they use plastic because it streaches when you bend it. otherwise, you would either need to remove the paper or have it tear, a lot.
they use plastic because it streaches when you bend it. otherwise, you would either need to remove the paper or have it tear, a lot.
"you must be the change you wish to see in the world"
-ghandi
I love the idea for this case. I havn't really watched much of bleach but enough to be interested in this project =P.
repzz
Sorry for overshooting my deadline... and for the lack of progress.. but measures have been taken: I assembled the guts and they still work, except for my old DVD burner.. It seems one of these lasts no more than a year in my hands.. The battery is dead too, but that can be easily replaced. I started the cutting on the plexi shell, bought some glue and tested stuff.. One problem I'm having is the heat that forces me to cut for half an hour than take a pause for several, until the rotary tool cools down. I think it's age is showing..
Some pics of the test:
What I don't like, is the fact that the big atx cable and the smaller P4 cable run above the video adapter.. And also, it's gonna be a very tight fit in other parts...
Not to forget the theme of the mod, I shall re-watch a large portion of the series to get involved and better understand what I must do for the aesthetics part. Till next time...
Wouldn't painting the heatsink make it retain heat more?
I loved this show at first sight, because I had 80+ episodes to watch from starters.. Then I took a brake and allowed them to accumulate to 110+... Now, I have to wait till fall for the action to start again.. Just fillers nows (I enjoy them too).. And I can't not look at them every week Guess they hooked me.
I think it does trap more heat, but I'm using the system now (the other I have is under re-construction) and I'm running almost silent (arctic cooling fans are really good) at 39 degrees centigrade, with average load (music, browsing, downloading and some minor image editing >> 30ish% load). It's true that I've seen even 34 temps but with more fans and with an opened window Right now, I'm happy to hear a slight humm and have the black sonic tower, although the 5 degrees are there too :|
Oh, my soldering tool died with a really bad smoke act and because I'm at home, I can't do any work on Sunday.. nagging parents :p
I did manage to almost cut the I/O bracket, but I sincerely don't like it.. must think of somethin..
So, this would be the time to announce the version one of the case... dead .. Why? Answer: my dad didn't like it.. And because I am doing this for him, a change of plans was imminent..
Yesterday I went shopping and found something more appealing to his tastes.. please do not laugh.. I used a local online shop and searched their offerings of PSU-less cases to find products ranging from Thermaltake, Lian Li to.. unnamed cases.. Guess what I ended buying for a mere 15$? (vs 75$ the far-from-completion acrylic version :| ) This:
(I had to clean the pics for them to be usable in further max processing.. watermarking was there and it did say something.. but the respective site didn't say it was copyrighted material, so I was able to edit them.. no photoshop here, just paint.net)
Can you say clone? All in all, this suits my needs, as you will see..
Wavey? White.. Low quality, cheap plastic, weird marks on the interior metal works.. bleah..
The door isn't that flimsy, because it is held with some nice and simultaneously weird hinges, but still.. bleah.. And then inside.. Lighting will be carefully placed and light bleeding has to be controlled..
The side screams cheap.. Normal holes are there, in the way as usual is the air duct, but the one thing that caught my attention is a 10-bladed, 2-level 8cm fan.. will show pics after installing the dreaded phone camera utility..
The back, after a bit of "modding", with the paint brush, is what I wanna make it.. No bloddy grills.. Chromed wire grills are the way to go!
First attempt at "improving" things.. Ok, photshop rules and Paint.net is just an evolved version of paint.. nothing more.. but still free..
OK, this is all theoretical now.. but things change a lot in one day (plus a night).. So, after digitizing the case dimension and it's only 'feature', the door, I get a canvas to work on..
Simple box with a face.. I looked at it, turned it around.. thought of some ways to improve it.. Then I asked my dad what he was thinking.. He said it has to still be white.. And look normal.. errm.. That pissed me off for about 36 hours.. I had a nice "chat" with both my creators.. and finally, seeing how pissed I was, dad said I could cut "some" holes.. Anyways, I was kinda overworked today and blew off in the wrong direction.. But it was constructive anyways Watch the thread..
