My Second Mod: Project PT (COMPLETE)

[RaDragon]

*gasp* This is only my second mod. Hard to believe, eh? Anyway, I think I'm going to have a bit of time (and a bit of money) stashed away for this special mod... It's actually for my big sis. She's always been supportive of me and I want to do this special case for her.

It's called Project PT (or Project Purple Tulips).

I vaguely have an idea of what I want to do, but I haven't a clue what kind of rig it'll be (most likely AMD Athlon, but if I run outta $$$ it'll be Intel Celery). It won't be a top-of-the-line machine, just something that she can run her MS office stuff (and something that can run CS, The Sims 2, etc.)

Anyway, here's my plan of attack for the design:

It'll be a simple-straight-forward casemod. Side-panel window, blowhole, lighting... Below is the design for one of the side panels:



As you can see, it'll be a bit different.

I don't know yet what the other side panel will look like... It'll prolly be the same, for simplicity's sake. But if I get really creative, I'll figure out something else.

The case itself will be all purple (she loves the colour purple). I already have a purple keyboard for her, but I doubt that anyone sells purple LEDs. So it'll prolly be stock for now.

The lighting might actually be red (as a contrast) and the interior (case chasis color) will be flat black (again, as a contrast).

Since I'm only in the planning stages, suggestions/comments are more than welcomed!

My biggest challenge will be... where to find a plethora of purple paint!

Stay tuned!

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Posted 16 June 2005

ok, i bought the paints and it was easier to find than what i envisioned it to be. here are the painting goodies!


(click for larger version, and other photos)

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Posted 20 June 2005

Ok, here's the computer I ordered for my sis... It's the beast that I'll be modifying!


(Click on the photo above for more, erm, photos!)
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See the latest post:
7-3-2005:
http://forums.gideontech.com/viewtopic.php?p=332281#332281

Large-version of photos here.

7-5-2005:
http://forums.gideontech.com/viewtopic.php?p=332396#332396

Large-version of photos
http://www.radragon.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=56&pos=39

7-6-2005:
http://forums.gideontech.com/viewtopic.php?p=332511#332511

Large-version of photos:
http://www.radragon.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=56&pos=51

7-7-2005:
Morning:
http://forums.gideontech.com/viewtopic.php?p=332573#332573

Large-version of photos:
http://www.radragon.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=9&pos=0
Afternoon:
http://forums.gideontech.com/viewtopic.php?p=332626#332626

Large-version of photos:
http://www.radragon.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=56&pos=58

------------
My Post:
http://forums.gideontech.com/index.php?topic=30671.msg338598#msg338598

Here's the final product:

     


     


Larger photos can be found here:
http://www.radragon.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=56

[blafrisch]

Purple CCFL: http://www.xpcgear.com/vantecccflpurp.html

Ultra Violet LEDs in my experience look very purplish

Purple paint is harder to come by that isnt the kind in a bucket.

[urgannagru]

the answer to the purple LEDs:
red+blue=purple
enjoy

[Hak Foo]

Might be a chance to try airbrushing.  A basic airbrush sells for about $20, less if your local crafts shop runs a coupon every week (mine does a 40-percent-off one weekly )  I'm doing my present case in it, and a previous one I did for practice I actually did a purple made by mixing the remanants of the blue and red paints I had.

Try diluting gloss acrylics with equal amounts of water.

[KJSatz]

Well uhh on the left panel with the window and the tulips, I'd say make use of contact paper which you've colored/whatever ahead of time rather than trying to cut that all into the metal.  It's an easy way to make a complex window on a side panel out of just a giant piece of plexi/acryllic.

[BalefireX]

Two words:
Stained glass.

The Tulips should be translucent ("Stained Glass" Acrylic kits are easy to find and make) and when lit from behind they'd look really awesome.  Also, if you used one of the kits where you made it out of beads and then cooked it in the oven to make the "glass", you'd be saved a lot of paintwork and would simply have to lay out beads on a pattern

[RaDragon]

Excellent ideas!

I was considering the stained glass route but that would be too easy Maybe on the other panel, I'll put a small stained glass window

Hak Foo -- I'll look up that airbrushing thingy. I've always wanted to get one of those anyway

Tomorrow, I will go check out Home Depot, Lowes and my local crafts store to see my options (for paint). I don't want to spend too much on this mod, since I have to get the system, too!

[Hak Foo]

For paint, what I've been using is the 'Apple Barrel' gloss acrylics they sell in craft shops; I was a bit dissatisfied with the coat of the black, seemed a little less "slick glossy" than "pebbly and glossy", but there were likely problems with poor sanding and priming, and the fact it was 102 degrees as I was spraying.  The colours seem lickably smooth, even the red I applied over part of the problem black.

They come in like a dozen colours in gloss, and sell for like 70 cents a two-oz bottle.  With color mixing an option, a narrow stock range isn't a problem.

If you want matte paint too, the Delta Ceramcoat range goes on very matte at about $1 for 2 ounce bottle, but it's more delicate IME than the Apple Barrel-- scrapes easily, esp. if wetted.

If you get the inexpensive Badger 250-2 airbrush kit, you will want to spend a little extra for the compressor adaptor and use a proper compressor, not little cans of propellant.  I think some brushes tend to come with these adaptors (I got a cheapo one from Harbor Freight, and it had one, but the brush itself was flimsy and the handle wouldn't remain attached)  The cup on said kit holds about 1 ounce of paint (I think it might actually be 3/4)-- I get about 3 or 4 refills from the 2oz bottle, cos I fill it half-way, then add water).  The adapter was actually more of a pain to find than an airbrush; the crafts shop sold the brush, but I had to go to a specialty art-supply house to get the adaptor; IIRC it was like $5 or 6.

[nOObee]

Rad, you might want to look into automotive paints.  I have noticed some really interesting colors on the road recently, including a neon purple.

while an airbrush compressor is nice to have, it is relatively expensive unless you will be using it quite a bit.   i did notice that harbor freight salvage has one on sale for like 70 bucks, in-store price only.   they also have alot of other modding tools on sale, which i will try to post under cheapskates tonite if i'm not dead tired.

also, i like bale's idea alot.   definitely something i'll have to try.

[glassx]

Excellent ideas!

I was considering the stained glass route but that would be too easy Maybe on the other panel, I'll put a small stained glass window

Gotta tell you straight up... Its not easy:P

Like bale said, you can get kits... Get the kind that you need to set in with heat (hairdryer), they work a lot better. The final product is amazing though,I did something with one of those kits in art a while back, and brought in some LED's and shone em through, looked beautiful.