A little help for a modding noob please?

[Timoi]

I was thinking of making a first mod on my comp... Something very simple, cheap, nothing extensive, usefull and it will be able to be undone id it screws up. However I would like thoughts on it from people with more experience than I have before I start.

I have an Antec Sonata case (the original one with the holes in the side panel) and I am getting lots of dust in through those holes. So I was thinking of blocking those holes and make it look nice at the same time.

Here are the basic steps to my idea.

Materials

-Cardboard or boxboard or something (did I forget to mention that this would be cheap?)
-Silver or chrome paint (something to reflect light nicely)
-Tape and/or glue
-one Startech Mutant Mods Meteor Light Kit (blue to match the lights on the front of the case)
-A small hammer (used in step 3)

1. Take a peice of cardboard and make a thin triangular prism with one side open out of it
2. Paint the inside silver or crome
3. Break a mutant mod meteor light kit to remove the casing and keep just the LEDs (it will be too tight to fit the whole unit) From what I have seen this would be cheaper than going out and buying LED and the rest of the stuff to set them up.
4. put the LEDs inside the prism, at the bottom (glue gun? tape? model glue? just let them hang there? advice on this please)
5. tape the whole thing to the inside of my side panel to completely block the airflow through the holes and see how it looks 8)

Alternatively, I could just paint the cardboard chrome (must be chrome here) and tape it to the inside of the side panel, over the holes and it would still match with the fornt of the case.

Since I am completely new to moding and, after doing some research, have found nothing along these lines, I was wondering if it would even be possible especially breaking the 'meteor' open). Any hints on techniques or ameliorations would be highly welcome!

I hope this will have better response than my first thread from which I have since abandoned the idea.

[jdbnsn]

I'm having a hard time visualizing what you are talking about, can you sketch a diagram or something? The LED's can be held down by just about anything, glue gun is quick and easy as long as it will stick to the other surface. As for painting cardboard chrome, you may find this difficult while making it look good. Perhaps some pieces of plastic cut from just about anywhere would be more stable, and there is chome or any other variety of vinyl covering (think wallpaper-like). I have some brushed aluminum print that Tybrenis sent me for an old project which may work for you.

[Timoi]

Here (http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/1527/ledboxjk7.png) is an image of what I was thinking about. (sorry for the link i'm still new to posting images on forums)

The red lines would be basically the casing made out of cardboard or plastic, the blue circles represent the LEDs and the green lines represent wires. Please note that this is just a quick draft, is definitely not to scale, (the final product will be 10inches long by 3 inches high by 3/8inches deep) and I know that there is a wrong number of LEDs drawn on it but it is only to give you a general idea of what I was thinking.

Thank you for your suggestions!

I have already found some multisurface chrome paint (spraypaint can) but your idea of vinyl covering gave me another cheap way out: use aluminium foil instead. However it would be harder to get a nice smooth surface and it would look bad on the back. I will look into your covering but in what kind of store would you find it? A hobby shop? Hardware store?

[jdbnsn]

Assuming you need only about 10 X 4 I can probably just send you a sheet if you want to try it. I'm not sure where Tybrenis picked it up.

[tybrenis]

I think I still have some left. *Checks* Yep. I still have some left in my closet? How much do you need, exactly? I'm low, but I could probably send you enough for a 10" x 4" square.

[Timoi]

Hey guys,

:eek: :D :up: I REALLY appreciate the offer, and actually if you could both spare that much, I could actually do both sides! :up: 8) :up: Lets take this to private messages to actually figure out mailing arrangements (I don't want my address just posted publicly out here and I don't think you do either). If actually goes through I will post pictures when it will be done. I may even make a full work log with pictures of this nice simple mod (hopefully it will stay that way)

Anyways it's late at the moment and I got school tomorrow... or today actually! Going to bed, I'll PM you when I get a chance.

[Razors Edge]

For my first mod, I hooked up like Cold Cathodes and some LEDS. I'd start with that. Adding a window is for beginners...pretty simple. Just my hats off to ya if you can do somthing.....

[Timoi]

For my first mod, I hooked up like Cold Cathodes and some LEDS. I'd start with that. Adding a window is for beginners...pretty simple. Just my hats off to ya if you can do somthing.....

Actually the window was the next step... If i'm even going to go there because they way my case is set up there would not be much interesting stuff to see anyways... just my hard drives, the side of the rack for my floppy and cd rom drives, the spot where I can't get all those messy cables out of. my video card (the nice side is underneath) and my empty pci slots...

Here are a few pics of my case which will explain some of the points I have above (why I will not be having a window at the moment and why the colors I chose. In the pics I put some white paper behind the 'Antec' holes so you could actually see what I am talking about. For a window the holes and the handle would just block all the interesting stuff...

Side view of my case (http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/969/pic00053ot8.jpg) (side panel open and shown below the computer)
Front view of my case (http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/5455/pic00054fl3.jpg)

But this mod is even more basic than a window... It's basically arts and crafts... lol. There is no cutting of my case, no sanding, very low risk of screwing up and breaking something and having to go buy another...

