alright. so i have just bought a new case. the CoolerMaster Elite 340. I bought it with the intention to modify it. I have never done any form of modification before. and reading about all these mods has gotten me wanting to experiment. hence the cheapish case. anyways, what i am asking. what should i try and do with this tiny case? what type of mod should i try out as a beginner? i like the look of mirror finishes. and the thought of a window sounds cool. and i love the open back of the cm haf case... any ideas? thanks. lxrysprtmscl.
You like mirrors... and you want a window of some sort in it... Why not get some chrome plate/paint and do your HDD and 5.25" racks? Or use a mirror of some sort inside the case? (I know you can get mirror perspex... why not make a motherboard tray from it?)
Mirror Perspex is a little difficult over here, but there are other brands of mirror surface plexi in the US. Mirror window tint is another option. Just remember rule #1: Don't paint anything until you are done cutting and fitting. A lot of beginners start with paint, then screw it up in the cutting stages.
Practice your cutting and painting techniques on any bits you're happy to ruin before attacking your new case!
I started with cutting and body work, and primer. Only paint once your done fitting and cutting, and if you all of a sudden have an idea of doing something after paint, make sure you mask the area off and take precautions to prevent damage and cause you to re-paint. You could do a window, new fan grills (stock are restrictive) some paint, maybe an exhaust on the top, real intake with molded lip, basic paint, cut some holes in mobo tray for cable management. When it comes to modding, the only things that limit you are 1) Budgets, 2)what you have access to, and 3) your imagination. You can make the case as crazy or as sleep as you want. It's all up to you, and in the end if your happy with how it turned out, it really doesn't matter what others think. I've only painted my cases inside flat black, and I am very happy, while other's would feel inclined to do more. It's all about how you want it, so just do some sketches, and before you say your going to do something, plan how it's going to work. Don't start something then realize you can't finish it, or else the mod won't carry on. Best of luck.
i wasnt really wanting to add mirrors inside the case. i had been looking through Cyprio's Apple Core Duo project log and liked the idea of a mirror shine. so, sanding repeatedly with up to 1200 grit paper to get a mirror-like finish. that is how i meant for the mirror. post #32 is where that is mentioned on his project log. perhaps i am not a beginner in that aspect then. i always double check before i do any cutting and always do the modifications before any finalization, like painting. lxrysprtmscl.
first mod i would suggest for that case is to cut out the horribly restrictive "mesh" over the back exhaust vent (and the front intake too). and the bezel is a nice blank canvas, should be lots of stuff you can do to that.
Make the case reflect your personality. Start with a theme or idea, and then let your mind fly, and just write or sketch your ideas down in a booklet so you can always look back and modify or remove the idea if you see problems with it not working properly.
