Warning: long thread!
I started work on this case last summer when my sister got herself a new laptop and didn't need her case anymore. The original plan was to mod it , build a junky
pc out of spare parts and throw it in the basement to use as an entertainment center. I don't have any progress pics from then as I don't have a digital camera (yet) and I borrowed my sister's just to get these shots.
Fast forward a year and I've got a job and some money to burn. Now the plan is to build a new
pc in this case and throw my old one (
SA4E) in the basement instead.
The inspiration behind the design is the striped paint job on old muscle cars. I don't have a particular model or realistic example. It's just something i've thought up.
Anyways I resumed work on the case last week. I finnished the chasis and the front bezel last summer and I've kept them in my room since. The top and side panels were more or less done but needed some work so I left them in the garage where they got chipped and mangled up. So I've finnished repainting the panels (save one) and finnished the windows today. Here's what it looks as of tonight when I assembled it to see how it will look:
Overall I like it so far. It would be better if the bezel wasn't ugly in the first place.
There are some problems though. Doing the stripes was a pain over curved surfaces and it's hard to get them to line up.
It doesn't take long to notice that the panels don't match though. When I started I was using this Near Match Orange auto paint from Canadian Tire. When I picked the project back up this summer I could not find a can of Near Match Orange for love or money. I drove to every Crappy Tire in the city and they had every colour but orange. So i took my chances and bought some crap brand and prayed it wouldnt be noticeable but it is so I have to redo it. Bah.
I've started getting parts too.
Future Shop was having a back to school sale and it was on sale for $279 (CDN). Ive seen it on most web sites for about $330.
I also got a 22" widescreen lcd too.
Excuse the graininess , I know almost nothing about photography.
Now that the project's back on track I plan to take more photos and update this.
Question: Can anyone reccomend a good brand of clear coat? Or maybe i'm applying it wrong. I bought this can of krylon clear coat and when you spray it on it leaves this mist around the area you just sprayed effectively undoing your last stroke. In the end I get shiny patches and patches of this frosty , dusty stuff and It makes large surfaces (ie the side panel) next to impossible. I cannot get a good uniform coat. It's hard to explain, I'll take a picture soon.