I also had one question for Tybrenis and Jdbnsn, a peice the size we are talking about would not fit in a standard enveloppe... (missing half an inch lengthwise) Can it be folded to fit in an envelope without it showing much afterwards? Or did you have an other idea of how you would send it to me? Note that I live across borders from you guys (Canada) and that sending something bigger than a standard enveloppe may start costing more than expected... (though I'm not sure at what size the price changes to make a significant difference). After rechecking my dimmensions a couple of times (and editing this post at the end of each :S) a peice 4'' by 9 1/2'' (enveloppes are 4 1/8'' by 9 1/2'') would BARELY fit but it would do if I modify my design a bit. That way you could just simply send it in a normal enveloppe.

[Razors Edge]

I wouldn't put a plexi in just yet. Go to the Dump or garabage and pick out a crappy ass case. Try fitting plexi in there first. You should get used to how the dremel works and how caustious you have to be not to cut somthing. If the dremel goes off track just a bit, it will take you hours of sanding and alto of bondo to repair it up.....

[jdbnsn]

Why don't you think it through and start building the structure, in the meantime use notebook paper in place of the vinyl just in case you design changes mid-game. When you are sure of the size and whether or not in can be cut into smaller pieces and fit together, PM me. I agree that it should probably not be folded and we may find that you need more/less. Otherwise let me know when you are ready and I am sure I can find an envelope that will do. Good luck.
Jon

[Omega]

I wouldn't put a plexi in just yet. Go to the Dump or garabage and pick out a crappy ass case. Try fitting plexi in there first. You should get used to how the dremel works and how caustious you have to be not to cut somthing. If the dremel goes off track just a bit, it will take you hours of sanding and alto of bondo to repair it up.....

Might I ask how many times you've worked with bondo or plexiglass?

Always, and I mean, ALWAYS, cut the plexiglass too big for the hole. Why? So you have something to mount it with, and also so that if you mess up you don't have to go back and buy another piece and do it over.


Hence why I asked how many times you've worked with either: You don't use bondo to fix mess-ups on plexiglass.

[Timoi]

Razors Edge and Omega: I'll come back late for advice on a window... One thing's sure, I'm not about to put the dremel to this baby... I'm in the most intense program that is offered at my college and that is keeping me quite busy... I don't have much time to study up on dremmels and stuff... (specially since I never used one before and I don't own one either) I said that the window would probably next after this one and never mentionned how long it will be before I start...

Jdbnsn and tybrenis: I will redesign the casing I have and make an image of the layout I need so it would fit in a standard envelope. Will post the pic here and then we will decide on mailing procedures. If there are scraps they will be minor and I could use them to find more of the stuff if I ever need it... you never know when this may be usefull. Just by curiosity, if you guys have some, you probably uesd it, just wonder what did you use it on?

[Omega]

Using a dremel is actually pretty self explanitory:

turn it on, place on metal, push and cut.

It's all about control, though.

Sucks to hear you have more important things to do -- i'm in the same situation.

[tybrenis]

I figured it'd come in handy for modding sometime, and I had some on the G15 keyboard for a while, too. But I like it nice and plain so I left it. Now I just have extra laying around... carbon fiber too.

[Timoi]

Humm bit of bad news... EDIT: Actually this is a good news/bad news situation. For good news go see the updates. I went looking for the meteor light kits and found out that all local places that actually have them are sold out... and Since I still have no idea if breaking the tubes open has even a chance of working I thought I'd build my own LCD circuit instead of ordering in the light kits...

I have seen the site for LEDs posted recently but I was wondering if anyone knew where I might find resistors cheap. And mabe a simple but through turorial on on wiring LEDs which would help me too... I did do some soldering in the past (models) but never LEDs... Well LEDs in models are all preselected and everything is precalculated too so ther's not much to worry about...

I'm going to google for that tutorial but if you already know a good one, just post it here! If you don't already know a good tutorial, don't bother looking for one for me...

UPDATE: I found the tutorial I was looking for. Now all I need is somewhere shere I can find the resistors I will need. Radio Shack/The Source probably would have em but then again they are expensive

UPDATE 2: I have just gotten the vinyl (today) from jon. I took a couple of pics but I don't really think it's worth posting them... One of them was just the enveloppe he sent them in (before it was opened) and the other was the 3 sheets of vinyl. The pics didn't show much except that the sheets still have a curve from being rounded. The sheets had sticked together a little during transport and 2 of them ended up with a little bit of paper backing on them but that is nothing I can not remove with a little water. I have put weight on the sheets so I can streighten them out (or normalize them for those who actually know the terminology). The 3 sheets I got will be plenty to do both sides, allow for error, AND have some spare so I can find some of this stuff locally if possible! TY so much!

I will post the first pics when they are streight. Hopefully this will be done tomorrow or wednesday!

I can already tell that this is going to end up being NA-ICE. Well for the modding level at least...

UPDATE 3: The sheets of vinyl are basically just sheets of one silver sticker roughly 10'' by 6.5'' each... I don't think you really need pics of them... I taped some to the back of my side panel just to see what it looked like and it looks perfect! A nice silver color showing through the holes. However, the pics I took look just like the one with white paper behind it which I have already posted in the past to show the holes. :neutral: This makes it not worth posting pics at this time... I will still post the pics if I get requests for them.

