Project Stealthlow

[x88x]

Wow, great work!

I really like how the drilling accident came out; it gives a certain polished quality.

[Waynio]

Holey carp!!! That is a lot of drilling in on day. I really like how the happy accident turns out. It's a different look and it can't hurt the airflow at all.

Thought the drilling was never gonna end & was having a bad dream lol but then seen the result at the end of the day & the next morning thanks msmrx57 .

Wow, great work!

I really like how the drilling accident came out; it gives a certain polished quality.

Gives it a bit of a 3d hex shape on the inside & the outside is nice circles so yeah awesome accident by going too deep with the countersink thanks 88 .

[BS Mods]

I've been in love with this mod since the first time I laid eyes on it.

When you make mistakes and turn them into gold like that means you are truly a natural when it comes to modding. Great job.

I have a tip for you on using body filler -

There is a product called "All Metal" that I use for doing auto body work. It is great because it's super strong, won't shrink like fillers do, you can file it, grind it, etc. Normal bondo type fillers can shrink just a little and/or crack and you will see it under the paint after a while. Either way just make sure to use plenty of primer to help hide it.

[Waynio]

I've been in love with this mod since the first time I laid eyes on it.

When you make mistakes and turn them into gold like that means you are truly a natural when it comes to modding. Great job.

I have a tip for you on using body filler -

There is a product called "All Metal" that I use for doing auto body work. It is great because it's super strong, won't shrink like fillers do, you can file it, grind it, etc. Normal bondo type fillers can shrink just a little and/or crack and you will see it under the paint after a while. Either way just make sure to use plenty of primer to help hide it.

Thanks BS & thanks for the filling tip but the only place I could find the product you said about is in the US, I have same problem trying to find a clear adhesion promoter or clear primer so I can use candy paint to keep the brushed look but still add some colour, if any UK paint specialists know a good clear primer please let me know (slaveofconvention).

[BS Mods]

Thanks BS & thanks for the filling tip but the only place I could find the product you said about is in the US, I have same problem trying to find a clear adhesion promoter or clear primer so I can use candy paint to keep the brushed look but still add some colour, if any UK paint specialists know a good clear primer please let me know (slaveofconvention).

So you want to keep the brushed metal look? That's easy!

Have it powder coated with clear. You can use clear powder coating over any raw metal. You can also add pearls, metal flake, etc. There must be someone around you that can do powder coating.

http://www.eastwood.com/hotcoat-powd...r-powders.html

This video shows how you can polish something and then do some artwork using decals. They polished a bat and then added some color but for your case you would just get the metal brushed and then clean it and powder coat it clear. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yBf-cPHs7o

There is also one other way -
If you have an automotive paint store go in and tell them what you are doing. They can show you some things. Ask them about using just the "toner". It's not clear but it comes in lots of colors. It's fairly transparent so you could keep the brushed look and spray a cool color over it and the brush markings still show through. Then you can clear coat that and it would look awesome.

[slaveofconvention]

if any UK paint specialists know a good clear primer please let me know (slaveofconvention).

Actually, if YOU find out about one, let me know and I'll start to stock it at work - we regularly get people who want to clear bare metal and we just don't have a product designed for it.

We do have a waterclear plastic primer which is, effectively, a mild etch but I have no idea if it'd work at all on metal - I'm assuming it wont do jack as I'd assume any etch for metal would be acid based whereas any etch for plastic would be based on some kind of chemical reaction with the plastic.

[Waynio]

So you want to keep the brushed metal look? That's easy!

Have it powder coated with clear. You can use clear powder coating over any raw metal. You can also add pearls, metal flake, etc. There must be someone around you that can do powder coating.

http://www.eastwood.com/hotcoat-powd...r-powders.html

This video shows how you can polish something and then do some artwork using decals. They polished a bat and then added some color but for your case you would just get the metal brushed and then clean it and powder coat it clear. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yBf-cPHs7o

There is also one other way -
If you have an automotive paint store go in and tell them what you are doing. They can show you some things. Ask them about using just the "toner". It's not clear but it comes in lots of colors. It's fairly transparent so you could keep the brushed look and spray a cool color over it and the brush markings still show through. Then you can clear coat that and it would look awesome.

Thanks for opening another option BS, I had no idea there was clear powder coating , had me looking around to find out what I'd need to setup a powder coating system & it's all fine except for making my own oven lol I could do that but it'd keep bumping up the cost of the build but on the other hand it could be a very good investment, I even came across candy powders not many colours though but still I only thought there was just solid colours for powder coating, thanks again for opening my eyes to an alternative +rep.

Actually, if YOU find out about one, let me know and I'll start to stock it at work - we regularly get people who want to clear bare metal and we just don't have a product designed for it.

We do have a waterclear plastic primer which is, effectively, a mild etch but I have no idea if it'd work at all on metal - I'm assuming it wont do jack as I'd assume any etch for metal would be acid based whereas any etch for plastic would be based on some kind of chemical reaction with the plastic.

Here is a few I found through a sleepless night of searching .

Universal Adhesion Promoter U-POL Aerosol Grip#4 (I've seen the price of this one vary from £8.50 to £17 )
http://www.autopaintsbrighton.co.uk/...50ml-235-p.asp

VHT ADHESION PROMOTER (sounds like good stuff but is for very high temperatures but dunno if that matters tbh)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VHT-ADHESION-P...item3a5d540c93

Adhesion Promoter and Sealer
http://flowkochem.com/clear.php

Dupli-Color/11 oz. clear adhesion promoter
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...ntifier=460112
http://www.amazon.com/ADHESION-PROMO.../dp/B0007UAXJQ

Ideally I want to clear prime parts, then use candy paint & then a matt or satin lacquer, want to avoid gloss , it's still possibly weeks away but it would be good to get it all sorted out so theres not any waiting, I'll be buying a spray gun too for doing the candy & clear coat.

[Waynio]

Update

Ok so I mounted the psu & mobo for figuring out where the cable holes will go.

Drilled 10mm holes so I could get a square file in & make the holes, they look square & ugly but I have a plan for making them all very very neat but I'll save that for a later update.

Then took the bottom panel off to add the feet & was going to measure & mark but there was markings left behind from the begining of the project woo hoo so I opted for the points on the corners so the bolts will overlap where the corner support bars are but I chose to use countersunk bolts instead of the ones that came with the feet as I wanted them out of the way, they were way too long so I grinded them down.

Feet on .

So I got the wire pass holes made, shortened the curve bar supports, expanded the optical angle bar so sata data & power cables will go through both now, cut to length a perfect length wire for the cpu power & atx power as a first step of the prep for sleeving, installed the feet Bill sponsored me with.

Doesn't feel like much progress for almost a full day but progress is progress .

Thank you for sponsoring me Bill, the feet are awesome & the Modmen show is too .

[x88x]

Heheh, that CPU cooler makes the case look not so huge.

Good work, it's coming along great.

[Waynio]

Heheh, that CPU cooler makes the case look not so huge.

Good work, it's coming along great.

Cheers 88 mate . It's a nice fit .