Case Mod - In Progress Fire & Ice (Antec Plus 1080AMG, Started Dec. 2007)

First time modder needs input on speed bumps ahead!!! I just started a case (Dec 07) dubbed "Fire & Ice". The case is an older Antec Tower (steel frame). Not sure what the model number is anyone have an idea based on the pictures? So the idea started as a case with flames but has transformed (in my imagination) into flames and ice. Ergo "Fire & Ice". The project was started before Christmas and has moved at a slow pace mainly through trial and error (mostly error ) and being busier that a three legged cat in a litter box.

The system:
Motherboard: Abit IP35 Pro LGA 775
Video Card: EVGA GeForce 8800GTS 320
CPU: Intel Core2 Duo 3.0GHz
CPU Fan: Rosewell RCX-Z5 92mm (Blue)
Power Supply: Thermaltake 700W
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Tracer, 2GB (It came with red, green, and yellow flashing lights built in. They are suppose to show you memory usage. It's like watching fish in an aquarium. Not sure what that's gonna do to my case color scheme )
Hard Drive: Raptor 150GB 10,000 RPM
Aspirin: Bayer

All other components/parts/goo will be bounced around below...so...on to the mod:

 

Good luck! A three legged cat can do more than a 4 legged dog so keep at it.

 

The perpetrator:

 

Thanks for the luck!!

I'm just learning about the site and how things work but more to follow with as much detail as I can give at each step.

 

Some more pics of the before:

The rivets were all drilled out with a 3/16" drill bit. The drilled off pieces stacked up on the drill bit like donut rings.

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My thought: Drill the rivets out from the hole side of the rivet as shown in the next picture. All you need is a drill bit a tad larger in diameter than the hole you see. The metal is flared out from that center point of the rivet.



This side of the rivet can be popped off or will fall off when you drill the other side. The other side is like a cap that is being removed.

 

This will be modified by adding a turbine style intake. The current air vent will be modified and pretty much go away...

 

The plan is to make the door an enclosed unit with lights in it and smoothing out all of the current markings...

 

Setting up for the metal cutting:

Once I had the case in small pieces I began sketching and re-sketching a design for the top, front and sides. This was the original design for the left side. The design cut a lot of the display window out but not enough to show the works. I decided to change the pattern to make use of the whole window. I'm planning on doing a radical change (well as radical as you can get with a fixed MD )on the inside. The hard drive is a Raptor with a see through window...so that has to be seen....I want to make a lot of the cabling disappear.....so mirrored enclosures.......light bouncing off..disco ball........DAM DISCO......hmm...So I took as much as I could out and the locking handle as well. The rear thumb screws are the only things holding the sides on. You get it...

 

The final design was selected:

I came up with this as the final design for the left side. I created the designs using a CADD software called Microstation. We use this software in the engineering business for 3D graphics among other things. The design was printed on an 11"x17" sheet of paper and transfered using transfer paper I bought at the local hobby store. The red dots are spots I plan to drill out with a 3/16" drill bit so that I can cut the design out with a scroll saw. I'll show you how I placed the design on the panel later.

 

How do I delete this post?

 

I like the project name

I've actually got a pair of Lian-Li PC70 gaming rigs going by the very same name - due to their respective red and blue anodized paint jobs

 

The top:

The top has flames cut into it also. I plan to add a billet cover for a Harley as a blow hole. The cover will be raised about 3" above the top of the case. The gap will then be filled with perforated sheet metal (looking like an old car air filter) for air intake from a blue 120mm case fan. Blue light shining through the vent holes. Now these are things that have already been thought out. I'm going to need some help (with suggestions) when I get to where the work is at right now. The first mistake here is that the design is on the outside it should have been on the inside to cut flat on the scroll saw.

 

Yea the ice was an after thought...I wanted flames but got stuck on the lighting part. The paint is going to be candy apple red on the inside so the lighting couldn't be red...I think I'm going with blue lighting but orange and yellow on the right side panel to make the flames peek out. The exterior is going to be Dupli-Color Mirage. The paint changes colors depending on the light. The 2 colors are Red/Blue.

 

Top:

I drilled a 4 1/4" hole for the blow hole fan. I got really lucky on the billet cover with flames via E-Bay.

 

An easy way to transfer your design:

Using painters tape, tape off the area you want your design on. The painters tape seems to be easier to remove vs other tapes and takes the heat from cutting without making a mess.

 

Place the transfer paper on the painters tape.

 

Place your design over it and trace away. The transfer paper can be using a kazzzzzilion times.

 

The transfered design. The blue arc is the limits of the Harley cover. The grill will sit back about 1/2" from that arc closer to the hole for the 120mm fan. Should I let the flames go under the cover or stop them before they go under? Bahhh!!!! Wrong answer!!! I already cut the design out to stop before it hit the grill. My bad...

 

The right side design:

The right side design was more complicated than the left and top. I created the design and printed it on 3 - 11"x17" pieces of papers to create a large template. Printing had to be exact so that the 3 panels would overlay exactly. Well almost exactly this isn't rocket science!

This is the center of the design with part of the tracing completed: