The Official Case Mod Thread!

Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 3:24 pm

Whether you added a fan or cut holes and put cathode lights and windows, this is the thread to post it in.

Here is my modded case. Added a fan on the right side as intake, and one big on the left side as intake. That mod was expensive. First time my finger got caught in the blade and it broke the fan, so I had to take another fan. So I don't have any more 120mm fans in stock, pretty bad lol. I had 2 of them only.

I call it the GethoPC™ because it's such a horrible mod job. Oh, and they don't sell any fan grills anywhere I know, other than ordering from some US site and paying expensive, so I sort of had to make my own (so I don't break this fan too, and I don't want my cat to go near either...)

With 6 fans, this PC sounds like a high speed Cisco router or something. The same sound as walking into a telecommunication testboard (been there done that... this is actually louder

)

Anyway, here's the pics!

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 3:25 pm

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Wed Jul 02, 2003 3:26 pm

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wldkos · Post by **wldkos** » Fri Jul 04, 2003 4:41 pm

does it really need to be that cool?

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Wren · Post by **Wren** » Fri Jul 04, 2003 8:58 pm

I think Red just likes to cut holes!

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Fri Jul 04, 2003 11:43 pm

wldkos wrote: does it really need to be that cool?

Yeah, why not. Still running at high temps too. But there's no room for more fans unless I put them at worthless places like behind the mobo or blowing right on the PSU. The problem with 120mm fans is that they break easly. If I accidently put my finger in it, it's gone. That's what happened the first time when it was just a big hole, I was so pist! Just finished installing and that happends. So I had a last one and used it. There goes my 50 dollar order lol.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Fri Jul 04, 2003 11:43 pm

Wren wrote: I think Red just likes to cut holes!

That's true too.

This hole cost me a lot though, two dremal discs!!!

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Wren · Post by **Wren** » Sat Jul 05, 2003 12:00 am

At least you're not missing any limbs!

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Sat Jul 05, 2003 12:08 am

Wren wrote: At least you're not missing any limbs!

Not yet....

Actually that dremel is pretty safe, if it's in safe hands.

I always wear eye protection too, those sparks freak me out sometimes. It makes this big shower of sparks on the metal, it turns into these small tiny metal particles that stain like lead.

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Chris Vogel · Post by **Chris Vogel** » Sat Jul 05, 2003 12:21 am

Red Squirrel wrote: I always wear eye protection too, those sparks freak me out sometimes. It makes this big shower of sparks on the metal, it turns into these small tiny metal particles that stain like lead.

That must be sort of neat!

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Sat Jul 05, 2003 12:48 am

Yep, I tried to take a picture of it, but it was too hard and none of them came out. Imagine holding a 24,000 rpm tool in one hand and a camera in the other and trying to press a button at the right time. Not easy.

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wldkos · Post by **wldkos** » Sat Jul 05, 2003 2:04 am

i think you would find it easier to use a grinding wheel that is air pressurized at 35,000 rpms to cut your metal. That is what I used and I bet you it was 5 times faster than a dremel. My cousin told me that a dremel wasn't the right tool for a lot of cutting, but for smaller stuff it's fine.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Sat Jul 05, 2003 1:57 pm

Yeah I heard of this tool too. It's sort of like what they use to drill door handle holes. I'd like one of those. But a dremel is good too since it's more flexable for various sizes, but I'm sure you can get 80mm and 120mm on the rotator tool as well. With a dremel it can take almost half an hour. But since I'm getting better now, it's taking less time.

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rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Wed Jul 09, 2003 6:27 pm

air powered grinding wheel alright

now your getting in to the big tools i like and use when i need to.

but red.

you should not use the small holes in the case they are defeating the use of the fans.

you should take that case off and get that duct tape out like i said and get them covered up. (put the tape on the inside of the case ) that way the air can only come in threw the fans. and out the back threw the fans.

you do that and sit the case down and leave it alone and dont open it so much you will keep a good breeze going threw it. after a couple hours the cool air will start to move in to the dead air flow zones in the case ( if any ) because that dead air would get hot and move making the cool air go in to replace it. then in a couple days you will have good air flow going through it.

that is what i did to mine and i can put the back of my hand at the lower front of my case and fill the hair on my hand move in the breeze.

of course I LEAVE MY CASE CLOSED longer then you most the time.

