Need a Summer Project

[Knapman]

Well, I woul like to do my first case mod or some type of mod, and Im not quite sure what I can do yet. Heres a few guidelines:

-Must be under say, 50$ishCAN
-Must be fairly time consuming
-Must...be a good idea :p:

I need it for something do do over the summer, but dont want to spend an arm and leg on a new case and then hack it up. :rolleyes:

I currently have a POS Xblade, which I reall dont want to mod. But are there any ideas I can do, as in build something computer related or something...


:banana:

[n00b 0f l337]

Build a computer case out of twigs and such and use the 50CDN for hot glue gun and sticks.

[Knapman]

...rofl...

Id like it to look half decent.

[n00b 0f l337]

I was serious.
Maybe go to a craft store and make a frame and stuff out of a balsa square rod or something. Then get plastic leaves and make a case around it. Maybe add some acrylic panels and then move the crap onto that. It would look good and would disquise just about everything.

[Delirious]

I was serious.
Maybe go to a craft store and make a frame and stuff out of a balsa square rod or something. Then get plastic leaves and make a case around it. Maybe add some acrylic panels and then move the crap onto that. It would look good and would disquise just about everything.


You know, thats not a half bad idea, would be really original, and if done right would look really cool.:D

[Obelisk79]

Make a Tiki case out of bamboo sticks route a kegerator tap through to the front face ot it then plexi the sides with windows in the shape of palm trees. A little blue cold cathode lighting and voila! Oh! and don't forget to inculde the little umbrellas somewhere.

[Knapman]

Oh god, this is sounding a little more complicated then I imagine.

What I think I will do, is get a cheap 40$ case, and moe it all out, paint it, cut it, etc.

[Delirious]

Bamboo is cheap as long as you chop it down yourself :D

Would be cool to have it water cooled and incorporate a waterfall for your resevoir.

[Knapman]

I dont have water. Haha.

[Knapman]

As of right now heres what Im thinking. Take a basic atx case, strip it down and re fabricate new side panels and a front panel outta sheet aluminum. Does anyone know what aluminum sheet metal runs for these days? Also id be polishing it, or doing something cool, no paint. Except maybe on the inside, paint it like gloss white or something. Kinda going for the p180 look.

[weezer134]

you should steal harry potter's invisbility cloak and make an invisible computer.

[[XC] leviathan18]

bad idea you wont be able to turn it on :P

[Knapman]

Ok, Ive come to realise I dont have a sheet metal bender, so the aluminum wont be that easy cut, and itll look sloppy.

[N!ckFas]

Bamboo is cheap as long as you chop it down yourself :D

Would be cool to have it water cooled and incorporate a waterfall for your resevoir.

the plane ticket would be pretty expensive if you dont live in china

[Serra]

Don't bother modding a basic ATX case. If you do that, your end product is still a rather small and overly cramped case, no matter how 1337 you've made it look.

What I suggest is going for a build on a custom case something like a UFO case and capable of holding an EATX board... only make it look and perform better. That way you can be guaranteed that it will take some time to complete, and when it's done you'll have a case large enough to house your next project. Get the metal and/or pieces you need from scrap yards, junk bins outside construction lots, and even old computer cases if possible. Take a car ride down to your local dump and find the recycling area. There are always a few computer cases (usually with old computer parts inside no less) there somewhere. Strictly speaking you can't take them, but as long as no-one sees you toss it into the back of your car...

If you really want a challenge, try to make sure that your case meets at least these specs:
- Can hold an EATX board
- Seperate cooling zones for different areas
- Can hold at least 2 power supplies
- All fan holes must be 120mm
- A space specifically designed to hold a water cooling radiator and another for the pump


My 2 cents.

Serra

[oohms]

Cover a car with that insta-turf fake grass stuff... just like some people do to their cars :D

[don_vercetti]

Bamboo is cheap as long as you chop it down yourself :D

Would be cool to have it water cooled and incorporate a waterfall for your resevoir.

That is genius. Imagine making the whole computer like a really nice water display, that would be so cool. Bleeding it would be easy as hell, it would look nice. i REALLY like that idea.

[n00b 0f l337]

One problem, an open loop with falling water will lead to evaporation. This would be fine if you re-filled, BUT!..

BUT!!!
If you have anything but water in the loop your going to be breathing it.

[don_vercetti]

And i'd be quite happy to refill it, wouldn't be a tough job.

And is water wetter, or Dye harmful to inhale?

It would be very cool to find a way to make a project round this. I had a think about it in the car, and couldn't think of much to base it round, but i'll keep at the thinking.

[n00b 0f l337]

Both are bad to inhale.

[Overconfidence]

The first thing you want to think about on a mod is:
1.) Will it have a theme?
2.) If not, and you just want to make it look cool, what colors/ideas?

Once you get those out of the way (This is YOUR case after all, what do YOU like?), then we can help you more with some crazy ideas. I'd direct you to this (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1451&highlight=paradise+lost) for some crazy effects this guy did with a bunch of foam and red paint.

Thebestcasescenario is a great site if you're looking for ideas for mods (Some crazy ones out there), and jab-tech has lots of modding stuff to buy for very cheap (pair of cold cathodes for 5 bucks, LEDs for less, etc).

[Hassan]

Plexi has done many times, but is still fun and rewarding and will keep you busy for weeks. Otherwise try modding an old apple IIe or Atari 2600 case or some thing weird like that, it'll always original and creative and timeless.

[[XC] MarioMaster]

imagine like the case from a 1990 dell with the 5 1/4 floppy drive slot but have like an x2 and an sli setup in it :rolleyes:

[amd4me]

You need to do the camo themed case.
That would be sweet.
All stealthed out and stuff.
Covered in twigs and leaves like Tom Berrenger