View Full Version : Monster Khaos
Hey guys.
I'm pretty far along on this project to the point where I think getting some of the worklog up is in order. This case is actually a birthday present for my brother who absolutely loves the energy drink Monster: Khaos. Hence, the theme for the case.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1627.jpg
Some of you may have seen my previous (and very first) case mod. If you haven’t seen the Dewy Case, check it out here:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9060
The base case for the new mod is this ugly hunk of junk
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1629.jpg
Instead of covering the whole case with cans, I'm going the more traditional mod road. Hack and slash. First things first was getting my design onto the case itself. I cut up a can and photoshoped out the "M" and the "KHAOS." They a little large, so I had to split them up across several pieces of paper:
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1596.jpg
Then taping the paper together I used some carbon paper to retrace the design on the top and side case panels
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1597.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1598.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1600.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1601.jpg
Then, after drilling holes in the side panel, I used my jigsaw to rough out the "M" on the side panel. After the rough shape was cut out, I switched to the Dremel. About 10 cutting discs later I had the side panel window done.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1602.jpg
Since the top is much more intricate, I have to make a trip to the hardware store for a few more supplies before I can cut out the top. I'm hoping to have that done mid next week.
After removing the front panel I got rid of the original power and reset buttons and LED's. I also removed the ugly gray mesh from the front as well. I'll be reusing some of that later. It's in pretty poor shape tho. I'll be using the "Urban assault" 6" grill from MNPC tech. My brother loved the way that thing looks so I figured I'd make the guy happy. I then penciled in the location of the grill and holders.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1605.jpg
Again back to the Dremel to cut off the excess plastic. Finally using files and sandpaper to make sure everything fits just right.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1608.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1607.jpg
Now let's take a look at the bones of the case.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1609.jpg
Yep... pretty ugly. Gotta fix that. The case is just riveted together with 1/8" rivets so they are easily removed with a drill and a 1/8th" bit.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1610.jpg
Now I can work with the individual panels.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1611.jpg
I'll be putting an orange 92mm fan out the back to replace the 80mm one that was there. I've got a round hole saw that will do the trick.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1613.jpg
In hindsight, a drill press would have been a lot easier than my handheld drill.
Once I had the case parts all laid out on the bench I used some Competition orange Spray enamel to give all the interior pieces a little extra something.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1615.jpg
The exterior of the case will be painted in a little more professional manner, but for the inside panels, I figured this would do the job. 12 bux of pain later I was able to rivet the case back together.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1617.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1618.jpg
My 92mm fan is now installed and to make the hole a little cleaner I used some uchannel molding from MNPCTech. The orange fan came from performance-pcs.com and I have a 120mm fan for the front as well. They are both UV and LED. Should give it a nice glow later on.
Time to fix some of the ugliness of the front plastic part so I mixed up some bondo and went to work.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1619.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1620.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1621.jpg
The original Power and reset buttons will be replaced with a new bracket and some Lan-li replacement parts also from Performance-pcs.com. The bracket is made from original metal mesh from the front of the case. Cut and bent to size. The actual electric switch mechanism will be hot glued in place and bolted to a piece of sheet metal that will fit in the open gap on the front of the case. The sheet metal will have a Monster: KHAOS can flattened and glued to it to provide an accent piece to the front.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1622.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1623.jpg
That’s all the work that I've got done for now. I need to drink more Monster to get a few more cans ready for the Drive bays and HD bracket. Expect more updates this week.
Glad I could help J-Roc :D
Got snowed in today so had time to finish cutting out the top window. Again using a Jigsaw to rough out the shapes and the dremel to do the detail work.
Took about 5 hours to complete. Sooooooo many nooks and crannies......
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1630.jpg
Too tired to post more than one picture...
The rest of this week will be prepping the panels for paint. I hope to have 'em ready and painted by the end of the week.
Started (and finished) sanding the outside 3 panels tonight. Didn't get as far as priming because I forgot to buy a new tack cloth and the old one just isn't going to cut it...
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1631.jpg
Getting rid of that ugly finish is a dusty affair.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1633.jpg
Ahhhhhhh..... smooth....
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1636.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1635.jpg
If all goes as plan then I'll be priming tomorrow and painting on Friday. The paint will then require a 2 week cure before wetsanding. I'll be working on the front bezel this weekend and hopefully finishing that up.
More updates then.
Ok, so didn't get the primer on the case tonight. I thought I could get away with one application of bondo, but I just wasn't able to. The first application was looking good, but once I got things really close I could see the small blemishes start to poke thru.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1639.jpg
Here you can see the lighter spots that I wasn't able to sand out. I'll have to finish sanding tomorrow.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1642.jpg
Here you can see the 2nd application and how much closer it gets.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1645.jpg
Lastly, the front bezel is still limping along neglected. Figured I needed to get another layer of bondo on that guy still too. I'm hoping to get this guy further along this weekend too.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1646.jpg
I know it doesn't look like much yet, but my next update should be a lot more substantial.
