ok, i've finally gotten to it...time to cut a window. i'll post pics as i go (please forgive the quality of the pics: i'm using a camera that isn't so good with pic quality).
this is what i started with yesterday....will post another pic after i finish file work and sanding today (will also attempt...again...to get some useable pics of the inside of my case. (note, the flames are just doodles...don't know if i'm gonna go for flames or not).

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Looks good, can't wait to see the results.

thanks spectrum! here's the pretty much finished cut (needs some more sanding), and the front and side of comp (note the rat's nest of wires in front of psu...i'm getting slack w/ zip ties). here's the rub: i want to put some flames on the side panel (next to the skull, but i don't know if i should cut another big window and etch the flames onto plexi, or if i should do the cut out to correspond with the shape of the flames. feedback would be very much appreciated (as always)....oh, the eye and nose holes for the skull will be etched onto the plexi for the window.

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Wow, that looks kick ass. I don't think it'd look good to see a big window next to it with the flames. If you have the skill, it'd look nice if you cut the flames into the metal with the plexi behind it.

thanks spectrum, you're very kind. i'm attempting to draw the flames...this could take a while. will post pics as i make progress. (thanks again spectrum, i really appreciate the encouragement).

Very NICE!!! For a first window that is really good!

I know its prolly a WIP (work in progress) but clean the wires and paint that HDD rack. It will look really nice then, and didnt that window have eyes? I saw the last thread, I thought it was a face, no?

Welll anyways, nice job. Cant wait to see the case finished...

thanks dimazz...the agenda is: finish exterior of case and then move to the interior. i have rearranged everything so many times that i don't want to do any wire management (above and beyond zip ties) until i get everything figured out (i'd like to sleeve and hide the wires which means i'll probably have to fab some wire channels). the eyes and nose are going to be etched into the plexi, and i'm going to mount leds on the edge (of the plexi).

I dont know if youve already cut the flames in but imo the flames would look slick if they were painted on without cutting anymore of the case.

i agree....but...i REALLY suck at painting (and i'm being kind).

ok...7 hours and countless sheets of paper later...i have decided that i CAN'T draw (actually, i can draw, just not very well)! i have outsourced the flames graphic to a friend (i hope). sooo, on to something else. i have 6 rather tall, oddly threaded thumbscrews on the front of my case (case was sold w/ plexi front cover, i'm not using it), and i found a pretty cule skull bracelet. nope, that wasn't a nonsequitur: i'm going to cut up the bracelet, chop the heads of the thumbscrews,as necessary, and hopefully i'll have skull-thumbscrews!

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First time mod huh? Well very nice job bro! I like how it is coming along!! Hope it turns out great for yeah!!

thanks phlakz'r, much appreciated. ok, i had an extra skull, and some extra thumbscrews. so i decided to make a test run : whack stuff w/ a hacksaw. it's late and i live in an apartment...no powertools.; i don't want to disturb the neighbors. the finished product is rough as heck, but i wanted to see what i would have to do to get the skull (its hollow) to fit over the thumbscrew. as time allows, i'm going to cut the heads of the thumbscrews and notch the back of the skulls. after filing and sanding, i'll use epoxy to secure the skulls to the thumbscrews. hopefully, in the meantime, i'll get the flame graphics/ template for the window. will post picks as i progress.
thanks for all of the positive feedback everyone, i really appreciate it.

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well, this is my last attempt at flame graphics. depending on feedback, i'll either cut, or try outsourcing again (wasn't happy with first outsource).
as it stands, i'm iffy on the flames and my girlfriend hates them (she thinks they look like oversized amoebas).
so, what do the pimps think?

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I say no. Haha, but the flames arent flame looking..... They are to perfect and repetitive.

I can draw flames, if ya want Ill draw ya some.

ok, i changed my idea about mounting the skulls onto my thumbscrews. instead of mounting them straight onto the thumbscrews (kind of boring), i drilled out the eyes of the skulls and mounted them on some gutted out shielded phono jacks which were run through the front of the case by overdrilling the thumbscrew holes (the end effect gave me a hollow threaded rod that was a smaller diameter than i could otherwise find). i then ran red leds into the phono jacks. end result: silver skulls with glowing red eyes (a big thanks goes out to all of the pimps who helped me with my wiring and led questions - esp. jonny english for the excellent guide on leds). i'm not entirely done with this project, but here's some pics of what i have so far (forgive the quality on some of them...i did the best i could with what i had).

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some more pics.

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last two. thanks again everyone for all of the help (it's very much appreciated).

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Pretty sweet mod even though I'm not into the skull theme. Great job none the less!

Those flames looked like those jewish candle things(don't know what it's called), but nice job on cutting the window, and I like the skulls with glowing eyes, I must say you did a nice job. If you don't have power tools, how did you cut that window out?

Goodjob, I wanna see the finished project one day .

thanks feral (i appreciate the kind words). i honestly don't know where in the heck the skull theme came from, but it just sort of took hold and snowballed. i think my next mod is going to be an attempt at making some custom fan grills (window is on hold until i decide if i'm going to put a case fan in the side over my cpu).

EDIT: turbopsi - my apologies, i have some powertools; i just have to use them sparingly as i live in an apartment and don't want to piss off the neighbors. the majority of the window was cut with a nibbler. the edges and thin cuts were made with a dremel. then filing and sanding. thanks for the praise.