Project: Unnamed

[Omega]

Well, another "hey, I have money" post. This time, 60$ or so, but that'll probably be used to buy a fuel pump for my car.

Anywho...

Haven't really worked on ArgDawn. I got some CCFL's that were in Supernova but the wires closer to the molex connector were pretty ****ed up so I cut them off and found a molex splitter that I'll modify a little bit. What's all this nonsense mean? ArgDawn's gonna have some on/off blue goodness. Oh yes.

Here's the problem, however. Is the brightness and crap. I want to put a frosted cover over the CCFLS, but I don't want to have the side effects of just the cover glowing and not really lighting everything else, but I want the light to be dim enough that the LED Backlighting is noticeable.

Also, does anybody know if a computer case is grounded? I mean, I know they are, but I'm kind of confused on this damn switch I have. Ah well, I'll figure this damn thing out and hopefully won't break it in the process.


I'm thinking about taking part of the top off (after you remove the panel, remember, this case isn't normal) and making my own little box thing for switches and buttons (Switches for lights, Mobo backlighting and the CCFLs, Buttons for Power/Reset/maybe some soundbox from an action figure or something random like that).


Thanks and stay tuned,
Omega

[Omega]

Geuss what, bitches?

I got me a Lazer LED for that rumored motherboard backlighting, and I want to do bondo work soon, too.

Also got me some metal primer, so that I can prepare the case for painting, after I dismantle it, of course.

[Omega]

So, I just did a little bit of work to the window edges on the side panel. Not much -- 'cause it's 10:30 (been working lightly for an hour or so) and files agianst cases are, well, loud. So I've mainly been using low grit sandpaper and the file -- but filing slowly. I think I've taken off a few mm from the bulge along the top line.

Enough chit-chat, picture time:

Money! More than I've had to my name before -- well, since last year anyways (I worked for, and saved up, 250$ last year to buy my sister a PS2 for Christmas). I'm holding 190$ in that picture. I spent around 50$ on new wheels/bearings for my skateboard (65mm Sector 9 wheels, ABEC 5 Bones Reds bearings, real smooth), but got paid back some money people owed me.

Another money shot -- you can see 150$ and my Visa Check Card -- Which has, like, 3 cents on it. =D

My "Workbench". It's actually a collapsible table, plastic with a metal frame. As you can see, I'm not working with the highest quality stuff or in the best enviroment. I was going to vacuum it off with that giant ass vacuum underneath the table (you can't see it), but the circuit it was on blew and I'm too lazy to fix it =/

Washable sandpaper sponge block thing. It's like, 60 grit. Pretty useful for bondo work, but not really for metal.

80mm exhaust fan ports make baby Paul Capello cry. I will, however, remedy the situation with some dremel and drill work. Later.

The hole where the 120mm intake fan will go. It's not perfect -- especially the fact that the two grilles that are there pop out meaning that getting a fan grille there will be a pain in the ass. The solution? Well, I'm thinking an acrylic fan box for the 120mm, and some metal work to replace that front part with a nice, flat, 28 gauge sheet metal canvas. But that'll have to wait for school to start up again and for me to finish my current shop project -- my Longboard (4ft long, 8in wide, 10 ply poplar wood, it's pretty nice).

I posted in another thread how I hacked apart another case for fan/psu mounts and so forth (it lacked a mobo tray anyways). Here's one of those fan mounts, with 120mm, 92mm, and 80mm fan holes. This is what I'm going to use for fan hole markings.

Before I even started with the worklog, I played around with the idea of a window in the top of the case. Those are the markings I made for it, or rather where to put it inside. I doubt that I'd have a giant rectangle on top of the case, probably something rounder and more suiting.

And that being said, I also thought about doing a window on the side behind the motherboard, a logo or something, to frost and illuminate. I figured I would entertain those ideas to an extent, so I masked the two parts off. And since the side panels can go on either side, I just mounted it so it would be easier to photograph.

Filing the little lump next to the curve down at the bottom there. I figure I probably gotta get a rounded file as well for the curves -- It'd be a bitch to do that with sandpaper, especially since my dremel job wasn't exactly strait...