Alright, a friend of mine ended up comming to town this weekend, so I didn't get as much done as I had hoped. Also, priming the panels brought out more blemishes than expected. I knew it was going to reveal some, but I hadn't realized it would be as many.
Anyway, so here is the promised update.
I used a self etching primer because it creates a better bond to metal.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1648.jpg
I only put one coat on the backside of the panels. Just enough to cover up any exposed metal. The front got two coats and allowed to dry.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1649.jpg
This allowed me to see any scratches and imperfections that I missed when I was putting bondo and also where the *cough* dremel got away from me *cough*
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Soooooooo....
Back to the bondo.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1656.jpg
and filled in dremel scratch number 1...
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1657.jpg
and dremel scratch number 2
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1658.jpg
and the biggest part that needed smoothing was where I filled in the row of vents on the side of the case.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1659.jpg
so I commenced sanding with 240 grit sandpaper to start, then swiched to 400 grit. I was able to smooth out the bondo and recoat with the primer.
so.. 4 coats of primer later, I'm now ready to wetsand and paint.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1664.jpg
I actually was planning painting today, but my wife came home when I was in the shop (in the back of the garage) and determined that i was spending too much time in the fumes of the various substances I was using on the case (you know, paint, primer, bondo, and the dust from sanding said bondo) she determined that I need to buy a respirator before I continue on the case.
Sure it sets me back a day, but getting a free pass to buy a sweet Dual Cartrige Respirator is a bonus I suppose :D
Yeah, the only one I'll drink is the orange one. It's the only one with real juice in it i think. Personally I prefer Rockstar Juiced, but since it's for my brother I thought it would be best to go with his favorite. :)
Well, it's been a fairly productive week so far. Finally found time to get pictures of the fresh paint updated. But before that. Here is the anti-death-by-inhaling contraption (also known as a respirator.)
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1669.jpg
And making sure it fits...
HAHAHA Shameless!
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1675.jpg
I'm sorry you had to endure my pasty white ugly mug. Just couldn't help myself :D
After priming and some very light sanding with 600 grit sandpaper I prepped my paint. For the exterior of the case I'll be using some plasti-kote super enamel in gloss black. I've never actually used this particular brand before, but it comes very highly reccommended from lots of sources. I picked it up at a local auto parts store. It was about eleven bux a can.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1690.jpg
Two coats on the interior sides of the panels and about 8 coats on the outside of the panels (I lost count after 4.) I waited 10 minutes between coats. I also had submerged the paint cans in hot water for 10 minutes prior to their use. I used about 1 1/2 cans of the paint. The rest will be used on the front later on.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1706.jpg
The fumes were interfering with my camera pretty bad, so I'll have to take some pictures after the room has cleared up a little more. In the meantime, this is what I got.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1708.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1709.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1703.jpg
I'm very pleased with the results so far. Unfortunately the paint brings out any small blemish even tho I thought I had taken care of them with the primer. Luckily they are VERY small blemishes which no one except me will even even notice.
The panels will now require a 2 week cure before I can work with them any more. That means I'll be working on the front bezel of the case this weekend. I'll post another update them and if I can manage I'll post some better pictures of the paint before that.
How did you cut the details of the monster symbol? Like the little cutouts?
I see the Dremel but what type of bit? I have trouble with small details.
Well, normally when you cut up a case you use something like a reinforced cutting wheel. For this project these wheels were just way too big to do the detail work so instead I used the smaller "normal" cutting wheels. You can get a pack of 36 or something for about six bux. They wear out wicked fast, but they are small and thin and were able to make all those nooks and crannies "relatively" easy.
I ended up grinding away LOTS of the metal instead of making simple cuts. Then once everything was in good enough shape it was on to the files. Most of the stuff could be smoothed or hardened with regular files, but some of the smaller parts I had to get a set of "hobby" files which are really really small. Then I could drill 1/8" holes and file them into more jagged shapes.
Batteries ran out of juice in the camera, I'll have better pictures of the paint up tomorrow. I hope to have some fresh pictures of the front ready as well.
Ok, I've got some better paint pictures for your viewing pleasure. My camera skills are pretty mediocre so you'll have to bear with me. I'll be working on the front bezel tomorrow and hope to have some progress pictures updated then.
For now, Enjoy!
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1713.jpg
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Lian-Li cases are incredibly well built. They have a reputation for excellence, and the "plain" look about them makes customization a dream. They are really just great cases and easy to work with. Also they use good materials and thicker gauge metals which makes them strong.
I've recently discovered Antec's "B-stock" cases (which i believe are used) and will likely start using them for future projects. I have a few antec cases now and really like them. Also very sturdy and well built. Just not quite as modern as the newer Lian-Li's.
