[Neuromancer]

Well it is that time of year again. Open the doors and windows and let that fresh spring air fill my lungs. Unfortunately this has the side effect of making me pull out the power tools and paint cans and start hacking apart perfectly innocent, expensive computer cases in search of something different.

My first mod is a simple one, painting and creating wire management channels in my Stacker STC-T01 UW01. I love black cases, and I have painted almost every case I have owned black. I have decided to throw in some color this time though, blue or red on the top cap and front aluminum bezels, probably the top fan grill, rear fan grille and bottom grille as well. The grill on the side panel will be painted to match, unless I remove it and add a plexi-glass window; I am not sure which I will do at this point, the window is cool but I am air cooling so will have to decide. Now that I think about it, handles might be a good idea too; this thing is a beast to move around lifting it by my fingertips all the time. I am surprised I have not dropped it yet.

I took pictures of the entire case disassembled, except the motherboard tray, which I may work on tonight after I get my schoolwork done. After that I sanded and applied the first coat of paint to the chassis. Today I added the second coat to the chassis and cleaned and painted the side panels. In a couple of hours will flip them and paint the insides as well. Took an entire can just to do the chassis as there is a lot of corners and grooves to get paint into that I will never be able to get to again. But those places will probably not receive the 3rd and fourth coats anyway. I am going to try and make the inside as clean as possible but the outside is what I am most concerned with.

Okay, here are some photos of the mess I made. All images are clickable to high resolution pictures, which probably does not matter for these shots but is more important later and I just want to get into the habit of doing it this way.

[Neuromancer]

First and second coats and sanding pics

[Neuromancer]

I decided to paint the inside of the screen black thinking that my tape job was tight on the outside Wasnt thinking that if you arent looking at the screen straight on you see the sides of the holes and hence the inner paint job LOL It dont matter much. Thats one of the pieces I will be painting blue next month

[Goshawk]

ROFL. I had a pico-coronary when i saw the thread title since this is one of my favorite cases

Post some more progress soon!


~ Gos

[traldan]

Looks like a fun project. Can't wait to see what comes of it!

[Neuromancer]

I have put it off, for a bit.. I decided after the first coat that I am going to go with a nice metallic flak over the whole thing, plus I need to get some clear coat.

Now I also have to wait until I can reinstall windows on this PC, because.. something is screwy wit hthe Noirthbridge filter driver on the radeon 200 chipset, so it prevents my cameras from working ???

I have lots of room on my camera though so I will continue to take snappies And will bump the thread when I complete the next step (Oh yah going to reverse the order too...

I am not going to do the plexi mod now, because its only going to be a file server.. but I am going to grab some nice casters and handle before I make the second coat of paint Maybe tomorrow

[Neuromancer]

Added pics for first and second coats of paint as well as some sanding

I really need to get to the store and get some handles and more paint and paintsupplies

[Neuromancer]

Added some pics in the 3rd post... the "finished until I move" faze. Got more paint for the one side panel (not pictured.. came out a little bad and now just needs a couple last coats.. .the blue stuff still needs to be blue... and then it all gets clear coated (well the outside)

Still havent decided about cutting out the side panel and I never got any handles... once I get my bike fixed though I should be able to get around a little more

[BenF]

I like it, its looking good so far

[Fushyuguru]

It looks great, gloss black is always a good choice, and worth the effort.

I had a Stacker I wrote a review on back when they first came out. Was always planning to do something with it, had alot of ideas but just couldn't figure out what to do with that plastic piece at the top-front. I got stalled up, moved and just junked it, sold the parts I was going to use in it (had a custom built/painted Weapon-Core for it too, if you remember those bad mother's).

I was always surprised how heavy that damn case was.

[Neuromancer]

WEll it needs to get resanded and finished again before I go withthe blue paint... It got sratched up pretty bad in the move I should be updating this in the fall though.. Fresh paint WCing and clearcoating for protection

[WhatTheSchmidt]

did u just take the case apart then lie down primer? no sanding before primer necessary? Then wet sand primer...2nd coat perhaps, then light coats of black?