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rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Wed Jul 09, 2003 6:33 pm

wldkos wrote: does it really need to be that cool?

you see in the images red posted that tells me he has dead air flow zones in the case.

he has put the fans in the locations to fix them. but he did not block off the small holes in the case.

the drive bay fans are slower then the bigger ones and just keep a breeze going over the hd's or under which ever it is. but it is also good to do because the gray cables will block most the airflow in the drive bay area.

but red still needs to close off them little holes and LET THE CASE ALONE SOME TIMES he is like a kid with a new toy at christmas cant wait to un wrap it.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Wed Jul 09, 2003 7:07 pm

Yeah I thought of covering those holes. We don't even have duct tape in this house (I don't think we ever owned a roll, pretty pathetic lol) but I'll use electrical tape or something. Maybe I can even put seran wrap and tape it air tight so I don't even see the tape from outside, and by the movement of the seran wrap I'll see if I have more positive or negative airflow.

But yes, this case does have a lot of dead air flow, and the main reason is because there's no way to put an intake fan. Next time I buy a case (not in a few years if my finances stay as they are lol) I'll make sure to research on it and make sure it has at least one front intake section to put a fan. But the small one on the side basically does the same job, but the air is pushed and moved around more because it blows on the other panel first. What's nice about this airflow is that there's lot of air being blown all over so it helps circulate the air a lot. I can still use another 120mm though, I'm getting used to the noise already, so I can get another one.

No I think this will be it.

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Wren · Post by **Wren** » Wed Jul 09, 2003 8:25 pm

Famous last words!

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jryan · Post by **jryan** » Sun Jul 13, 2003 11:39 pm

You know, I'm glad I know that we're talking about the Dremel that is more commonly used for modding cases... I'd have been a little confused otherwise (I have a Dremel engraving tool.)

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 11:11 am

Yeah Dremel® is actually the name of the company that makes the tool, and others, it's sort of like Quebecers calling a camera a "kodak" or us calling tishue "kleenex".

By the way roving covering the holes really works well. I knew it would do somewhat of an air flow difference because it keeps it flowing better, but I covered mine up and I hardly need that 120mm fan anymore. I have a switch and I only turn it on when I get near 60C for my cpu, but I can keep it around 50 now with the holes blocked.

Ones I get thermal paste it should be even better. They don't sell this here so I'll need to wait till I order something from my supplier and throw it in the order. They probably sell it up town, but I don't feel like paying 20 bucks lol.

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rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 5:11 pm

see i knew something else wow i amaze my self

but red if you want another case. i suggest going for a walk with your mouse or fingers? to tigerdirect.com and looking over their full tower cases. i like the one from cheiftech called "matrix" it has lots of room and has a front fan as well as a rear side fan.

they are also using the case to help in cooling the hd and cdrom's better then most other cases i seen.

they make it out of alium... and give you snap relese trays for the hd's the hd's fit so tight in them and then you use 4 screws to keep it tight against the side of the trays that it transfers the heat a lot better.

the alium.. is thin for better heat transfer but when you tighten up everything it is stiff

and the cases are only 50 us dollars plus shipping. if you order from there tell them to inform the ups driver to get your sig for the package otherwise the stupid ups driver will let it sit out in the rain like he did mine.

if i find that driver

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 5:25 pm

The problem with living in Canada is that I can't really go shop online like that, as I need to pay double because of Us exchange. so getting stuff from my supplier is the only way, though my supplier does have nice cases. http://services.iceteks.com/store.php#case

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rovingcowboy · Post by **rovingcowboy** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 5:35 pm

they are a snail mail catalog with an web site you can get it in the mail and order that way too.

should have clicked on your link first i would not be editing this in if i did.

but i did not know you were selling them i thought you were repairing computers.

sorry .

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Mon Jul 14, 2003 10:27 pm

Yep I sell too, but only Canadians can really benifit from it though, as people in the Us can find prices 50% cheaper.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:04 pm

A new mod addition, see the switches on the side of the desk?

Those control the fans and the red button controls the lights.

I made sure to leave room for 3-4 more buttons for easy future expansion. I may add like a reset button or something. If I really wanted to get serious I could even add a cd-rom eject button but that would be a bit more complicated as I'd have to open up the cd-rom drive too.

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Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 1:35 am

Something you will never hear in the deep south of America. "You can't fix that with duct tape".

Personally I loath cutting holes with a dremmel tool. Hole saws do a much nicer job in a fraction of the time. A jig saw or rotozip is just the thing for cutting designs or windows. And every modders tool kit needs to include a nibbler.

The new acrylic case is presenting a challenge for me. I have been staring at it for 3 days now planning my first attack. I think I will add some Limo Black window film to some of the surface areas and some carbon fiber to some others. I want to show off my Ultra green Power supply and the water cooling system. I am hoping the case will look black when turned off but when powered up the lights will allow one to view the inside of the case.

Drive bays will be filled with DVD, DVD burner, VL LIS 2 Blue Eye control unit and WD Raptor hard drives. Water cooling is looking like a mix of Swiftec and Danger Den. Anyone have any better ideas?

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