Started working on the case this afternoon and decided to go a slightly different route with my power and reset buttons. Originally I was going to use a thin piece of sheet metal and glue a portion of a Monster Can to it for decoration. After messing with the can a bit I decided I couldn't make it look quite right and decided to use the cans over the drive bays as well. That will make an quick and easy finish for those parts.
Instead, I decided that I needed a little texture up on the front so cut out another piece of that recycled round hole mesh and bolted that to the piece of sheet metal instead.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1726.jpg
I simply cut my sheet metal and drilled my holes to fit. Unfortunately I didn't have the exact drill bit sizes,so I ended up doing some filing and sanding to make the switches fit.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1728.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1729.jpg
Once fitted I put everything together for a mock up and decide if it was going to work.
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I think that will work and it should give a little somethign extra to the front. I haven't decided if the mesh will get an orange coat of paint and the metal behind will be black, or if the metal behind will be orange and the mesh black. I didn't have the paint on hand right now anyway and it needs to get primed so I can jump that hurdle when the time comes.
Finally I dissembled everything off the front and gave it one last sanding and a couple times over with a tack cloth.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1733.jpg
Finally, a coat of primer so I can get it painted up tomorrow.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1735.jpg
I used a "flex" primer which is supposed to give a stronger bond to plastic and other materials. It's slightly different than the self etching primer which is really meant for bare metal.
Anyway, thats all I got for now.
Phew, sorry it's been so long for an update. Real life calls once in a while you know ;-)
Anyway, I have a somewhat short update today starting with paint for the front of the case.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1743.jpg
I ended up going with black for the round hole mesh around the power buttons and on the bracket for the actual switching mechanism.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1750.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1749.jpg
The Sheet metal plate gets a few coats of orange to provide contrast.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1737.jpg
After the paint dries, I finally get to assemble some ofthe parts to give me a better idea of what the front of the case will end up looking like.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1756.jpg
I don't have the nuts and bolts tightened quite yet. I've still got a few little finishing touches to some of these parts before they can be assembled permanently. I just couldn't help but put it all together once to get a good look.
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http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1760.jpg
Behind the grill is a 120mm ACRyan orange fan with leds. It should provide a nice glow out the front of the case.
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Here you can see the back plate where I still have to add in the switching mechanisms to the bracket. Currently there are only 2 bolts holding the plate in place and they are both on the bottom. Once the switching mechanism is complete I'll be adding a bead of hot glue to the top edge to hold the rest of it in place. Realistically the bolts will likely be plenty to hold it, but I want to make sure the entire thing is secure.
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Unfortunately, I don't have much else to report. I've got a lot of work to do the inside of the case still and all of the acrylic needs to be installed for the windows. The drive bays will also be a bit of a chore and I'm trying to decide if I should splurge and get some Lian-Li hard drive bays and add them in for convenience. It's hard to justify the cost on such a crappy case. We'll see i guess.
Here are a couple of parting shots.
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http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1771.jpg
Until next time...
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The devil is in the details guys. I just couldn't help myself but assemble it and see how its comming together. Initially the matte against the shiny plastic really stuck out. Its been sitting in the shop and had gotten rather dusty. I wiped it down once with a dry rag before assembly but it really needs to get a good scrubbing which should help a little.
The ring around the outside is actually rubber so the entire grill is not 100% plastic. I've been considering paintint it, as I have a a little bit of my gloss black left, but haven't decided yet. I'm not sure how well the rubber ring will hold the paint. It dosen't have to bend or flex at all after final assembly, but I don't want it to get old an start flaking off either.
If I do end up painting it won't be until after I get the drive bay covers finished. They are going to incorporate actual Monster: Khaos cans which I expect will radically change the character of the front of the case. They are one of the next thigns on the agenda to finish up before I start working on the inside of the case.
Whew!
The dust has settled at work.... finally. On the sad side of things, even with all the extra hours I had to put in (at my projects expense no less!) my workplace had to downsize its staff. My position is no longer.
Not to worry tho, I was getting pretty burnt out after all those extra hours anyway. I've got a few leads on a new job already, and in the meantime i'm going to enjoy myself and get a few more projects done.
Starting with the Monster!
So after these couple months of inactivity on the case you can pretty much imagine how things looked...
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1853.jpg
So before I coudl start back in, I wanted to make everything shiny and pretty again. Bust out the soap and rags...
