I'm new to Bit-Tech but not modding. When the CaseModGod forum died I never looked for a new forum until now... Looks like a great place to be, so here I will stay. This is a worklog for my latest case, but if its ok I would like to post my last few cases so you know where I'm coming from. I will update as often as I make progress on the case, so check in often and thanks for looking. First my older mods. This one was forever a WIP, and never finished. I have more pictures of it in my gallery. This was all hand cut and painted. The plexi is kameleon and changes color when you view it from different angles. (I cant find the supplier anywhere, if anyone knows please let me know.) This was for a customer. This was a christmas gift for a friends daughter. Now my worklog for my newest computer. Now called Blackout, and will follow that general theme. I started with a plain Antec case and painted in inside flat black. Simple design for the side panel. Cut. And Print. I didn't have an idea for what to cut in the side panel, so I'm going to dress up the inside of this case. Just a test to see how it looks. Needs another coat of paint, and a good polish. Then a window of course!
The cuts for the windows in your first mod look really good, and this one has promise. No name though?
So I named it Blackout. Its simple, and that's how the case will be. Black, sleek, stealthy, and black.
Small update, wet sanded with 320 and another coat of paint. In afterthought I should have started at around 500. The orange peel is almost gone, so now I'll wet sand up to 1000 and then use rubbing compound and a buffing wheel. Thanks for looking!
I got a new video card! EVGA GeForce 260 216core 896MB superclocked Definitely the biggest most powerful card I have owned. It probably wouldn't have fit without a fight in my old case. And one more picture just for good luck. I also washed down and lapped my watercooling stuff, 2000grit is shiny. RBX, MAZE4, D5 variable power pump. I'm still deciding on a video card block. The MAZE4 was for an x800xl so I'm thinking of getting a new top and using it for the chipset. RBX still has the 478 top, so I need to get that taken care of. Not pictured is a 120mmx240mm BlackIce II Extreme rad, the res, fans and tubing. Thanks for looking
Ahh! I love Cheiftec mods I did one a few years back, coping an older idea of mounting the radiator: LOG HERE
I really like the flame cuts in the first picture, good modding What else do you have planned for this Cheiftec mod?
I checked out that link, its a cool case, and I like the shape of the window. I'm glad you like the last mod My other plans for this mod; Cutting 120mm fan holes in front and maybe top, depending on where I mound the rad. A 92mm in back since a 120mm wont fit. Paint the DVDburner, PCI cover plates and bezel. I might buy a new bezel since this one is missing parts and stuff. I'm also going to do some bondo and a bunch of cable sleeving and rerouting. Oh, and I haven't even mounted the window yet. I screwed up the paint and I'm doing the windowed panel again. I'm still not for sure if I'm installing watercooling though... But probably. Anyone know if I can lengthen the wires for CCFL? I read somewhere that if you do it will screw something up. And you guys say chieftec, but my case says antec. Are they the same? I Googled around and it looks like it. Thanks for looking
congrats on the new card! I know I was so happy to get a 275 after having a 7900 for so long! You can extend the power cables from the PSU to the inverter box with no problems, but extending the CCFL cables themselves apparently shouldn't be done (unless you have the appropriate hi-tech wire edit - Kynar-insulated http://forums.bit-tech.net/showpost.php?p=1846062&postcount=11 which name I forget at the moment... I'll find it and re-edit.) I had the same question awhile back, and I believe cpemma set me straight. Edit1: Someone else in that thread listed extensions being available to purchase... might look into those. Edit2 - Wassup Bay Area!
Oh, awesome! Thanks for the info, I could probably get that wire pretty easily. Unless I just get a bunch of LEDs, but I love this color and light spread so much. I'm glad to have a new card to play GTAIV! Everything else is just a bonus. Wooo Eastbay -Martinez over here! Anyone else in the bay?
Well, its been a while, I've been painting and sanding and painting and sanding and hating every minute of it. I'm just going to get it powder coated. Pics and updates after my paycheck comes in. I can't find a good place to fit the watercooling, so I may or may not use it. I guess it depends on my mood if I feel like cramming it all in. On a side note, I have two cases and a computer just sitting around taking up space. One is a huge tower with 6 drive bays and a removable motherboard tray, the other is the first case in this post with the flame cut windows, and the third is a working P4 dell. I'll let them go pretty cheap, or trade for modding supplies. PM me please. (unless FSFT is against the rules, then I'll delete this) Thanks -Kevin
Just a small update, more to come tomorrow. I made an adapter plate for the front of the case so that I can mount 2X120mm fans and the radiator. I am making it all removable from the inside so that if I need to service anything the watercooling will be easy to take out. My last case had tubing going through a bunch of different holes, so I had to drain the system to change stuff around. I cut a template shaped to fit the rad and traced it on to a piece of scrap metal from the side panel, then using a printed template I drilled holes for the fan mounts, after that I cut out the inside. After a lot of test fitting and eyeballing I cut the outside with mounting tabs and holes. They're slotted so that I have some breathing room because its a tight fit and I didn't officially measure anything. Oh... and I'll be buying new fans or painting these. Tomorrow I'll cut a large hole in the front and mount the bracket from the inside with the fans sticking through so the whole thing will be easy to remove in one piece. There will be a multi card reader in the upper 3.5" drive bay and I'll mount the HDDs on the back wall, or maybe in the 5.25" drive bays. Think I should paint the Ultra 120mm fans or get new ones? I like these http://www.frozencpu.com/products/9...Fan_-_Dark_Smoke_-_R4-C2R-20AC-GP.html?tl=g36 I'd also be using tinted plexi for the window with the same density as the Cooler Master fans. About mounting the HDDs, I wanted good airflow and was thinking something like this http://www.frozencpu.com/products/7...ooler_-_Black_SCKB-1000_BK.html?tl=g40c18s234 but I'm going to get 1/4" hex modders mesh for the 2X120 and it wouldn't match... What do you think? Thanks for looking -Kevin
Well, small update. I got the back fan hole and bracket cut! I printed out a template and cut it to fit. Then I glued it to a piece of sheet metal so I could cut it out. Then I did all the cutting and test fitting and recutting. It fits!! The screws are actually from the inside poking out the back, but I have some stubby case screws that don't stick out too far. I didn't even have to tap the holes, I just drilled them out and slowly turned in a case screw like a tap. Here is the front fans and bracket I made. And the whole case Don't mind the scruffy looks, its all hand cut and after a powder coating you won't even notice nothing is straight I Might also cut 2X120 fans in the top but I will get a hole saw and be careful cutting it. Thanks for looking -Kevin P.S. Cut first, paint second. P.S.S Stay Classy! I just like this picture
