need your opinions guys

I bought this full tower case at the salvage yard at Penn State Univ. I want to mod the crap out of it but im not quite sure what all i want to do with it.


here are some pics:







Let me know your ideas. I picked out a Dark Blue spray paint with metal flakes in it and a nice rustoleum clear enamel for it, just out of ideas.

Thanks,
Aaron

 

where pics, presume you attatched em, but i don't see any

 

Any cutting is best done prior to painting. You might want to cut a hole for an intake fan on the side. Additionally, pop off the front panel and see what's there in the lower front. If there's a place for fans, but poor ventilation, you might Dremel it out for better airflow (the metal part, I wouldn't use it on the plastic.

You might also try changing the LED colors for the indicator lights up front. It's pretty easy to do. I know Glowire sells some pretty bright LED's, but behind the clear plastic, they won't be quite as intense. Pop the clear plastic out before painting the front.

Disassemble the case and prep the surfaces you're going to paint. Sand the metal down to the bare surface and use a thin coat of primer. Sand it down with a fine grit (500+) for a smooth surface after it dries. Repeat until you've got a full coat. Then do the same thing with your paint. The primer isn't necessary for the plastic, but you may want to consider a dye like Krylon Fusion that sets into the plastic.

 

I was planning on using Rust-Oleum Metallic for the case paint wise. As far as cutting im not good at all at cutting holes for fans and such.... always turn out like crap cuz i dont have a steady hand at all.

 

If you do simple holes for fans, a hole saw can do the job nicely. If you do it up front where the plastic front covers it, even if you mess up a little, nobody will know (except you).

I would make sure to do the following for best results:
-Dissassemble the case for individual part painting
-Sand down all metal surfaces you intend to paint to the bare metal
-Remove power/reset buttons and clear plastic pieces from front bezel, store in zip-loc bag. If you don't do this, you'll end up with buttons that are stuck in place and you may end up ruining your paint job.
-Use primer on all metal surfaces, sand smooth, repeat until you have a thin coat completely covering the surface. Use a high grit (500-1000) sandpaper here, higher is better.
-Use the pain over all surfaces you intend to paint. Sand with a high-grit sandpaper until you have 2 good coats of paint (this will probably take more than 2 applications).
-After everything is dried out completely, you may want to go back with a clear coat to protect the surface.

 

thanks man i really appreciate your help. I went to walmart tonight and bought a palm sander and some low grit sand paper to take off all the paint and it is working like a dream. once again thanks for your help. I will keep you guys posted with pics from each step of the way

 

If you sand by hand, you can use a little water to do a wet sand, which will kill the dust kicked up by dry sanding. Good luck.