There is one pic however that I beleive is worth showing. The little extention I plan to use to connect my LEDs. It is a 2'' molex extention with a 50mm fan on a 10'' cable. I plan to cut off the 'female' molex, plug my wires onto the newly bared ends of the cut wires and plug the 'male' part into a molex from the power supply. I still have no idea what I will do with the fan... (the set of wires for the fan come streight out of the 'male' molex)

However My photoshop is not working at the moment so I can't resize the pic so I can post it on the forum.

[Timoi]

Sorry for a double post but I had to bump this topic...

Looks like Radio Shack/The Source is my best bet for resistors... I am getting ready to start collecting materials for wiring and I just had a couple of questions:

1. What wire gage would you recommend for a project like this (plugging around 12 LEDs onto a molex through a switch. (Yes I know there are two different voltages in a molex).

2. Do the interior wires matter (IE 5 bigger ones or 10 smaller ones within the same size cable, I noticed that molex cables have many small wires)

I'm pretty sure I had more but that is all which comes to mind at the moment... I will post back later. In the meantime I will await replies on these two questions...

EDIT:
Question 3. Is soldering a must or can we use other methods here? (those screw on electric wire caps for example? If I can use these at least in some parts it would be great since I like their look)

[AKA_RA]

i persoanlly have had issues with cardboard and duct tape for case materials. the tape doesnt hold that well. then again, that was a one day mod. if you were to get better tape than i used and double stacked the cardboard where it needs, it would prolly turn out better than my idea did. evne though my idea didnt work it was still my case for at least a 2 month period

EDIT: wire gage and solder methods for things like leds are not a huge deal. if you bought heat shrink and just twisted the wires together and sealed it with shrink tuning it would be fine as long as you dont pull on the wires

[jdbnsn]

I'm looking forward to seeing what you have come up with, let's see some pics!

[ajmilton]

wire nuts are kind of bulky for using in a computer case. soldering here isn't that complex, and you need to learn how to solder if you're going to do any modding. if you're nervous about soldering stuff you just bought, get some scrap wires and practice soldering them together. this sort of soldering is really straightforward and you shouldn't have a problem picking up how to properly do it quickly.

[Timoi]

Thanks for the replies guys

Yeah I know... The pics I have up to now are not great but yes I will post them since you ask for them... I am not home at the moment but I promise that they will be on either tomorrow or monday. Don't worry, I haven't started on the interesting stuff yet and I haven't even ordered my LEDs either. all I did is make my prototype of my 'casing' which will be containing the LEDs, cut the molex off an extention with a fan (stripped part of the wires here), streighten the vinyl, and tape a section of vinyl to my case to see what it looked like...

I also don't really have a problem with soldering since I have done it before though it was a long time ago (was I 12 back then? lol I was doing an advanced model with my dad... father-son project that never finished... :( ). I wanted to try a temporary solution for now so I can test the circuit. However I think that the 'legs' of the LEDs would be a little hard to get to make good connections otherwise... same thing with the switch...

I am using tape to hold the vinyl sticker to the inside of my case (cheap clear tape) and it is holding quite nicely at the moment (just a test to see how good it would look with the lights off that stayed on for a little) I'll give the boxboard a try with the tape before I use the vinyl on it. But I also thought that duct tape would give it a little more character when viewed from the inside...

Sorry if there are mistakes in this message but I'm typing with an english keyboard here (as I said earlier I'm not home) and the non letter or number keys (<>?:"|{} and all) are all mixed up...

EDIT: I know I promised pics for yesterday but I'm looking for ma camera... Sorry for this delay

[Timoi]

Double post for bump...

Here are a couple of pics... They are a little big in mb size so I'll just post links to em... (<60KB is hard to get when you dont have access to photoshop or something similar even at lowest settings for my camera... I've had photoshop for about a year and is says my 30 day license expired? something sounds fishy...)

The vinyl stuff (http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/1258/pic00069tj6.jpg) Yes I cut out a little peice off this one but that was to test and see how well it stuck to my material. The answer is quite nicely.

Vinyl test behind my side panel (http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/7640/pic00072qg4.jpg)

With side panel installed (http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/7840/pic00063qg7.jpg) (large pic)

From behind the side panel (http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/475/pic00073iz3.jpg) For this test, There is only normal clear tape holding it and It's holding quite nicely. I did stuff 43g chip bags there in the gap at the top of my side panel because it was hard to tape there just for a test and it kept lifting away from the side panel due to my negative case pressure.

Molex adapter (http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8453/pic00064ce3.jpg) Before being cut (large pic)

Molex adapter (http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7962/pic00070bu7.jpg) Cut

[jdbnsn]

Looks great, glad to see that the vinyl worked out.

[Timoi]

It does but thats just the first phase... I'll do the second phase (electric/LED wiring) when I get around to it.

[simon275]

Once lit up it will look really cool.
The vinyl looks amazing.

Good work Timoi.

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