply (have 2 120mm white LED fans on the way), and round silver IDE cables.



I also went ahead and purchased a bunch of the thumbscrews to use on the case as well as the acrylic rods, adhesive, hinges and door handle.



Also on the way are a Bulgin Vandal Resistant switch, the 2 fans I mentioned earlier, and a couple of acrylic accessories from Tap Plastics.

Hopefully tomorrow evening I can start transferring the outlines of my pieces onto the plexiglass and hopefully start cutting. I have a plywood saw blade already in my table saw to make the long straight cuts.

Well thanks for reading and hopefully you'll see some more tomorrow night.

 

gl with the mod, plexi towers are either great or not.
i like the looks of your sketchup design.

cable management >.<

ill be following this one.

 

nice sketchup if you could realise that

 

looks nice, hope it becomes like this =>

 

Thanks. I am really hoping it will turn out nice too. I guess it can't look much worse than the stock case, but I am not taking in a huge undertaking so I think I'll be able to pull it off pretty well. All wires will be sleeved in black except for the IDE cables which are silver. All screws are silver and the internal components like the drives, except hard drive, are painted in a hammered metal finish.

Here is the DVD drive as it came.



Now here it is after I added a window to the top and painted it with the hammered metal finish.



For those that don't know, a hammered metal finish isn't really smooth. It is hard to describe, but it looks kind of like it has some raised circles in it or maybe like the surface of the moon or something. I don't know, that's about the best description I can come up with right now. The PSU is also painted with this finish.



More updates to come tonight.

 

Looking good, man; this project has potential. Good luck, and happy modding

 

This looks like a cool idea...i'll be following this. The top top part of the case would be cool for a huge resevoir if you wanna water cool it. Did you make that picture(the first one) out of paint, if not what program?

 

Actually, in the newer model I built of the case in sketchup, I allowed for a reservoir in the top of the case. I am not going to water cool it from the start, but plan to eventually and will put the reservoir in the top at the front of the case. See the newer model below.

 

AMAZING SKETCH !
keep up the good work.

 

Good luck mate. Acrylic towers can be great, but if they aren't then they pretty much look like crap. You tread a fine line... please land on the right side.

Interesting design, it looks like all the stuff is nice and spread out. I personally shoot for small with acryl, but hey - not my mod.

 

i don't know if you'd considered this but your going to need some really long cables from your psu

 

Thanks. Yeah acrylic is a fine line and well, we'll just see how it comes out. I know I am going to have to extend my psu cables (not fun) but I figure it is well worth the trouble.

Tonight I was able to cover the entire piece of acrylic with tape and mark off most of my larger pieces. I got all the bottom panels and all the horizontal panels cut. The table saw blade worked really well and made really smooth cuts with no ripping or cracking. I'll show some pics tomorrow of the pieces. Tis all for now. Thanks for tuning in.

 

very nice clean look, just careful on how you'll hide the wires.
keep it up

 

Thanks. I am not going to hide the wires so much as I will use good wire management. In a completely clear case, I think hiding them would be a little difficult. Plus, I like the look of wires that have been sleeved nicely. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten the wire sleeving kit.

 

Sketchup user
and a From Scratch case
i lliikkee !!
ill be following this

 

To extend the PSU cable you could do it manually soldering and such or you could just buy an extender, top item

 

Thanks for the link, but I am going to extend them manually. I don't think having an extension on the psu cable would look very good. I mean, I am not trying to compete with some of the other mods like Orac or Hypercube because those are way out of my league and, well, I just don't want to spend that much time on that much detail. I just don't have the patience for it. But I do want to create a nice, unique case that nobody else has.

 

Hey everyone. Well I didn't get as much work last night that I wanted. Seems that having an 18 month old child and wife takes a little of your time. Anyway, I did get a few more pieces cut and only have about 5 major pieces left to cut and they are pretty small. But here's all the pieces I have cut so far and they are looking good. I can't wait to really get in there and start putting this thing together.



And a little goodie arrived in the mail yesterday.


My bulgin switch. Anyone know if this can be modded? It has a blue LED right now, but I'd love to put a white one in there to follow with the rest of the lighting.

The weekend is pretty much here now and I WILL get some work done. May have to tell the wife to go shopping for a few hours to let me work. Ya'll take care.

 

Of course it can be modded! everything can be modded! All you need is time and a dremel.. and i that dont do it, violence..

 

Oh I know anything can be modded. I was just wondering if anyone had done this or if I would be a first. Not that I mind being the first one to do something. I guess I'll have to give it a shot.