First problem to tackle by 2x120mm fans: no intakes!!! How the hell? I was curious and ran the system that way right after taking the case apart, putting it back (IT HAS SCREWS INSIDE, NOT JUST RIVETS >> did not expect that!) The temps rose up steadily in 24 hours, until I had 64/40 degrees on cpu/hdd!!! No way! And this with stock settings, not maxed out.. Talk about bad airflow.. or no airflow.. Also, the top of the case was hot and I couldn't keep my hand on the PSU exhaust.. eeeek.. So, I'm running now with the side panel away.. 49 degrees with 75% overclock.. hihi.. nicer, but I've seen 36ish too..
So, how can I keep everything as it is yet make it functional? Cut some holes on the side of the plastic face plate.. Also, I added a weird shape for the window, that would cut away the side intake, hide the PSU and the bays and keep the side PCI/video vent.. weird.. but workable.. as you will see..
A nice fan control PCB will be donated by the akasa jr fan controller. Also, fans must have filters and a mounting plate (already marked on an aluminum plate now and prepped for cutting.. someday, after I become once again home alone.. I hate being alone, but this is the only I can work nowadays..)
The next part is what made me think this as a do-able mod.. What would make it unique? What can I use that doesn't mean copying or just adding stuff together?
THIS:
Custom, made-by-me "vector" drawing of Ichigo's mask! I took some screen shots and contoured the mask I found most appealing.. Then I edited it and added some wind effect (played with the vertexes and lines).. I accidentally stumbled upon this arrangement! And I just love it! Still, the more I watch it, the more I get used to it and find it lacking somehow.. patience.. and I will find the answer.. I downloaded an entire website for this one idea.. After watching about 800+ wallpapers of various charachters in Bleach, the one thing that popped in my mind was either the mask, or zangetsu himself, or Ichigo going for his first Bankai.. errm.. Guess what I could vectorize..
Some 5 min rendering.. with a background.. this isn't final though, because of some mechanical inadequacies.. Anyways, black and white for now. With a high gloss.. Darkest black I can find will be used, and the purest white applicable.. I'm searching for either some black self-adhesive plastic surface or black and white primer plus paint plus clear coat, but judging from my past experiences with black paint and clear..!?..
I have been working today on an update, v2.02 (couldn't finish it.. I'm strolling in the dark, trying to see some shape there.. For the top of the case, the other side and the front.. Flames looking like ragged clothing are what I wanna "dress" my case with), on the rest of the case..
Some redecorating in the inside area: a custom (lit) plexi etch on an inside piece I will mount to hide the drive bays (Cut it today, prepped for drilling LED holes, masked for drawing the etch pattern.. have no clue yet what tot etch, but have to!).. Some bondo (bought nice white and sand-able stuff today) filling on the face plate outside and inside.. And some more stuff.. If I could just get some alone time.. Aaaargh.. Well, I think it is enough for now.. I should get some sleep, as I have a long day tomorrow (chores, trips, doctors, bureaucrats).. Bye for now..
PS: the black paint does appear to harm performance on the sonic tower.. and of course, the dust.. So, unless sacrificing headroom, don't paint your heatsinks :p
I liked the old design but this is so much BETTER!!!! I live how you incorporated the hollows mask into the window area.
Project: Elegant-Li *NEW*
Project: Alpha FINISHED
Project: LEXA Revival FINISHED
Project: LEXA FINISHED Bit-Tech MOTM Nominee October 08
10ks It took me 3 hours to plan.. I wonder how I'm gonna end up doing it more updated coming today.. I still have some 500 pics to study and a new episode to watch
I'm only up to episode 123. My mate wont give me the ones he has downloaded
Project: Elegant-Li *NEW*
Project: Alpha FINISHED
Project: LEXA Revival FINISHED
Project: LEXA FINISHED Bit-Tech MOTM Nominee October 08