Project "Extreme Cool" -Stacker Case Mod - MrBean - (Update 27 Feb 05)

Thanx for your input, Modsquad...nice to see one of the Greats giving us some advice and tips.

I use a tungsten-carbide cutter to obtain a nice rounded look for the buttons' holes. I will post a pic of it tomorrow, it has a very nice rounded bottom, which works great! I just turn it between my fingers, with a nice result.

I will take some close-ups of the button-holes tomorrow, if you are interested. I hope you don't mind me sneaking around in your mod-area and borrowing an idea here and there?

Take care, chat to you later.

 

I noticed, the holes look countersunk, very nice.. More pictures would be cool, thanks. We all "borrow" ideas from each other. I can spent hours looking at these project logs...

 

I will post some later, I also discover the window left-overs from my VapoLi case, so I can make another bezel out of that, it is beefy, around 2mm thick....ok, it is black anodized, but I will take that off, and then re-brush it with a wire brush...worth the try anyway......

Will still do the stainless plate if this doesn't look good, but it might come out nice....I have to use a opaque bezel, to cover all those factory holes...blegh.....

Anyway, time is flying...let me get off to the hardware store to get proper plexi drills, then get on with it. Chat to you again later this afternoon/tonight.

Happy modding

 

Yep..That is the reason the plexi-alone would not work. Coolermaster drilled what,,like 15 holes on top of your case for there bezel-thing..... man that is over-kill. Coolermaster makes GREAT cases and the only thing I dislike about the stacker is what you are fixing............RockON....Maybe keep going with the blue plexi--all the way down the front..

inside the red lines..

 

MrBean feels a sense of DejaVu...rrrr.....can you read minds, or what

Yip Modsquad, I was wondering what it would look like with a total blue front end, I can bend the flexi to follow the natural curve of the front.....so basically I will replace those drivebays with blue plexi.

I think it should look cool, will make a plan to test it out. Then I can make some nice cutouts for the drives, and stealth them. Mmmm...good idea, thanx a lot!

Didn't do much today, my Brother came and visit for a few hours, they have just left, so I can start with the alu top bezel. I was wondering why Coolermaster made about 10 holes...hehe.

Just one word of caution.....although this is a very nice case, it have razor-sharp edges, guys, if you consider modding it, take care of your fingers. I don't have the softest hands around, but have altogether around 10 nicks/cuts on my fingers...2 quite deep

Even very soft pigskin gloves will make things easier on your hands.

 

Ok, played with an offcut piece of aluminium today.....leftovers from my VapoLi window cutout.

As you guys have noticed, Coolermaster drilled approx 10 holes on the top lid to mount their bezel, heaven knows why....so, I could not use just plexi for a replacement. I needed to use something opaque....I have an option to still make a new bezel out of stainless, to match the Aquacomputer fan grill.....or I can keep the aluminium one I made today, and sand off the anodizing, and brush it again to match the top of the case.

Whichever material I use, I am keeping the plexi as a sandwich plate between the lid and the metal bezel......have a look at the following pics and tell me what you think

Starting the cutout on the aluminium panel.....



nearly there...



ahhhhh, the rough finish.....finally.



Here I dressed the sides with a fine metal file...



Some idea of what it's gonna look like....

 

Making sure the plexi bezel fits to size.....



and another one...not looking to bad....



and lastly, a few shots with it fitted to the top.....I think it looks better than the old Stacker bezel...you guys?

From the bottom.....you can see the plexi sandwich....



head on....



angled shot.....




and from the top.....



a last one.....



No, it is not my bedroom.....my Wife insists to have this pink bedspreads in the Guestroom

Anyway, let me know what you guys think, please? It is important, bear in mind I still need to sand the anodizing down, and re-brush the alu bezel.

Br,
MrBean.

 

The brushing should be fabulous and the plexi etc is blending in very well, you've done some nice clean cutting Well done

<A88>

 

wow, that's really just awesome. Actually I think the black on silver looks really cool but that's my opinion. Really a great idea... that stock top thing is really cheesy IMO and this is just thousands of times better.

 

Very slick, I love it.. Keep it up dude

 

Looking FANTASTIC! I love the combo grille/alu bezel. If i was you, i'd keep the black, it matches extremly good with the silver case.


I'm truly impressed how you could create such a beauty from a beast.

 

do you have a picture of the top mounted on the rest of the frame?
so we can see the overal idea of removing that "stacker hood"

 

This is looking very nice, I'll definitely be watching this project

 

Me too

 

I like the black alu and plexi look. It might be cool to do one more layer of it, a 4 layer sandwich, if you have the materials. It might also look good to use black alu accents with the brushed alu case. Just a thought. But great work all the same. And I love the cammo paint job on the cat, did you air brush that?

 

You know it does look good in black...Perhaps you could get the Aqua-Computer grill powder-coated to match. The top would then match the black/silver front of the case, but I would still add the blue plexi over the black area of the front..This is what is fun about mods..so many options. You are doing a GREAT job so far. I have been looking at these cases for awhile, there may be one in my future.

 

I'm getting pretty excited by your work. Makes me want to mod on with my own case.
My compliments!

Question: Which Dremel attribute did you use to get the round reservoir hole in the top that round? Could you maybe show me on a little picture, so I know which one to use for my own imperfect holes

 

now keep it in the pants young man

 

BEAN, I just noticed you still have a CoolerMaster hole....

I guess you could just put a stainless steel bolt in the hole.....??

 

or you can insert a hdd led with a chrome housing... like This

looks amazing by the way! nice attension to detail and very clean cuts !