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1854.jpg
While I let those parts dry out again I got to work on my Drive Bay Covers. Pretty simple stuff. Just a cut up Monster can glued to one of the existing (painted) drive bay covers from the original case. That was then covered with a piece of acrylic with two bolts to affix the acrylic to the cover. This results in a nice smooth surface instead of the aluminum surface of the can alone.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1813.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1814.jpg
A few days ago I had to finish up painting some of the remaining odds and ends of the case. Most notably, the drive bays. I opted for black instead of orange. Unfortunately, my hobby shop was out of any more of the same orange color and I wasn't willing to wait 2 weeks due to the job search.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1851.jpg
The black actually does provide a very nice contrast to the orange interior of the case.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1855.jpg
Another little annoying part was permanently affixing the power switches to my bracket. I ended up having to drill a couple of new holes and then hot gluing the switching mechanism into place. The actual push buttons had to be carefully filed down slightly to make them fit perfectly. If they were too tight, they would not push.
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After that, I couldn't resist temporarily assembling a few panels of the case to get a taste of what it may look like when reassembled.
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There is no acrylic in there yet. I should get that cut and fitted in this weekend at some point so you can expect another update within the next couple days. I'll also be working on the sleeving for the cables as well. Its all pretty simple stuff, but i haven't managed to find my sleeving kit and don't want to buy a new one. I know its in the shop somewhere. I'm sure it will turn up at some point.
Also, I'll be needing to install the case lighting and feet. These are two things I actually need to purchase still. Luckily they are some of the easiest parts to finish.
Oh, and if you're wondering, I did actually inform my brother of his birthday present. Its only 2 months late at this point. He said he would build a completely new computer just to do the case justice ;-)
Thanks for the patience guys!
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Ok, its 3:56 in the morning (according to my watch at least) and I have some big news. The case..... is DONE.
Unfortunately, I'm tired, shaky, and can't take pictures worth crap right now... Sooo tired.....
So I'll finish up the formal worklog tomorrow. Thanks for everyones patience (especially my brother who is the recipient of this case!)
I did manage to take one picture that didn't completely suck. Yes, it is the real top of the case... in the dark... under its own lighting.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1959.jpg
Ok guys, the last movement of this symphony is beginning. Hope you all enjoyed the show and sorry that it slowed down there for quite a while. Lets just say that loosing your job doesn't necessarily mean that you'll have a lot of free time, and when expensive things break, you think twice about how badly you need it...
Anyway, here we go!
First things first, I dug out my old orange cold cathode from way back. I knew I had one sitting around and wanted to make sure it was the right color and size for the application.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1927.jpg
Looks like it will work just fine.
While assembling the top of the case, i knew I would have very little clearance over the power supply. This was going to cause issues for the lettering over the top. Not only that, but some of the supports on the windowless side of the case were going to be in the way of my cathode. I didn't want to, but some trimming had to be done with the dremel to make everything fit.
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You'll also notice that the metal front has a notch cut in it as well. Thats my fault for not measuring properly and cutting the "KHAOS" in the top too far to the edge. The back also needed to be trimmed as well.
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As long as I had a little bare metal showing, I took my black permanent marker and touched upthe spots with silver showing thru. I know that no one will ever see it, but it made me feel better.
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Then there was the issue of the window itself. Since it was at the top and wasn't going to have the greatest "view" of the inside of the case, I experimented with a few different options. The one that seemed to give me the best light distribution over the lettering was a "frosted" plexi which basically means I sanded the heck out of one side with an orbital sander until it was barely translucent but scattered the light nicely.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1943.jpg
A bunch of double stick tape later and the plexi was in.
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The power supply will still interfere somewhat with the light where the "K" and "H" are, but there is enough light to make things pretty clear.
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Here you can see how much clearance the cathode actually gets inside the case. It's tucked way up in the corner and I am a little concerned about things getting warm up there, but I did include a switch for the cathode in the back if it ever starts reacting to the heat.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1957.jpg
I neglected to take a picture of the "M" panel and the acrilic install on there. Lets just say it was very straightforward and simple. It went on without a hitch.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1951.jpg
After more sanding and dremeling on the drive bay covers, I was finally able to remove the protective wrapping from the plexi and get them installed.
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Finally I could assemble the whole case.
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Although they don't match perfect, I did pick up a pair of orange thumbscrews for the "M" panel side of the case.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1977.jpg
To be honest, the front and rear fans were something of a disappointment due to them having "blacklight" LED's instead of orange or white ones to accent the transparent orange color of the fans. Although, once they are spinning they do manage to make the orange stick out pretty well. All in all, I'm pretty happy with them.
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1996.jpg
My brother has informed me that he will be building a completely new system for this case, so I'll be leaving the top drive bay open for the time being.
I'll conclude with some more "finished" shots in the next post.
Ok, so these are all just "glamor" shots of the case. Nothing really exciting as I'm no professional photographer. Hope you enjoy!
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1999.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1997.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_2003.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1983.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_1982.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_2004.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_2005.jpg
http://www.ghostobservance.com/uploads/Images/MonsterCase/IMG_2009.jpg
Thanks again to everyone!
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