"Aftermod"

[Konrad]

Okay, yeah I cheated and deliberately chose a vague catchy thread title.

I'm just wondering what do you guys actually do with your modded PCs? I mean, obviously most of us have one (or a few) primary computers at home or work. Maybe one (or a few) to haul around for LAN gaming with your buddies and stuff.

Mod a masterpiece. When it's "done" (which some never are), just move on and mod or remod again and again ... we're obviously all here because we enjoy the art and science of modding itself.

What then? Surely there must be a pile of incredible-looking (and generally uber) PCs slowly accumulating and growing obsolete. Do you sell them? Give them away? Tear down to salvage future mod parts?

For example, I expect to mod out all my machines, but once I've got enough computers I don't buy/build more just to have a reason to mod. What would I do with them all? What do you do with them all?

[TheGreatSatan]

I keep only about a 3rd of them. All the rest get their final pics, then get dismantled and tossed out!

[Konrad]

lol, that's still like 20 computers for you?

[TheGreatSatan]

A lot were gifts and I sold a couple. I probably threw out more than originally thought

[Snowman]

One man's trash is another's treasure. Just saying, I am always scavenging pc parts. I give customers discounts if they let me have their old hardware for a server build or something of the like.

[blueonblack]

I've only finished one (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13428), and it turned out to be.... impractical is a polite word. I gave it to my brother as a gift as he had the room to house it.

I'd like to think that once I finish "the mod" I'll be able to stop and just upgrade hardware as needed but that would be delusional and I know it. :D

I'll probably give them away, as I don't know that I'd be able to canabalize them or watch them gather dust.

[slaveofconvention]

I use mine mainly as loan machines for customers. Always gets a funny look or comment or two. Every now and then one of them begs me to sell it to them. I've had four offers now on the general lee shuttle but as its the only complete mod I have in this country, I am not selling lol. The three or four I did back in Australia are, to my knowledge still in daily use.

[SXRguyinMA]

Let's see....Rockin Case I made for the wife, it sees daily use, armor redux was my daily rig until Tempest SXR, which has taken it's spot and left me with an empty Armor case, and my current project Red Comet is just to house my spare computer that was previously residing spread upon a cardboard box.

I'm also working out details on a (hopefully) well sponsored mod that will be displayed in a business setting, at some shows and hopefully get auctioned off for charity. I'm just working on finalizing details, then it will be on to trying to get sponsors, and only if I get the needed sponsors will that project ever see the light of day. so far it's only seen the light of sketchup, and AFAIK Trace and I are the only ones who have seen it, unless he's shown someone else (which is perfectly ok) :D

[Trace]

I have not shown a single person :)

[TheGreatSatan]

I have Hard Drive PC, Interceptor, Clowned, El Diablo, Ice Cream Headache, Project Namesake, Per-plexied, Buddha's Palm, War Machine, Ark of the Covenant and Care Bear PC all in my basement without components.

R2-M5 is in my office

Toxic Emachine is in the family room

Frame Box Media Center is in my modding area

SuperBee was a gift for my in-laws and Cuda 440 was a gift for my brother-in-law

Everything else I've done was trashed

[x88x]

I tend to mod for function rather than for form, so my current main system (Zeus) is designed to hold as many radiators as physically possible and still look good, while also being large enough to accept any future hardware upgrades. Once I finally get around to doing in, Faust (my fileserver) will be similar; as long as parts remain the same general sizes, I should never have to change it. Though, with Faust I do want to start experimenting more with form as well...but that's really on hold waiting for me to have a proper workshop.

As for past mods, the only one I really have is mightyMite, which turned out to be...rather less useful than I intended it to be.. So, right now it's been stripped for parts and the frame is sitting on my bedroom floor waiting for me to give in and toss it.

[Konrad]

Everything else I've done was trashed
Ouch.

Maybe I should've expressed my OP question more clearly.

The example of automotive modding comes to mind. Some guys do a lot of crazy **** to customize and pimp their ride. Explore and demonstrate creativity and craftsmanship, sometimes push engineering to its limits. Many document and take pride in their creations, some do it for status and recognition. Most end up accumulating keepsakes or selling to collectors. Maybe it's generally not very profitable outside of sponsored and commissioned pieces.

I suppose there's always eBay, cl, etc. Computers obsolete so quickly that real upgrades are a constant part of "maintenance" costs ... I guess you can enjoy modding and actually make a few bucks off it if you really advertise your "brand" or engineering talents.

What do you guys get out of modding?

[SXRguyinMA]

it's a hobby for me, I just do it for fun

[x88x]

it's a hobby for me, I just do it for fun

/\ This. I like making stuff. Modding is part of that. :D

[slaveofconvention]

Modding is, and probably will remain, very much a hobby for the vast majority. A good mod is SO time consuming, there's almost no way you can get back your labour costs never mind parts etc. I'm a long way from being a professional, but I spent almost 10 hours on the windows for Lobo, which is STILL a work in progress, and while there are perfect or as close to perfect as I think they'll ever be, I can't see anyone paying even a low rate of labour such as $15 an hour, and ending up with a bill for over $200 just to add a window to a case (extreme example, I know but it kinda makes a point). As I also plan to have the perspex laser etched, the perspex cost $$ in the first place because I wanted something lightly tinted etc, I figure if I count in my labour, this is going to be a $350 window lol. (Actually thinking about it like that makes me think "What the hell, am I TOTALLY nuts????).

There are a very select few very high end modders who can turn a profit, but even they, I doubt, can make a living out of JUST modding....

It might be possible to make $$ doing very quick n dirty low end basic mods like a basic window (20 mins work, $10 worth of plexi and charge $40) or something similar, but high-end detailed stuff is always going to be for the love of it....

[Konrad]

I see that some modders (like Bill Owen) appear to make a few bucks selling modding supplies, or selling machined/cut pieces (at very high prices). I suppose that many of the sites like xoxide, frozencpu, etc started up this way. Modders/overclockers go beyond their niche and help drive some aspects of PC technology which filter into the mainstream.

lol, I don't personally go for windows and interior lighting; reduces EM shielding and strains the PSU. Chassis, cooling, and performance mods appeal to me ... I'll admit I like as many hardware monitors and blinkenlights as I can get (even while the computing industry seems to persistently try to standardize them away, tomorrow's PC will look like some gutless sleek iToy). Everyone's tastes vary.

Yeah, if I wanted a windows I'd cut one myself. Not worth paying extra to have it custom made. Not even worth paying extra for a prewindowed chassis.

[Mark_Hardware]

I'm with S.O.C. I Have been working on my machine (what was it called again...?) for so damn long that I'm thinking when it's finished I'll just consider it my memoirs.


And like x88x said, I love to build things. It's just that simple. Modding just falls into play with that. And when this rig is done, I will move on to the next one, but I think I will always keep this one around. (I don't think I could get rid of it if I wanted to. Who the hell wants a beast like this?)

[TheGreatSatan]

If I had a water jet machine I'd probably sell stuff too

[Oneslowz28]

I have forgotten what modding feels like.... :(