PC Modding

Honestly, those newer ones from overseas don't look all that great to me.

👍 A ton of effort went into this. It’s one of those rare projects that actually makes it to the finish line instead of being abandoned the second things get difficult.

Massive respect!

darkowl72—thanks if you were talking to me! 😁
I’ll admit, I spent way too much time overthinking this thing—to the point where I almost threw in the towel—so I just decided to let it sit for a while—plus, I haven't had much free time lately. Honestly, the biggest letdown was when I finally finished the build exactly like the photo, flipped the switch, and... nothing. No display. 😁 So, I actually considered just selling the whole thing off.
Once the holidays roll around, I'm planning on starting another PC Modding project—I want to build the entire case from scratch (well, except for the motherboard tray area). I'm still debating materials, though—the frame will be made of square tubing about 1/2 inch thick, but I can't decide whether to use sheet metal or MDF (you know, that engineered wood stuff 😁). If anyone has any suggestions or maybe a third option, I'm all ears! Personally, I'm leaning toward 1/8 inch sheet metal because it’s easier for me to work with and I can easily paint it.

I didn't tag @ because I thought it was obvious 🙂

So, Terry Wilson3: yeah, I'm talking to you... 🙂

Kudos to you—I’ve gotta say, I’m not entirely sure how smart it is going the DIY route with custom loops, but hey, it takes guts.

As for me, I just pulled the trigger on some new coolant and a fresh power supply... now I'm just waiting on my GPU to finally show up.😁

I’m starting to think it might be better for me to just build my own case—that way, I can design it exactly how I want it.
I know this isn't strictly the right place for this kind of thing, but I was wondering if anyone could weigh in on value: is it better to go with a Venomus X (around $200) or stick with a liquid setup using a single 3cm thick triple radiator (which is essentially what I'm running now around $333)?
My current case is just too cramped to fit any "proper" air coolers, since anything larger than 15cm won't even squeeze in there.😁

I ended up tearing down my PC again—had to touch up some gray parts that weren't looking quite right—only to realize my mistake later... I used a bit of foam insulation to fill the gap, and honestly, it looks fine.
The only headache I’m dealing with now is my hard drive; it’s easily the loudest component in the entire build. Any tips on how to quiet it down? I've got about three feet of rubber bands lying around and some foam I picked up, but I'm not quite sure how to put them to good use here.

Bryan Wood49 said:...
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/345...411024x768.jpg
...

Where did the rest of the computer go? If I remember correctly, there was a desk right there, wasn't there?

Mat looks way better for internal builds; it has a much sleeker, more elegant vibe.

@Terry Wilson3/">@@Terry Wilson3, 👍
I've always had a soft spot for those massive big tower cases...

A second computer, a second desk (this one's at my university in Seattle).
How exactly should I go about mounting this HDD?

What on earth are you talking about?!
I don't see any issue here...

Nah, I wouldn't go the classic route—it’s just way too noisy. I picked up some elastic bands and some foam, but honestly, I'm stuck on how to actually tighten it down or secure everything properly.

Maybe try tracking down some rubber—or perhaps a denser sponge material, kind of like polyurethane foam image—and use that to wrap it. That’s how I usually dampen my speakers... though, if I'm being honest, the one downside is that it might run a little hotter than usual.

Well, unfortunately, I've decided to sell this case—picked up a new one that should be arriving sometime this week. This particular unit is a Cooler Master...

http://pcekspert.com/jpg/articles/Ch...DBMslike_1.jpg

Bryan Wood49 said:Where can I actually pick one of these up locally here in the States?

Do you happen to know where to find them—I’m actually looking to grab a few myself!

Nah, I ended up picking up a different case instead..🙂

Terry Wilson3 said:Mike! I’m not entirely sure what you're getting at—are you asking about a specific case brand or something else?
I can't quite remember which brand it was... it's been such a long time.

briskbison41—at least he provides cold water. 😁
I don't know what you're trying to get at with that one-word post. If you have an actual question about hardware or something worth discussing, just say it. Otherwise, there's no point in cluttering the thread. I can't see any link here. You forgot to include it. You can check out the full project here. I'll be dropping more photos soon once I get this motherboard fixed up.
I'm actually pretty happy with how this case turned out. Honestly, it looks a whole lot better now than it did when I first unboxed it.

I’m honestly starting to think I might just end up sketching some flames on my case myself. 😁
Whatever, I don't know, something just caught my eye and honestly, the whole thing seems kind of funny. 😁

@Mike - What kind of PC modding setup are you running these days?
Are you planning on doing any PC modding to it, or what?

You’re going to spend quite a bit of time tinkering with the template creation—honestly, it's a bit of a process! I’d suggest grabbing some thicker cardstock, or maybe just layering a few sheets together to give it some real substance.

Is it really that much of a struggle? I didn't get that impression personally.
Though, fair enough... I was picturing something a bit thicker, like some lightweight cardboard or maybe the material you'd find on a shoe box. 😁

briskbison41 said:@Mike — So, what kind of case are you running now?
Planning on doing any mods to it, or just keeping it stock?

It's a Cooler Master. Haven't touched it with any mods yet—though I might spray the interior matte black just for the look. Right now, I'm just saving up for a liquid cooling loop.
I did squeeze a Corsair 120mm fan in the front and a little 92mm one with red LEDs in there—it actually looks pretty sharp.

Post a picture showing those current modifications 🙂
Seems alright to me.