Old pc case mod

[Doom Machine]

went to my garage and snaped some pics of these old computers i obtained for free (were used at a college). my current one is sleek but has cooling issues.

i'm thinking of taking one of these, sanding it down, repaint and maybe put a window kit in it or some other mod work to make it look a bit different....i mainly need it to keep my hardware cool though, so keep that in mind.

which one would make the best case for a high end gaming rig? ...willing to swap parts if possible.

also, what kind of modding would you do to it? ... such as cutting, fiberglass..etc, i'm open to ideas

First up is a Compaq case. looks like it can be used on its side or as a tower.

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/3608/compaq1cm1.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/1945/compaq2dy4.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/1493/compaq3hn7.jpg

Next is a Gateway case.....looks smaller but if you notice, its actually same size as previous.

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/6664/gatewayjz7.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3346/gateway3az5.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/1802/gatway2xv9.jpg

This one is just a mini-atx sized case, so i'd likely cut it up and use it for parts if someone has a good idea.

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9394/oldc2ic4.jpg
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/8920/oldcor1.jpg

 

[Tim]

At a quick glance, cooling wise, the compaq looks like it would be the main choice.

 

[WoodButcher]

I'm liking the compac too,
I don't like the vented side on the gateway, a window would cure that,
You need front and back 120mm fans. Which case is wide enough to accept them?
Mesh can be inlaid in the lower front bezel on both.
Silverstone makes a 3.5" bay front panel audio, usb, 1394 that I used here.
The 5.5"drive bays appear to be more "use-able" "mod-able"in the compac.
Look at my new box thread.

Use the paint for plastics on the plastics, it works great.
This was a beige Toshiba P3 from People PC
Don't do a resevoir like I did, It leaked.:frown:

 

[zagood]

I third the compaq. I couldn't deal with that stability bar...might be handy to some for tying off cables or mounting watercooling, but I hate something that's in the way like that.

That mini-atx, you could do something cute and small just for fun. Flowers and bright colors that kind of crap. Or do nothing, put a few TB of storage on there, hide it in the closet and make it a NAS.

-z

 

[Doom Machine]

thanks guys, the Compaq it is....when i thought of upgrading to the 9900gtx whenever it comes out, i noticed the Compaq definitly had more than 10" of room for a large video card.

paintwise....would enamel spray paint work ok, like modeling paint?

should i sand the whole outside of the case down? i'm thinking i should to make it nice n smooth for a good paint job?

should i Primer first or does it matter?

the rear fansize looks like 80mm. i could probably get a 120mm fan in the front if i cut it out some.
if i chose to lay it on its side, i could get another 2 or 3 120mm fans on the bottom or use leg stands of some sort to raise it up if i use tower position.

i thought pretty hard about just buying a new case...but after looking at newegg, i find some i like but they have features or something about it i really dont like, exterior looks mainly and i hate front door panels but then again i dont use my drives much either, some say certain ones are flimsy...etc...got some thinking to do, so many cases out there
i'd hate to mod mine and later decide i dont like it or screw up the paint job..etc

 

[zagood]

I kind of did the same thing...I want to get into heavy modding but won't throw away money on new cases. I've got a collection of oldies sitting in the garage waiting for the dremel.

-z

edit: sorry, links...

http://www.casemodgod.com
http://www.mnpctech.com/CaseModTutorials.html

 

[jspace]

Sanding and priming are a must for a good paint job.

 

[Zepper]

Sanding for sure, but you shouldn't need to prime unless you sand down to bare metal or are using some sort of incompatible paint.

.bh.

 

[Doom Machine]

so maybe enamel spray paint work ok?

i think its a mixture of aluminum and plastic...so will that aluminum be a problem with certain kinds of paint?

 

[WoodButcher]

Aluminum is no prob, it is the plastic that many paints won't stick to. Krylon fusion is great stuff. That toshiba I did was beige so if the black on top scratches it shows. 2 years and it still looks good. I just read the label and it says it's good for metal though I haven't tried it on metals yet.

 

[jellyrole]

I'm tired of people saying you need to use primer for a so called good paint job. Sand it down, clean it off with some acetone and paint. However, clear coat on top of that is a good plus, adds a good look to your work.

 

[WoodButcher]

If you use acetone on plastic be careful. It will eat many plastics and all paints, I use laquer thinner and it is similar but not quite as reactive. In either case don't wet the surface, dampen a lint free rag and wipe lightly just to tack off the dust.