Good starter mod

[Lo Pan]

Does anyone know a mod I should start out with to learn the basics of painting/etching/etc? I need to figure out the basics on an old ATX case I have before moving on to my original idea.

[jsb666]

well a case window is always popluar as a first mod it would give the the experiance of cutting the material of your case, cutting plexi, and if you wanted to practice etching you could etch it as for painting just paint the case really you just need to get stuck in and learn from mistakes.

[Lo Pan]

Roger....I already did a window on this one, but nowhere close to the right way. I drilled holes in the case to form a "cut" I might wanna learn how to do windows and plexi cuts...thanks a bunch.

[guitar.child]

Umm just do simple things and experiment. Try making a 3d window. Sounds hard but just try it.

[RangerDanger]

tools: to make a window in the case use either a dremel or a jigsaw...to cut the pleix use a dremel or a router.


REMEMBER: the correct tools are the key to a clean looking project.

[guitar.child]

I still liek the 3d window.

[Lo Pan]

Now that I have one, the Dremel cutting disk will be replacing almost every tool except the Jig.

Found the perfect case for my mod too http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/product/Chassis/fulltower/armor/va8000bns.asp

I'm planning on modding that to have a fanless liquid cooling setup and make it look like a Nuclear plant. (Original idea)

My first mod will be modding a Thermaltake Bigwater system into that Armor case using aluminum brackets. Any suggestions on how to go about doing this?

[Slug Toy]

well i cant really give you too much advice about mounting the bigwater in the case. i would need to be there to see it or else i cant make any ideas come up. the only things i can say are that you should either try to place that stuff where it is not so obvious, or you can just mod it to integrate into the nuclear plant theme.

i want to see pictures of your idea for the nuclear plant. ive got this picture in my head of the lambda sector in half life 1 where you have to go start up the cooling pumps and reactor. add in a little glow of green or blue, and that might be a sweet scene.

if you're going for realism, well there's lots of pictures out there.

either way, i really want to see pictures. i always do.

[The Great Destroyer]

cutting out stuff with a dremel isnt that hard. practice on small stuff before going on to something serious. my mistake was that the first thing i dremeled was a paintball marker body... but after you get used to it, dremeling stuff is a snap. as for the 3d plexiglass idea, you can get pointed bits (i prefer the diamond tipped ones) for the dremel and just start engraving.

[guitar.child]

look and read everything on the DOOM3 case. He shows you execllent ideas on how to engrave. For exapmple print out idea or draw it use xacto blade to give it a channel and then dremmel the crap out of it. just read the doom 3 work log and see. that is how i get great ideas look and read everything everyone is doing and then incorporate them as your mindset.