New to modding, but starting soon

[Cupe|ix]

If anything, it's going to be mostly simple stuff (adding temp gauges, painting, interior lighting and keyboard lighting) possibly a window not sure though because that's a very common mod (trying to be a little original).

I'll post a couple pics later of my case that's in desperate need of beautification :P

Anyway, since these are purely aesthetic mods, I want to make everything match. That in mind, I'm thinking of going an all-black exterior with green lighting. But...what about the monitor? It really seems like a big hassle, what with all the vent holes (and the screen!) and all. Is there an easy way to do this (besides the ghetto sharpie method? :rolleyes: )

Also, on the subject of windows...I've got a dremel at my disposal. I've heard mixed things about them though. Bottom line, if it really is hard to do with a dremel then I won't do the window mod ;P

I'm trying to keep everything simple, yet impressive looking. Though, if I get really ambitious later, I have a nice water mod I want to try :D And hopefully when I get a couple pics of my case, maybe you guys could suggest a couple suitable mods :)

[KeyboardCowboy]

what i did with my Samsung SyncMaster 750s, is take it apart and just paint the front piece it is much easier to do this then trying to tape off the screen vent holes and everything else, just make sure to pop the little led out of your front panel before you paint it

but be extremly careful though, the capaicitors in monitors can hold a near 20,000 volt charge for a very long time, make sure to do it carefully

[Diggrr]

You can mask off the vents and the glass using masking tape and paper, use a dab of elmers school glue to mask the led (it comes right off) then spray paint the monitor.
Remove the tape before it dries completely.

Add a small ammount of thinner to some tester's model paint, and brush it on the vent areas. You could even paint the monitor dark grey and use black for the vent sections and buttons. Just make sure you brush out the model paint completely to avoid any globs or brush strokes being left behind in the paint (this is where the thinner helps alot).

While taping the glass area, overlap the tape onto the frame and use an exacto knife to carefully trim it to the crevice between the plastic and glass.

Sounds easy enough to me, and no electrocution!:eek:

Another trick I use, is to spray paint into the hollow underside of a coke can, then use it as a pre-thinned and matching brush on paint. This really blends in well with a spray job. If your carefull with the spray painting, there's no need to mask the vents, paint doesn't conduct unless it's a heavy metalic kind...just don't blast it into the vents.

[KeyboardCowboy]

Originally posted by Diggrr
You can mask off the vents and the glass using masking tape and paper, use a dab of elmers school glue to mask the led (it comes right off) then spray paint the monitor.
Remove the tape before it dries completely.

Add a small ammount of thinner to some tester's model paint, and brush it on the vent areas. You could even paint the monitor dark grey and use black for the vent sections and buttons. Just make sure you brush out the model paint completely to avoid any globs or brush strokes being left behind in the paint (this is where the thinner helps alot).

While taping the glass area, overlap the tape onto the frame and use an exacto knife to carefully trim it to the crevice between the plastic and glass.

Sounds easy enough to me, and no electrocution!:eek:

Another trick I use, is to spray paint into the hollow underside of a coke can, then use it as a pre-thinned and matching brush on paint. This really blends in well with a spray job. If your carefull with the spray painting, there's no need to mask the vents, paint doesn't conduct unless it's a heavy metalic kind...just don't blast it into the vents.






and what happens if a drop of paint makes it's way onto the circuit board inside your monitor?????

you have quite a dead monitor on your hands..........

just take it apart

[Cupe|ix]

That's what I was thinking, just take all the panels off, but still what about the front part?

Call me lazy, but it seems like it would be hard to take apart the whole monitor, so I probably won't do it :P

I guess I'll just settle for case modding.

[Cupe|ix]

Okay, finally got some pics of to-be-modded victim :)



The side panel

[Cupe|ix]

My prospective window (the red outlined area is a rough idea of what the window will look like)

Any other shapes, and it leaves some weird looking shapes from what's already pressed in, and besides, it already has a nice built in outline to cut the window :)

[Cupe|ix]

Underneath the case side panel


Notice that the view of the CPU is COMPLETELY blocked by the PSU :cry:

[Cupe|ix]

And the front of the case (ewwwwwwww...)

[Cupe|ix]

So what I had in mind for the window itself is a bit tricky (heck, it might not even be doable).

What I want to do is sandwich two pieces of (THIN! there's maybe 1/4 inch clearance OR LESS between the door and other stuff!) plexi together. Then hook up a pump to it, and make a waterfall down the glass effect! And of course stick a couple of neons or CC inside :) On the front, I'll add a couple of gauges.

In fact, I have somewhat of an idea how to do the window part, but if anyone else has an idea, it would be helpful!

[trdsw20]

Im not exzctly the worlds smartest electrician. Actually nowhere close but couldnt you unplug the monitor and keep pressing the Power buton in order to release the voltage held within the monitor. I know that this technique can be used to drain your PSU but there is other factors in play!!!

[Cupe|ix]

Well...maybe, never tried anything like that before.

Anyway, I'm thinking if I really wanted to paint the thing (though now I'm thinking about not bothering) I think if you went real slow and just did a couple of THIN coats, you could probably go right over the holes without any dripping all the way through. Maybe you could use like an old sponge or something and just barely go over the holes.