Hi people,

My other case mods, I didn't really do a step-by-step progress report, and for that reason, my stuff was never eligible for the "Featured Pimprig" section. So this time, I will be updating this thread from time to time as I mod my next case, on-the-fly. (I'm not even sure which directions the modding will take; I have some good ideas, but others are vague. We'll all see how it develops as the mod progresses.)

The Victim:

I liked this case because the front bezel didn't have all sorts of crap going on in the lower front area, often where we need to put a fan. I had an idea what to do with the front, and the rather ill-fitting USB port door, but rather than just cut it out, I wanted to make the cut flow with the side vent lines. I'm still not quite sure what's going to happen down there but I have some neat ideas. Wait and see, and check back here!

This case isn't going to be as radical (on the outside, anyway) as the Gargoyle case, and will be my first with a window...because I have some neat things planned for the inside, and I want to show it off.

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schweet! look forward to seeing your progress, and are you going to use the plastic rod on this case?

It's good to see a modding pro back in action...looking forward to your progress! The canvas looks really good - lotsa potential...

I second PJ's sentiment, I am definately looking forward to this one.

Hot Damn! The Coelacanth isn't extinct after all! Looking forward to watching the progress of an old skool do-it-yourself'er.

Quote: Originally Posted by BigAkita Hot Damn! The Coelacanth isn't extinct after all! Looking forward to watching the progress of an old skool do-it-yourself'er.

No kidding when was the last time you posted in the FORUMS??? Hey I am looking forward to this becasue I have the same case just sittling on the floor waiting for somthing to be done with it!!! LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE THIS!!!!

Well, I did some shopping at the local home/hardware store today, and picked up some stuff to flesh out some ideas...even bought me a jigsaw! (Well, I've never done a window before, so I couldn't really do one without a saw...)

However, I seem to have a minor problem...one that I'd asked about many months ago, not sure if I got a good answer to.

If you have a piece of acrylic, and you drill into it, so as to insert a LED, the problem is, the drilled part isn't clear--therefore when the LED is inserted, not much light will enter. The drill-hole doesn't end up clear enough.

I tried putting on some rubbing alcohol, and for a second, it DID seem to clear things up with a bit of fine sanding, but guess what? Suddenly the acrylic became as brittle as rice paper, and practically fell apart in my hands! I don't know much about the chemical properties of acrylic and rubbing alcohol, but I duplicated this...the acrylic remains strong, allows drilling, etc...but the minute rubbing alcohol touches it, it practically shatters. Strange!

So any ideas how to clear up the drill hole?

Quote: Originally Posted by Coelacanth So any ideas how to clear up the drill hole?

Toothpaste and a lotta work. Real toothpoaste 2, nott the gel stufft. Polishing a hole isn;t a big deal anyway, you want the LED to shine paralel to the plexi anyway, than it dosn't matter how clean the edge is. But ignore me now cuz im sauced

Yes, the LED light has to go *through* the acrylic...and the end of the hole, where the drill-bit drilled, isn't clear. I'll consider toothpaste, but I *do* realize that LEDs shine their light straight forward, and very little light comes from the sides.

Take a bit of cotton cloth and wrap it around a small drill bit. Get some plastic polish (you can use the same stuff that is designed to clean tinted windows) and soak the cloth. Run the bit slowly through the hole you made. Should shine that sucker right up.

Plastic polish? You don't happen to have a product name by chance BA? Thanks.

The stuff I have is called RapidClear. It "Cleans, Polishes, and Glazes Plexiglass, Plastic and Glass." You should be able to find something similar at a local hardware store. After all, that's where the true modder shops.

Whenever I put my stuff down at the cashier at the hardware store, they must be wondering "What the hell kinda project is THAT guy working on?!" Because the items I put down have no relation to each other. An acrylic bath-towel ring, an acrylic faucet attachment, some random tubing, a jigsaw, a set of files, and a single drawer pull-handle...

I'm going to try out your idea BA, it's easy to 'frost' a piece of acrylic (that's the eventual plan anyway), then apply plastic polish and see if it clears it up.

I shoulda tried some of that plastic polish. But the toothpaste method worked well for me on clear acrylic. The white toothpaste acts as a very (very) fine abrasive, so I used several levels of sandpaper (worked my way up to 1500 or maybe 2000 grit and wetsanded) before using the toothpaste. BA's method sounds easier though.

I'm gonna try your toothpaste method first, as that means I don't have to spend anything. I've also read that toothpaste can be used to fix minor scratches on CDs causing data errors or music skips...

Here are some more images of objects I'm going to use in the cut-out area of the front bezel. The first image is a facecloth ring or handle of some sort I picked up at the home hardware store for 7 bucks. In this pic, the straight piece is already cut (I forgot to snap the pic before I cut it, hehe!). The next pic is one of the cut 'light tubes', with holes drilled in the ends where LEDs will be inserted. Note: Thanks for the toothpaste suggestion, it worked great, FunkyFresh! The last pic is the finished light tubes, after frosting them on the outsides with 600-grit sandpaper.

More updates coming to the front bezel progress!

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Credit where it's due, Cyno01 beat me to the toothpaste suggestion.

Can't wait to see how this mod turns out!

I admire your ingenuity Coel - I'd give you some more rep, but I'm out at the moment

We have signs of LED life! Here is a hastily-wired frosted "light tube" with a 3V bright red LED on each end...the first pic taken with camera flash on, second with lights out, and flash off. I put a piece of white paper behind it. These 2 LEDs are wired in parallel off the motherboard's HD LED header (which I think outputs 2V, so each LED is getting 2V).

No need for resistors!

I was actually quite amazed myself at how well the idea turned out! The tubes will be quite brightly illuminated, even in daylight. And I don't impress easily, as most people know by now...

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Here are more updates, including my "power on" LED tube. This one has 2 blue LEDs wired in parallel, connected to 5V which will come from an easily connected & disconnected Molex connector. (This will also power some other front-lower lighting, but you'll have to wait a while longer before I get down to working on that.)

The left pic is what it looks like with the room lights on, and the other with lights out. I caught the red drive activity light tube while it was in action.

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