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!

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!

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:

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

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

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):

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 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.

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.