Project: Frankenstripe

[Drum Thumper]

Alright, some of you may remember me trying to install a fan in the side of a Micron case.

It didn't turn out too well.

Note to self--80 mm fans take 3 1/2 inch holesaws, not 3 inch ones.

Anyways, as I posted elsewhere, I came across a cheap ass piece of plastic at Walmart last night. Brought it home and quickly chopped it some and sanded the edge that got chopped. It now looks like this:

Please forgive the shakiness, I took that pic without a flash while I had it sitting under a blacklight.

Here's a quick refresher of the hack job that didn't turn out too well:

Did a couple of rough draft drawings of how I wanted this window to look and then decided I didn't like the beveled corners, but anyways:

Bear in mind, that first pic was under a blacklight, and it doesn't do it a damn bit of justice. THIS THING GLOWS. I personally think it looks cool as all hell, so I went down to Radio Shack (gasp!) and paid way too much for some UV CCFLs. I also picked up a toggle switch, since I'm not gonna give up a PCI slot for the damn on/off switch. I bored out a very rough hole:

and in the spirit of form following function:

mocks up quite nicely.

Now the fun part:

I taped up the backside of the panel with some good ol' duct tape and marked off my window.

Yes, I know it's cockeyed. That's the point.

At first, I was gonna dremel the metal off (worked quite well on the toggle switch hole), but one minor problem: I forgot to charge my battery! Oh well, I bought a jigsaw today just in case (no pun intended and besides, what kind of a modder would I be without a jigsaw?!?), and took the panel outside and scared the hell out of the neighbor's yappy mop of a dog for a few minutes.

This is what I got for my hard work:

I'll finish up this beast tomorrow, as my dremel is charging.

"The Frankenstein Design, a registered U.S. copyright, and the VH logos, registered U.S. trademarks, are used on this website under license from E.L.V.H., Inc. The owner of this website is entirely responsible for all content and material on this website, and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, VAN HALEN or E.L.V.H., Inc."

[PiGMaN]

+rep dude for been persistant...keep it up

[Drum Thumper]

Thanks man. If nothing else, I am VERY bull headed!

[chaksq]

Not sure what case you are using but that looks like the side panel of the older beige style Dell XPS.

[DaveW]

Keep it up dude! We all have moments like that, when something just goes wrong, doesn't work, or constantly turns out below your standards. You might never be happy but all you can do is keep trying or give up...giving up is not an option!

-Dave

[Drum Thumper]

Not sure what case you are using but that looks like the side panel of the older beige style Dell XPS.

The case is a very cramped Micron case. As soon as I find something somewhat decent, the mobo is going to find a new home. And since this damn thing is pretty much 1 molded piece and one side panel, I'm thinking going ghetto on it and going crazy (in a tatseful way) with those stickers that you can get out of vending machines at gas stations.

Keep it up dude! We all have moments like that, when something just goes wrong, doesn't work, or constantly turns out below your standards. You might never be happy but all you can do is keep trying or give up...giving up is not an option!

-Dave

Thanks for the kind words DaveW. I've found that two things apply to modding:

1) TAKE YOUR TIME. Don't rush it, otherwise yer gonna screw something up.

2) If you do screw something up, WALK AWAY, go play some music, smoke a pack of cigarettes (if you're addicted that is, thank God I'm not), watch a movie (I prefer a movie from what I call the Sergio Leone trilogy), etc. Then come back to it with open eyes, and then either fix it or incorporate the screwup somehow into the finished product.

All right, I'll get off my soapbox or whatever the hell it is I'm standing on and get to modding.

[Drum Thumper]

A 'Why in the hell didn't I think of this sooner' moment hit me.

JUST REMOVE THE DAMN METAL SHEET!

One step closer to done. I also got to thinking that while I'm not the biggest fan of moulding on computer windows, I might go that route to hide the 'practice' that I'm doing on this case.

Also, I somehow lucked into a four day weekend--this should be done by Monday, if not sooner.

[danthegeek]

::ricless words of love:::

If you ever give up I will come to your home and beat you with your own dremel.

J/K

Seriously NEVER SURENDER!!!!

[Drum Thumper]

::ricless words of love:::

If you ever give up I will come to your home and beat you with your own dremel.

J/K

Seriously NEVER SURENDER!!!!

You can take my Dremel when you can pry it from my cold dead hands!

[Drew]

If nothing else, you're at least having fun...

You give it some!