MODDING NOOB!

Let case gallerys inspire you... thats what i did

[MIK3]

^ ^ THE MOTHER AMD CASE MOD!!! ^ ^ im lovin it!

I was going to say, Rivergod if you got the money to blow on a Lian Li, have at it.  But I got to stand up for my buddys at Nikao, so far I have seen nothing but Mod inspiration from them, infact there one of the first companys to offer a pre windowed case.  But the kicker is not only do they have bad ass cases they have decent prices if you look on Pricewatch or go to srsystems.com.      

Check out the cases at www.nikao.net and Frank should like since there out of BC  ;D

I went to antec's site, but I noticed that the color of the tower I want is different from the antec one.  How do I paint a case to have the same metal, factory made kind of look? I mean, anyone can just slap on some silver paint, but modders make it look good.  

My Lian Li was the first case I spent more than $40.00 for.  My cherry mod was done on a generic $35.00 case, because I didn't know better.  Now when I got into modding, about December of last year, I found there was a plethora of cases out there.  Options.  Most reviews and forums talk about Lian Li as one of the best cases out there.  You know something, they were right.  It has the best fit and finish of any case I've worked with.  I just bought two Zues cases for $55.00 each I plan to mod one for me, one for Mom.  Will I buy another Lian Li?  Maybe.  Will I give up this one?  Never.  The bottom line is to buy the case YOU like, and fits with the final mod and use of the case.  I overclock, aluminum is a nice feature.  I'm gonna keep this case, so an extra $100-150, won't mean much in the total system cost.  The Lian Li was worth it for me, but it is not the best case for everyone.  I love the Antec tower, just don't have room for it. The Zues just had so many possibilities, I couldn't pass it up.  Different cases for different mods.
PS Nice case mod Frank! ;D ;D

[quote author=soccer_stud link=board=voided&num=1022992675&start=0#12 date=06/03/02 at 13:07:13]
^ ^ THE MOTHER AMD CASE MOD!!! ^ ^ im lovin it!
[/quote]  
Why thank you soccer_stud!  I am rather proud of it.  Cutting the rounded part of the D was the toughest.  Next time I'll use a saber saw on rounded stuff.  I love AMD and thought I'd show it. ;D

[quote author=ModNoob link=board=voided&num=1022992675&start=0#14 date=06/03/02 at 15:31:58]
 How do I paint a case to have the same metal, factory made kind of look? I mean, anyone can just slap on some silver paint, but modders make it look good.  
[/quote]
A Guide to painting I borrowed from a friend at Modthebox.com.

I’ve made this guide to answer the constantly repeated question in the forum "how do I paint my case?". In this guide I will include everything you need to know to get started painting your own computer.  

Step one: Planning.
This may be one of the most important steps of them all. Know what you want to do and the colors you want to do it with. There is nothing worse than getting your case all painted and then decide you dont like the layout or the color choices. It can be removed and started all over again but that costs valuable time and money.  

Step two: Preparation.  
Some people like to sand to the bare metal, I don’t fine this necessary. I start with 180 grit 3m AutoPak wet/dry sand paper. Sand under running water until the texture is gone. Then use 800 grit in the same brand paper. this shove give you a smooth surface to start painting on.  

Step three: Spraying information.  
There are a couple factors in this step. First off use the right kind of good quality paint (read below). Second, don’t paint when its real humid outside - it will cause the paint to mess up and not stick right. Ok, now that we got that out of the way always spray past what your painting. This means start spraying before the spraying the object and keep spraying until the paint has past the object. Paint in a steady strait motion. This will reduce uneven coats and insure a good job.  

Step four: Primer.
Spray the first coat of primer keeping the nozzle about 10-12 inches from the surface of the area painting. Don’t spray it thick, several thin coats are much better than one thin coat. Let cure for one to two days. Just because its dry to the touch doesn’t mean that its cured. Once cured wetsand with 800 grit sand paper, the same grit you used to finish smoothing the surface.  

Step five: Paint.  
Spray the first thin coat in the same manner as the primer. After it has cured wetsand with 1000 grit sand paper, repeat. Spray another coat of the same color. Let cure then wetsand with 1200 grit sand paper. Spray another coat. Let cure, sand with 1500 grit wet sand paper. Let set for a day to insure that all is cured and ready for clear coat.  

Step six: Clear Coat.  
Spray thin coat of clear gloss coat, let cure for two days. Wet sand with 1800 Grit sand paper. Spray one final coat of clear, let cure. Wet sand with 2000 grit sand paper.  

Step seven: Rubing compound.  
To remove the 2000 grit scratches use a rubbing compound. Follow instructions on bottle.

Step eight: Waxing.  
Basically follow the instructions on bottle/can. Don’t wax in direct sunlight it will make it melt to the case which is not good. Also use a good wax (read below).  


Things you will need:
Primer
Paint
Wet Sand Paper- grits 180, 800, 100, 1200, 1500, 1800, and 2000
Rubbing Compound

Paint
Use a good quality. Buy either automotive paint, model car paint (spray kind, not the kind in the little jars), or Rustolium paint. Using paint that’s not high quality will make your case look like crap.  

Curing
Curing is the process of the paint hardening. if you start sanding before the paint is cured than you will mess up the paint job. Just because it is dry to the touch does not mean that it is cured. I always let paint set for at least 1-2 days, this may seem like a long time, but its worth it.  

Brand of product
If you start with one brand of paint, use that brand for the whole project for the best results.  

Wet Sanding
You may be asking "why do I need to sand all those coats?" well the reason is because you want the best quality for your case. Why would you spend the time to and paint it if you were just happy with a cheep paint job that is going to make people laugh instead of stand back in awe. Basically wet sanding takes off all the high spots and makes for a much smoother higher quality finish. To wet sand you want to get your sand paper, something to lay your panels and bezel in while sanding, and running water (ie facet, water hose) let the water run over the surface your sanding (don’t have to be a lot, but a small steady flow). Hold the sand paper in your hand and sand it don’t, but don't apply much pressure. Let the grit do the sanding not the pressure of your hand, the idea is not to remove the paint it is to smooth it.  

Painting Environment
Paint in an open place with a good air supply. I paint under my carport while spraying then bring it inside in my laundry room while drying so depressed bugs don’t make a death plunge into it. Paint somewhere where there is not a lot of dust or where there is a possibility that it will be stepped on or knocked over. If you’re painting on the ground, lay newspaper down first. Also try not to paint your hand, its easier to do than you might think.  

Tips:  
Soak can in warm water for about 5 minutes before painting to create a finer spray and get a better finish

Paint in a well lit area

ill add some more later

Ok well this is everythig you need to know to get started and more. If you still have any questions email me any time at Silentchamber@ghettoware.net  

This was written by TheSilentChamber, you may pass it on but give recognition where its due.

Rivergod, I value your input. I appreciate everyone's input. I am still tossing a bunch of ideas around. I am backing away from water cooled and leaning towards my own design.  I want to buy a black case. I'm indecisive about the case type (aluminum or steel). I would also definately like to put in a Biohazard Etched window from crazypc.com (thanks for that site!) Along with the window, I would like 2 fans on the side, but NOT in the window. I dont like anything interferring with the design. Then I will put a few fans/exhausts on top (im a noob, pardon my lack of knowledge for what goes on top :P ). Finally, I want to put some LED lights inside and some switches on the pannel so I can change the color of the biohazard window. What do you guys think? PLZ Instant message me on AIM if you have it. I'm MrCrazyTrain13.