[Omega]

That damn iPod nano agian. Just kidding, I love this thing. It's ****ing sweet. 8gb, all black, color screen, and it's light as hell. not to mention, the screen is nice. Guess what band I'm listening to?

Do not anger the omega, for he has access to weighted blunt objects with handles. (I'm holding the file, btw)

See that little nub thingy on the curve? That thing is annoying -- especially because I can't file it down right now D=

...And here's the case, as I am leaving it for tonight. As you can see, I've begun to take the paint off somewhat -- but I'm probably going to buy a power sander or borrow one from my school's shop. I'm sure my shop teacher would be willing to trust me with one =/

[Omega]

Oh, an afterthought: I'll probably go by Lowes tomorrow to acquire some cheap-o sander, sandpaper, and hopefully a cheap 76mm holesaw and it's close-to-but-under-120mm equivalent. But, knowing Lowes, it'll be like 50$ for the holesaws (each), but they'll be nice. Ah well.

I also think I might pick myself up a pop rivet gun and poprivets so I can re-assemble the case after I prime and paint it.

Okay, so here's the mod-plan so far.

Side Window (In Progress)
120mm Front Blowhole (In Progress)
120mm Rear Exhaust (Queued)
80mm/120mm top exhaust (Queued)
Custom motherboard Backlighting (Queued)
Hidden Start/Reset switches and Power/HDD LED's (Planning)
Logo window/lighting (Planning)
Paint Job (Planning)
Custom Air flow system (Planning)
Custom wire management system (Planning)

(Obviously, In Progress means I'm working on it now, Queued means I know how and where I am going to do it an probably will soon, and Planning means I have the idea but no practical application and/or I have not designed it yet).

Thanks for reading and stay tuned,
Omega

[ESX]

That damn iPod nano agian. Just kidding, I love this thing. It's ****ing sweet. 8gb, all black, color screen, and it's light as hell. not to mention, the screen is nice. Guess what band I'm listening to?

Do not anger the omega, for he has access to weighted blunt objects with handles. (I'm holding the file, btw)

See that little nub thingy on the curve? That thing is annoying -- especially because I can't file it down right now D=

...And here's the case, as I am leaving it for tonight. As you can see, I've begun to take the paint off somewhat -- but I'm probably going to buy a power sander or borrow one from my school's shop. I'm sure my shop teacher would be willing to trust me with one =/

Nirvana!

@ 2nd picture: Dude, youre scaring me.

[Omega]

Nirvana!

@ 2nd picture: Dude, youre scaring me.

Heh. Yeah, I ususally take a picture of myself when I'm modding, just for the hell of it.

[Omega]

Alright! I'm tooled up and ready to rumble. I just spent 93$ on tools, here's the list

"Task Force" Power sander
some generic rounded file
Arrow Poprivet gun
Arrow 1/8th inch poprivets, aluminium
3m Sandpaper, 80, 120, and 160 grit
Kobalt multitool

Oh, and a warranty extension for 5$ on the sander, another year for 5$ seems worth it to me, I mean, this is going to be used quite a bit...


Anywho, I'm tired right now. So I figure I'll check the balance on my bank account then go ahead and make up a list on newegg of parts I need, mainly fans. Maybe I'll head up to TAP sometime soon for acrylic epoxy and 1/8th acrylic pieces for that 120mm fanbox...

[Omega]

Oh, and I just bought two 120mm blue LED fans (Intake and Exhaust on ArgDawn) and a ThermalTake Big Typhoon CPU cooler 'cause this Zalman isn't cutting it.

EDIT: And I expect the package to get here about mid to end-week. Spiffy.

Oh, and unless I go mod right now (which I won't, I need a shower), ArgDawn is on temporary haitus until, oh, tuesday or so. 'Tis the season, after all.

[Omega]

Alright, well, forget Tuesday. It's Christmas day, and I wanna mod, god damnit!

In a few minutes, I'll gather up my tools, grab the case and an extension cord, then do some work on the deck (mainly paint stripping of that one side panel... Still trying to deicde on a window/blowhole for the top or other side).

Anywho, Merry Christmas to all of you, especially those reading this.