[Moto7451]

Wow, I wish I could ruin cases that badly .

[Neuromancer]

No I was lazy.. instead of primer I just scuffed the paint and laid down enamel... then sanded that with 400 grit then painted that
then sanded that with 800 then painted that.. then started wet sanding with up to 1500 grit
the spots you see in those pics.. .are water marks... the finish is poerfect.. although i wish I ahd laid down primer or top coat before putting it back to gether or baking it or something

the plastic flip latches for the drive bays scratch the paint.... this was my fiorst straight paint job so i dont know about durability... .(also the one side got seriously F'ed up in the move so it need sa a sand and repaint...


But im thinking of sending it too my moms so when I go home I can use the workshop and really prepare it
do it all right .. dont worry I will bring the cam

By september it shouldbe completely destroyed

[Neuromancer]

Havent got the details worked out yet...my Inntel rig is finished tomrrow and im going to play with it a while and ebay ot before I leave. Why? Cause I want to send this case home to a real workshop. My dremel just aint going to cut it for the needs of this case. SO going to make sure I hve a place to send it and going from there. More money yes... is it worth it in hte long run? I hope so

[squashfx]

why didnt you just buy the black one?

[Neuromancer]

Originally Posted by squashfx

why didnt you just buy the black one?

Got the grey one for $80 shipped

[GigabyteME]

Originally Posted by Neur0mancer

Got the grey one for $80 shipped

Good Deal Im likeing what you did to it so far. Great job.

[eternaljammer]

nice.

[EmAn]

ive been following this for a while and it looks good... but why not just keep the side grille with the grey and black as i think it looks good... but it is yours so do it the way you would like and im sure it will look great.

p.s. you need to dust them heatsinks and fan grills

[Neuromancer]

been a long time since I was in this thread.. lol

Today I started reworking it. Removed the psu cage, need to get a small nut/bolt to remount the bottom of the backplate, but the top rivet is still in that so its stayed there.

Sanded and primed again today. Bought the handles for the top, and drilled the holes for mounting them. I bought Blue paint and clear coat also.

So screens, top bubble head... and front aluminum rails will be a nice blue (thought about painintg the drive filters blue too but nixed that...) gloss black for the exterior... considering flat black inside.. or possibly appliance paint to make it more scratch resistant.

Should have finished pics up by next week.




Then I can start my project log for my favorite thing... Furniture mods!!!

[Neuromancer]

A couple more in session pics and then the "almost" complete unit





oooo blue



Just black



Handles that I picked up from Home Depot. Cut the screws short and painted them blue



A 1500 grit sanding finish before applying the clear coat.

[Neuromancer]

And the finshed (almost) project. I only used one coat of clear coat, debated doing two. Still need to polish it up there are some smudges from me putting it back together.




Side 1

Side2




Just another pic



And another one



Inside shot, without the mobo tray in. You can also see the simple mod to 120mm exhaust fan there. And the missing PSU cage.



The motherboard tray and blue fan grill, I think it looks stupid with the orange thermaltake fan, but I do not have anyothers... and the fan wire is too short to swap it with the other Cooler Master fan that goes on the hard drive cage.




I am putting the PC back into it tonight and taking a couple more pics for ebay.


Time to start my next project.

[Ben333]

damn nice

[Neuromancer]

Originally Posted by ben333

damn nice

Thanks man

[MasterTelia]

looking good

what about stealthmodding the dvd drive

[aja]

Wow that is a really nice shade of blue, striking!

I would have made the huge side grill thing slightly darker blue though

[Albaholic]

Looks great... subscribing

[Neuromancer]

Thanks Everybody

Last 2 update pics I swear!!

Installed the PC into it last night. Need a couple more zip ties along the top, and really would like to jam a WC kit in there.. but I dont have the flow (hah hah) for that

[Neuromancer]

Originally Posted by aja

Wow that is a really nice shade of blue, striking!

I would have made the huge side grill thing slightly darker blue though

It actually looks a little darker in real life. I think the clear coat combined with the flash to really make it look lighter then it does.

I also really like the blue and think that my next PC might not be black *gasp*.