Dark Side Of The Moon = awesome album, my dad has it on LP and I got it on CD. Welcome to PR

Welcome to PR, I'm one of the youngest old farts you'll meet around here...

Anyhoo... ok, so you already seem to have your thematic inspiration, that's good... As far as tools, the most important one is your creative brain functions, then fine motor skills... Wait, sorry, I got sidetracked...

Just about any tools you have around the house (spray paint, screwdrivers, tweezers, flashlights, etc) can help you get started modding. The FUN begins when you get into the Power Tools section: Dremel/Dremel clones, cordless/corded drills, scrollsaws, jigsaws, drill press, waterjet cutters, laser engravers, oh, boy, I need to sit down and take a breath....

I believe what most of us did was start with what we already had at home, then gradually build up our "Modder's Tool Box".

Personally, I started off using a cordless drill with the smallest dril bits I could, to drill holes in "hidden" locations to tie off cables with zip-ties (keep lots of those on-hand as well...) Saved my pennies and got a Dremel clone, bought some accessories for it, a hole saw for my drill (cut fan holes in like 2 minutes), kept going from there... Seriously, if you think about it, the most important tool for a modder IS their creativity, and some fine motor skills. If they can mod something using limited tools, doesn't that make the mod itself even more impressive?

Again, welcome to PR, hope you have fun...

*moan, groan*...great, another Pink Floyd fan.....

Hey, just kidding!!!

Anyway, welcome to PR!!!

To get started in the Pimp world, all you need is an active imagination. Yep, that's right. You've got to brainstorm for a while about what kind of computer you would really like to see. Right off the bat, if you are thinking of a Dark Side theme, why not get some clear acrylic and build a prism to house your computer?

Mobo could lay flat on the bottom of the prism, the back can be squared off in the back towards the bottom for your I/O needs, you can stealth the drives into a square base, and the empty room at the top of the prism...well, it's a prism, right? Think about that one for a while.

See how easy it is? When you get an idea to do something, drop us a line and we'll help point you in the right direction to learn how to do it.

Have fun and again, welcome to PR!!!

Rob

Welcome to PimpRig, here is another good place to start.

http://forums.pcapex.com/showthread.php?t=22067

Well, I just started about 2-3 months ago and so far my toolbox consists of the following: (as well as what I'm expecting to buy):

Screwdrivers (all kinds, but smaller/longer is more useful)
A Dremel
A slew of dremel attachments for sanding/cutting/etching, etc.)
B&D cordless drill with bits
Scissors
Hex key set
Wire strippers
Wire cutters
Small needle nose pliers
Hot glue gun
Spray paint
Heat gun (VERY useful for shrinktubing and labels)
Molex removal tools (Casearts has a 30-40$ set of four you can buy, or buy them separate)
Lint-free cloth
Cable ties (assorted sizes)
Rubbing alcohol / Goof-off (cleaning purposes)
Spraypaint and Touch-up paint
Masking tape/Masking paper

anyways, that's just a partial list of what you might need. It can change based on your own personal project. I also am using white adhesive shelf liner to transfer designs and mask for cutting, its easy to remove and (in multiple layers) can somewhat protect your case. The best advice I can give you is to read the guides, see what everyone else has done, and then adapt it for your own purposes.

Welcome to it, enjoy getting as addicted to it as I did.

Wow! It looks like many things have been suggested already. I'll put my $0.02 in.

Before you go buy anything, you need to come up with a plan for your mod and then see what tools you'll need to get the job done. Will you be using an existing case, or fabricating your own? If you buy a case, will you need to add fan ports on the top, bottom, front, back, sides, corners, etc? If so, You'll need an 8cm hole saw (if you plan on using 80mm fans). As for power tools, I never get anything cordless (except for a B&D cordless screwdriver). If you are going to install your own window, I would suggest you get your hands on a jigsaw with a metal cuting blade (the dremel is great, but it gets old after about 43.7 mins). I don't suggest buying Molex removal tools, because I just use a tiny screwdriver, and it works just as well, IMO. Something that wasn't mentioned earlier (I think) is a soldering iron. It helps to have a variable temprature model, but I don't and I've never had a problem. Also, some LED's of your choce are cheap and easy to have on hand. Another thing you will need is sandpaper. As much as you can get. Wet and dry, coarse and fine. I suggest getting or making a sanding block, as it will help you make nice, even strokes. Also, get some work gloves, if you don't have any already. It also helps to have an assortment of files on hand, because there are countless applications for them in modding. Another thing that you should have is some spare wire for extending fan tails, etc. Wire managment is a b!tch, and if you don't do it, they will laugh at you. They will. If you have any questions, just let us know. We love nothing more than telling people what to do!

J