Cold Weather Ruins Modding...

[NightrainSrt4]

Sometimes I just feel like giving up modding. Other than an occasional wind, my balcony seemed to be the perfect place to mod, especially seeing as how I live in an apartment and have nowhere else. Every time I've tried to go and paint ive been hit with nothing but disappointment. First the front panel on Nightrain. Now the panels on Alb.

I can't paint inside as I would poison the small apartment, and getting paint on everything is not an option. I know no one up here with a decent place to work. Its not like I have a driveway where I can make like a tent and throw a space heater or something in there. I have no clue what to do. Its been pretty much in the 20's/30's for the past month and in that weather paintings been crap. It seriously gets me depressed sometimes. I spend a while getting everything prepped and then go to paint and it just sucks.

Any tips or ideas or something. Project Alb, a pretty basic project, was meant to be done by the 20th, 25th at the latest, and at this rate nothing will get done.

I need all the help I can get... ... ... its driving me crazy

[Cannibal23]

i also live in a small appartment so i feel your pain. i found a way arround it though.

cutting i still like to do outside just because of the sparks.

as for sanding i do it at my desk and just wipe it down after. for painting it got a drop cloth (one made from actual material so you can wash it later) put it on the floor of the bathroom and i paint in there. when im done painting i just close the door. the dropcloth will protect the floor from over spray and any other particals floating arround simply settle as dust wich you can later mop up or clean with a cloth and some water.
if your going to do that make sure that anything taht goes in your mouth like say your tooth brush goes in a plastic bag or out of the room... mmmmm painty fresh breath

[NightrainSrt4]

Hmmm... maybe I will have to try the bathroom thing again. I tried it once but the dust settled on everything. The bathroom has a vent that sucks air out (because there are no windows in my bathroom) so that should make the particles dissappear relatively fast. Just paint getting on everything kinda sucks.

Also my bathroom is pretty small so its kinda hard not to get paint on stuff.

Hmmm...any other ideas anyone?

[Luke122]

Build a paint booth!

Get a large appliance box, and build something like the "clean box" used to window mod hdd's.

Paint inside, and there's no overspray, no dust, and no mess. Gloves are attached to the box, and the spray can goes inside with the parts to be painted. You can even add a 120mm fan with a filter if you need airflow.. though you probably dont want any paint smell to escape. :) Wait for stuff to dry, then open it up. :D

[NightrainSrt4]

That might be something worth trying. Maybe I'll try to get a clear box thing from walmart or something and some big gloves. I didn't think of that. Might be hard to move around in there though, so Id probably have to practice.

Any ideas you guys can come up with are well appreciated. Keep em coming, any options are worth mentioning.

Anyone else have an issue like this that just frustrates the living hell out of them. Sometimes it just gets me to the point of just wanting to give up.

[Greco101]

Maybe you can paint in the shower? At least when you get paint on it, it will scrub off very easily.

[Airbozo]

Wintertime at my house prevents me from doing any real painting. The humidity level turns an otherwise easy paint job into a nightmare. If I absolutely need to paint, I take it to my friends house in the Valley where the humidity level is much lower. Otherwise I just wait.

If the rain is coming down hard, I still have the spot in my leaky shed where no water hits. Yet. I can at least break the out dremel or saw for some easy cuts. I tell you it is real motivation to get that 70 year old shed back in shape. Kitchen first though. I promised.

Talk to your friends and see if you can borrow some space in the garage or even make friends with someone close and "Steve"* their space.

* funny story about why I call it Steve, later.

[noopypoop]

theres plenty of room in imagination land :)

[xRyokenx]

...just make sure to watch out for Manbearpig. Or those Christmas critters. *shudder*

[noopypoop]

yea. good thing is all you need to do is imagine your modding and it will be reality!(according to the government)


:)

[xRyokenx]

I'm imagining... a crazy ass PC! Too bad it's not real. /cry

Heh heh... if what I imagined became real, there would be some interesting stuff 'round these parts, lol. Hmm...

[noopypoop]

I'm imagining... a crazy ass PC! Too bad it's not real. /cry

Heh heh... if what I imagined became real, there would be some interesting stuff 'round these parts, lol. Hmm...

No remember, the government said anything that is imaginary is the truth!



But remember, it only works in imaginationland!




