Antec 900 Mod (56k Warning)

[zbo]

The Plan:
- Make a new face plate.
- Repaint everything black, including CD Drive.
- Cut cable managment holes.
- Flip PSU over with new vent for intake.

Log
- Sanding Started
- Logo Idea
- Sanding Finished
- CPU Bracket Hole
- Cable Management Started
- Cable Management Finished!
- Face Plate First Look <<< NEW! 11th August

I'm also tweeting about this project here, if you like a quantity over quailty approach!

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Right some time has passed and some of the paint from my 900 is starting to come off. You can see what it used to look like here.

I dont have a desk at the moment, so I'm not using the PC at all at the moment so I thought I'd do a complete overhall. The plan is to make somthing like this, (please ignore the terrible photoshoping).



For the side window I was never a fan of the stock look, so with the help from a little more photoshop magic, this is what I'm aiming for.



This mod is 100% influenced by all of the murderMods out there, so I'm planning to steal, borrow and rip as many ideas from those builds as possible. I'm board of the gamer look of the antec 900 and I'm hoping to make somthing a little more classly like a well oiled Lian-Li or Silverstone without having to buy a new case. If I can get my build even 1% as nice as a murderMod I'm going to be one happy bunny.

 

[zbo]

I've started striping off all the old paint, getting ready for the primer coat. Somthing I didn't do that last time, which I do regret. After all the paint is off I'll be sanding and then sparying on the primer.

 

[Rich'[ard]]

whoa, looks interesting man.
can't wait for the outcome

so you gonna get rid of all your front fans? or didn't you have any to begin with there.

i plan to go for a more sleeker look as well. getting tired of the Blue LED-fan fest inside my PC.

 

[AlucardCasull]

Sounds good, how hard is it to take off that paint with the liquid stuff?

 

[zbo]

whoa, looks interesting man.
can't wait for the outcome

so you gonna get rid of all your front fans? or didn't you have any to begin with there.

i plan to go for a more sleeker look as well. getting tired of the Blue LED-fan fest inside my PC.

Yup no front fans. I didnt use them, the holes let out to much noise for me to deal with. I have a few ideas to make sure I still have enough air flow.

Sounds good, how hard is it to take off that paint with the liquid stuff?

Its not to hard, I use the white spirt to make it easier to sand the paint off. I can't just use the liquid, I still have to use the sand paper.

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While sanding the bottom the antec logo popped out. I think I like it and once the case is painted I'll sand off the paint again. What do you think?

 

[AlucardCasull]

Ah, ok, does the paper get gummed up quicker using the spirits?

Definitely sand the Antec when you repaint.

 

[zbo]

I havn't noticed a differnce, to be honest I'm using a much finer grade of wet'n'dry then I need to so it wears out quite quickly anyway. I'm finding the sprits help losen the paint off first then the paper lifts it off easier.

 

[velozzity]

Do you have a cordless or corded drill by chance, If you do go to the hardware store and buy a wire brush bit(soft as possible). It will speed up the paint stripping process considerably and can be used countless times. Make sure however that you purchase one with soft copper (at least they look like copper or brass) strands which point downward (not outward those style are for more agressive sanding) so It wont grind away metal

 

[zbo]

Yes if I had the tools it would be a LOT quicker. One can only dream.

I'm getting there. I think I'll finish the sanding tomorrow.

 

[abarth_1200]

Just a point,

there is no need to strip it completly of paint, you will never manage to get it all, all you needed to do was to give the original surface a light sand, called keying the surface, as long as its a little bit roughed up your new coat of primer would stick to this, then you could paint it in your desired colour scheme.

 

[zbo]

I know I wont get it all, and I'm not even planning to take off the powdercoating on the top at all. The only reason I want to get off the old paint was that its chipping off on its own. I never keyed the case when I painted it the first time so its not sticking to the case well at all, I dont want to paint over that weak layer and risk the paint coming off in the future. Just playing it overly safe I guess

 

[xtkxhom3r]

the first time i painted the inside of a case i didnt prime or sand it was a disaster lol! even though it was surprisingly easy to scratch the paint it was a real PITA to take it all off so i got one of those brushes velozzity is talking about and it worked like a charm i highly recommend it

 

[Rich'[ard]]

are you thinking of leaving the 'Antec Design' logo unpainted, so it stands out?
or paint over it.
'have fun stripping all the paint off

 

[zbo]

Yes having lots of fun sanding -_-

I really wish I had some spare cash for that sanding attachment now. I should be finished later tonight.

I've been sanding far to long I'm starting to see faces



Side note: Are the picture sizes I'm uploading okay? To big?

 

[velozzity]

Dont worry im seeing faces too, hahahhaha, also remember one thing, If you are going to put primer on top of the paint, the paint that is the hardest to remove will probably never come off under normal use and as long as the primer bonds to it well, anything (paint) you top it with will stay also. Also depending on what the case is made of, you may want to mask off a small section around the antec emblem with painters take and lightly spray it (the emblem only) with some sort of clear coat to protect it. Not saying it will just rust in air, but some steel with rust in slightly humid air and does'nt have to be submersed in water.

 

[velozzity]

You do know there is some stuff call kudzit that will chemically kill the bond between the paint and the metal. the stuff you showed in the first picture is good for cleaning paint brushes and tools, and maybe thinning paint. If you still have alot of paint to remove try a chemical paint stripper. go to walmart and they should have some, you paint it on with a brush, and wait a little while (dont remember exactly how long I used it on a furniture refinishing project a long time back, and you can just rinse with water and the paint will fall off.

 

[zbo]

Dont have to!





Phew, easily the worst part of the whole build I think. Things can only get better. It's not 100% off, but I'm happy enough to move onto the primmer. Thanks a lot velozzity, if (proberly when) I re paint the case yet again, I'm going stright to the store and getting wire brush bit! The white spirt wasn't the greast purchase of my life, but for £1 it helped enough.

I'm still not decided if I should re-sand the Antec logo once its re sanded to make it shine through, but if I do I will totaly use a clear coat to protect it.

I have the day off tomorrow, so I should have some good updates. (fingers crossed)

 

[zbo]

Teaser!

 

[chevro1et]

Ahhh, love the smell of cutting disks meeting metal...

 

[zbo]

CPU bracket hole cut.

I used the dremel, but gave myself a really wide birth. About 5mm, which I then filed away. I was worried that it wouldn't line up, but as you can see it did.

Quite happy with this, first time using a dremel. Next up is cable management holes, not totaly sure where to put the hole for CPU power though.