Project: Bruised

[Bucko]

G'day all!

I'm new to the computer modding scene, but I feel I should be able to go alright.
I have been modding my motorcycles for a while, playing with cars, build my own computers and I own a dremel! :D

I have a few ideas, which while they may seem original and unique when I thought of them, surfing around a few forums and websites means you'll soon see it done already...

One of the ideas I am toying with is building a PC into a Pocket Bike I recently bought. The Internet soon yeilded a project like that which had already been done...
Nevermind, I might still do it, but I wanted something a little easier for making up my first custom case.

So I thought getting an old stereo amplifier and building it into that.
But then, I see it's been there and done before.
It's probably the way I'll go though to begin with.

Other ideas I've had is getting a dashboard from a car and building it into that. Or more specifically, the centre console/fascia where the stereo would normally go. It would look good on the desk and the right one would lend itself well to having ROM drives mounted, as well as intergrating the cars A/C controls.


My current case is an Atrix with no mods, other than a cupholder/ciggie lighter mounted in a 5.25" bay, which the cup holder pops open as soon as you open the front cover door.
It's a little old and slow as far as the internals go. A AMD Athlon XP2000+ and Gigabyte MoBo. 1.25Gb ram and a reasonable video card and sound card.

I recently picked up a 3.0Ghz Intel Celeron D processor, Foxconn MoBo and 1Gb stick of DDR400 ram for a good price.
I don't tend to play too many games, so outright performance isn't the main goal, just a quickish and reliable PC for surfing the net and looking after a Motorbike Forum, listening to music while I do it and maybe watch the occasional movie on it.

I just want my PC too look different and still be practical.
So initially I'll build the new bits I've just purchased into my Atrix case and use the older cases and internal bits I have lying around to do the build and fit up, before transferring it all across.


The problem with this modding bug is you start to see computer cases in everything! :banana:

Time for me to keep reading here and filling my head with more ideas and ways to empty my wallet...

[Bucko]

Well while I am waiting for some new PC bits to turn up this week, I thought I would go down to the electronics store and get an 80mm fan to install in the top of the case as an extra exhaust fan.
I also bought a HDD cooling fan while I was at it, and a new IDD cable to clean up the inside of my case a little.

This was first go at cable management, as normally I just connect it all and shove it in where it lays, but a tidy up was in order I thought.

Here is the insides before I started:

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2997/2002hs0.jpg

As you can see, it was a bit of a mess.

Here's how it looked a couple of hours later:

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/4397/2003mc7.jpg


I used zip ties, some rerouting of cables and I also got the soldering iron out to join a few power cables that really didn't need separate plugs.

It's a big improvement I think. Now to keep looking for the perfect object (whatever it ends up being) to build a computer into.

[AJ@PR]

Hey Bucko! :)

Nice work!
The routing looks good.
Any water cooling or Dremel-related (!) stuff planned?

[Bucko]

Hey Bucko! :)

Nice work!
The routing looks good.
Any water cooling or Dremel-related (!) stuff planned?

I'm thinking about it. This case may just stay stock though. I really want to build a PC into something that isn't meant to be.
I'll be hitting the second hand stores this week for a look around. An old stereo is probably how I'll go for my first real mod. Plenty of dremel work there!

The case I have would lend itself really well to liquid cooling though and living in a fairly warm area means the more cooling the better.


I plan on reading up some more on liquid cooling before I jump in though. I ant to make sure it's right for me.

[TheGreatSatan]

I was once a n00b with a whole bunch of ideas....

...now I'm a geezer with a whole bunch of Mods. Welcome to thebestcasescenario :)

[Bucko]

Thanks for the welcome TGS!

I happen to stumble across a cheap computer parts shop today, so I bought a few cables and a couple of cooling fans, but the main things I liked where these (pictured next to my MS Mouse to give an idea of scale):

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/1149/2006df3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The mouse I grabbed because I figure it's smaller internals would be easier to fit into something that shouldn't be a mouse (like a NES Controller) and the small keyboard may just come in useful one day.
The mouse was AU$10 and the keyboard AU$20, so cheap enough to buy and have sit for later projects.

[Bucko]

I just took some measurements, the keyboard is 9"wide x5" deep x0.5" thick.

[Bucko]

Well now I need to do my next mod after converting that small mouse into a N64 cartridge mouse (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=6288) tonight.

It's a slippery slope this modding game, once you start, you just want to do more.
I tried a couple of second hand shops for an old stereo case to mod, but had no luck in finding anything. :neutral:

I might grab the local paper tomorrow and have a look if anyone has something cheap for sale.

Failing that I may just give my computer room a clean up and re-arrange, or maybe give an old case a face lift.

[b4i7]

I was once a n00b with a whole bunch of ideas....

...now I'm a geezer with a whole bunch of Mods. Welcome to thebestcasescenario :)


aint that the truth ;).....

as far as gettin ideas and them already being done...dont let that deture you.....add a twist...or a touch of personalization...

if we all didnt do a mod cuz weve seen somethin similar...modding would have died...but you can always take somethin thats already been done and improve

[Bucko]

I do plan to something original eventually, but in the mean time it will be a little copying and learning from it.