Good thing i daydream alot, im always in imaginationland!

[xRyokenx]

Yeah, I stay there a lot too... mainly due to the cheap hotels. And by cheap, I mean nice and fancy, but free. Now back to play Crysis on my kickass (imaginary) computer.

[dexaroni]

I can't argue about weather :(

Today was 57 F, warm enough that I could get some good painting problem. The only problem is that I have work today. I seriously considered taking one of my vacation days, but I need money for Christmas.

I pulled up the weather forecast, its looking like around 45F this weekend, which should be warm enough for painting. Luckily it won't be raining.

Hopefully I will be able to finish up my case this weekend.

[NightrainSrt4]

Well I tried my hand at painting again. Just out side. What i did this time though is run the can under some warm water. That seemed to help some as the cans were by the balcony door so they might have been a little chilly. Still not the same as painting in warm dry weather.

So with a few "decent" coats of paint on a couple things I figured I would make the top and front for Project: Alb. I get all the freaking way through both panels. Spend a while filing it. Go for the last cuts on it and the damn thing gets a hairline crack. Ok I can deal with that as its going to be painted.

While Im checking out the the crack, I like a freaking dumbass leave the jigsaw in the panel, literally only for a couple seconds. The plastic had melted a bit, but not enough to do anything had I just kept cutting. But no, the freaking plastic reformed around the blade while I was checking out the crack. I didn't notice it when I grabbed the jigsaw and went to finish the cut. Being reformed onto the blade it flexed against the clamps and freaking snapped the whole damn panel in half. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

And that was the last of my damn 1/4 plexi. F&$K! BiAtchhh. Everything goes my way for like a freaking minute then comes back to bite me. Its so disheartening its not even funny.





Does anyone have a link to a SICK mod done with SH*T tools? As I need some motivation and am starting to think this is impossible without good tools. Paul, Defyant, TO, and all the modders I look up to, all have nice tools at their disposal on top of sick talent and practice. I am starting to think that no matter how much I plan, how much I prep, Im always gonna be at a disadvantage against modding because of crap tools.

[dexaroni]

I don't know if you can call it a "Sick" mod, but my project Part Crysis:

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11554&page=9

Is done with all hand tools. The only power tool I used was a Dremel with a cheap ass cut off wheel. I think it's turning out okay...

[NightrainSrt4]

I like your mod. Can't wait to see it finished.

I went and took a bath lol. Helped me relax. Sorry for the mood there. I can't believe I made such a noobass mistake and let the darn blade sit in the plexi. The plastic refused around it. Damn. Oh well.

Ill just have to try again. Can't believe I just scrapped a $15 piece of plexi though.

Any other great mods with crap tools anyone? I've calmed down but i still need serious motivation. Any help is welcomed.

[NightrainSrt4]

Not exactly the same topic but didn't want to make a new thread and just create clutter.


I was so excited when I realized that Project: Nightrain really is almost finished. A couple things to do and its done. Waiting on a white sheet to get some real nice pics up.

I am starting to get sad, pretty damn down actually. The excitement of almost finishing is being quickly diminished by the thought of where it is going when it is done.
-----Right back underneath my desk--------


Is all our work done in vain? Not many people I know even seem to appreciate my work. You guys understand case modding. I feel like I should display my work proudly, not shove it under a desk. But when I go to show my parents or friends, its just a "ohh thats nice/cool".


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Anyone else have a proud but anticlimactic feeling when they are nearing completion of a mod? I mean mines going right back underneath my desk, as that was where it was designed to be. It just feels all wrong. I guess I just have to look forward to the next mod.
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[xRyokenx]

Mod your desk so you can keep your finished work on top of it. :)

[NightrainSrt4]

Sorry, I was in a down mood.

But I cleaned up everything and it goes well underneath the desk. Its not entirely finished, just nearing it. Ill have to take a break on it till after Christmas and finals to finish the last small details and then I will get pics up.

But I still do feel like "Yay, its almost done. Im proud" and "Ohhhh its almost done :(". Kinda anticlimactic. Like something you don't want to end.

Although, like I said, these first two are a test of if I can do it. Then I will try some cooler stuff.

[billygoat333]

you could get heat lamps for your balcony... works for our marijuana growers apparently in idaho :P ha ha