Custom pc case mods how to#
Custom pc case mods free#

Also try and get some masking paper, as it tends to save a slap around the back of the head after you've painted half the garden path. Anything under 400 grit papers for the work we have lined up will just be too harsh and we could end up creating more work than necessary by having to apply several coats of primer to cover the imperfections.Д¬onsumables are often overlooked when buying the right kit, but while you're buying the sexier materials for you chassis you should also grab the following: masking tape, paint thinner and a Stanley knife. Higher values represent finer grades, and therefore smoother finishes.ДЇor this job I have a selection of sand paper ranging from 400 grit up to 1,200 grit. The lower this value, the coarser the grade and thus the rougher the finish. You'll need plenty of Wet 'n' Dry sandpaper, this comes in various grades from rough to fine, the number stamped on the back of the sandpaper designates its grade. Lacquer plays a very important part in finishing the paintwork correctly as it helps to seal the top coat and provide a shiny finish to the paintwork. If you used a grey, black, or red oxide primer you could expect to have a darker red finish, handy to know if you ever want a 'two-tone' paint scheme or just fancy experimenting with different colour shades. Going against the 'general rule' if you painted it red, for instance, using a white primer would give the red a bright finish. If you were to use a dark primer, such as a 'grey' this would discolour the gloss-white finish. The colour of the primer should generally be matched according to the top coat.ДЇor example, a white top coat requires a white primer. For this job we've chosen an Acrylic-based gloss white paint for the topcoat (which we happened to get from Halfords).ДЄfter fighting our way through three-inch bolt-on exhaust pipes and 10,000W speakers we managed to grab the primer for the job as well. Not bad when, as we've already mentioned, powder coating will set you back between ВЈ40 to ВЈ60, while loading up a spray gun costs ВЈ30 for litre and that's before spending a further ВЈ10 in primer, ВЈ20 in lacquer and consumables.Д«efore transforming our ВЈ18 PC chassis from China there are a few things to take into consideration.ДЇirst, what type of paint should we use? There are a wide variety of compound bases, examples include Acrylic, Cellulose, Two Pack (or 2K) and water-based paint. We're aiming for semi-pro Halfords paint job for this first attempt and this will cost you a mere ВЈ20. As our case will feature plenty of curves and bends, we've opted for a mainly acrylic construction.Paint the dull steel interior at a reasonable cost and with the minimum of hassle With a Dremel, a handful of attachements and a set of files, you can create almost anything in the way of PC cases. It's available in a range of different colours too. Acrylic is soft, incredibly easy to shape and can be bent into various forms, making it great for beginners or those without access to CNC or bending machines. There are advantages to using particular materials. A 1m by 2m sheet of acrylic or aluminium shouldn't set you back more than around ВЈ20 and for small cases, this will probably be enough to make the external shell and a few additional pieces. Steel, aluminium or acrylic - they're all easy to work with, and the latter two are relatively cheap too. One of the best things about building your own PC case is that there are countless materials you can use, even if all you have in the way of tools are a Dremel, a drill and some files (usually considered the bare essentials when it comes to modding).

Custom pc case mods free#

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Custom pc case mods how to#

In Part 2, we'll be looking at how to make your job easier by using a donor case for various parts, how to decide which materials to use, such as acrylic or aluminium, and how to install power and reset switches as well as USB ports. We also looked at hardware and cooling choices too, as these can often be key in the design phase, especially if, like us, you're building a PC where space is at a premium. Google's SketchUp is certainly very useful, but even pencil sketches can have huge benefits in the planning stages that will help you spot problems and improvements before you start. In the first part of our Scratchbuilt PC guide, we looked at how we got our project up and running through plenty of design, planning and also using cardboard mockups to get a better idea of how to achieve our goals.