To that end I put a Perspex side with two fans in my computer today.
I'll take some pics tomorrow after I wire the fans up.

[Bucko]

Actually, it may take longer to get the completed pics.
I'm about to strip my computer down to bare bones and give the frame a lick of black paint, then some more cable management.
My new motherboard and CPU should be here today or tomorrow, so I'll have the case all ready to go.
I'll have to drag out the old laptop to get online I guess.

[Bucko]

Well my new insides didn't turn up today.
Oh well, maybe tomorrow...

Anyway, here is a pic of the case comnpletely stripped down ready to paint black:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1126/picture001zm2.jpg


And here is the window with two fans I did yesterday:

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/7137/picture002yn7.jpg


Even doing such a simple mod I made a couple of mistakes which I learned from.
One is measure twice, cut or drill once.
Actually, make that measur THREE times and cut one, because even after I looked and looked again I still managed to drill in the wrong spot.
Furtunatly I was able to flip the piece around and trim off some excess to make it fit and I got away with it.
When installign the fan I managed to get the wire caught so I had to unbolt it all again and redo it back up. :dead:

I am going to cut a slot in the front of the case facia to allow some extra airflow and install an 80mm fan in one of the front case mounts.

I also picked up a couple of neon lights for $10 each, one blue and one a black light, so I'll install both in the top of the case and put a switch in to turn them on or off.
I think I'll make up something to go in a spare drive bay to have cooling fan controls and light controls.

If someone can point me in the right direction of a thread with said controls I'd appreciate it!

[Bucko]

I just fitted my hard drive cooler up after shortening the wires for better management:

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/6696/picture003nu6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

A quick cut, solder and heatshrink and it's ready for when I assemble the computer again.

[SgtM]

wait a minute.. when did you come over and take my HDD cooler?

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/USMC%20case/DSCF1890.jpg

[armadilloben]

wait a minute.. when did you come over and take my HDD cooler?

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f186/sgtm_usmc/USMC%20case/DSCF1890.jpg


"SGTM: the buckoesetzzzz theeeyy stoooolle it from us!"

[Bucko]

I had this thread moved here because I'll just keep adding to it as actually mod the thing, rather than just talk about it.

I picked the name Project: Bruised because, well, it was 4am when I was asked about what name and I thought that would suit because the colours will be black and blue...

[Bucko]

Because I know you all love pics, here's tonights progress so far:

The empty case after a lick of paint:

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/2133/picture002xj7.jpg


New motherboard, chipset and PSU mounted:

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1079/picture004wr3.jpg


Tomorrow I'll head to the electronics store for another 80mm fan for the front of the case, and some other bits and pieces.
I can't mount the front fascia back on until I get the other fan for the front. I also cut a couple of holes in the front fascia to allow the air to flow a little better.
I stripped this old drive down too, to mount some of the switches and things in. It seems the easiest way to mount it all by using a spare bay:

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/5364/picture001bi8.jpg

[SgtM]

Looks good Bucko.. Keep up the good work.

[Bucko]

Well here it is, pretty much finished. I installed a new 320Gb SATA drive today, reloaded windows and did some more cable management once I knew it all worked.
I'm pretty happy with it.


My cable management:

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/7128/picture002lf8.jpg


And with the cover on, with and without flash:

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/241/picture003se6.jpg

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5172/picture004yf1.jpg

I'm sure it will get tweaked some more yet...

[Bucko]

And I almost forgot, pics from the front with and without flash:

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/2647/picture005az5.jpg

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/4606/picture006rf3.jpg

[Bucko]

I added another Gb of RAM to it today and I'll go shopping for a better video card on Thursday.

The old Radeon 9550 card is basically the minimum that BF2142 can use, and the card is starting to play up in windows too. When I have the monitor connected using the digital cable it keeps flicking on and off when I clcik anything in Windows.
It seems to work fine on analogue though. It'll be perfect for another project though assuming it keeps alive.

[Bucko]

Well this will be the last update on Bruised.
It has served it's purpose as a learning case. I bought an Nvidia GeForce 7600 for it today which I'll install once I transfer the guts to The Ratputer (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6432) once it's finished.

Even though the mods were rather minor in the scheme of things, it still gave me more knowledge and ideas.

Maybe once the Ratputer is built I'll do something else with this case mod wise, or maybe I'll just install my old parts and use it as a tool to learn Linux.

Only time will tell.

[Bucko]

Well Project Bruised is no longer dead and finished.

I stripped out the guts tonight and put it in [url=http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6649[/url] No Idea (update there very soon).

Bruised will take on a new look and have Linux installed. I have Fedora Core 6 on a DVD-ROM, so it will get installed on it.

I will be going for a Camo look on Bruised and it will only be a simple mod. I don't want too spend too much time on it as Ratputer will still be the main mod.

Here's the dust and moths in Bruised after not having the cover for a while.
I guess LED fans to attract the moths and no filters will do that...

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/6199/cameradump065vj5.jpg


I'll be posting more pics this week after I clean it all up and repaint.