lurin

Well I bought an Antec P182 and when I got it I was so happy. Till I looked at it and saw the plastic the paint scheme I had was out of the picture now. So what am I to do? After looking at it for a few months and working on it I have a few ideas about what to do to it. Wanted to know if I could get some info from the modders of the world. Here is a few of the ideas if had in my head that have stopped the dremel.

One of the ideas I had came to me as was looking at the side panel for window placement. I noticed that the panel on the inside had a raised square with a raised x in the center. It has a weird three layer design for sound dampening. Aluminum plastic aluminum.
I thought about cutting the triangles that the X made out of the panel. Prying and cutting the raised parts of the inner panel away leaving the outer aluminum part of the panel.
The end idea is to have an X made up of about 1 ¼ inch strips in the center with an approximately 3 inch border and four cut outs in the center from the outside. On the inside the same as out just the raised part in the panel after cutting would be gone and a few extra millimeters of room given.
Then take the panel to the place I get my raw Plexiglas from. Give it to them to take measurements for the CNC machine and have them cut a piece. Shave enough off the piece of plexi to mount it on the inside of the panel so that it sits flush on the outer side as if there were no cuts. As well as filling the places the raised parts of aluminum were on the inside of the panel.

I have also been thinking about scraping the exterior of the chassis and starting from scratch. Either by making new panels and bezel from Carbon Fiber, Fiber glass, a mix of the two (both the Carbon fiber and Fiber glass), Plexiglas, or new aluminum and just go nuts from there and do what ever I can to it.
I know that if I do decide to go past the window mod and scrap the exterior of the case I am going to have to bring the old Junker out of the corner and take the lamp off it.

__________________
Kentsfield or a Conroe Kentsfield or a Conroe Kentsfield or a Conroe........ Pyren
SORRY AND YES I KNOW IM WORKING ON THE CAMERA

spacegoast

that would be sweet. if i had the time, tools, and money i would mod the hell out of my p180 case.

have you though about putting a fan on the side panel?

post some pics of your rig too. in any case good luck with the modding.

lurin

Thank you spacegoast
And no i never really thought about putting fans in the side panel..... but i am now.

__________________
Kentsfield or a Conroe Kentsfield or a Conroe Kentsfield or a Conroe........ Pyren
SORRY AND YES I KNOW IM WORKING ON THE CAMERA

spacegoast

you could also paint the case. i plan on painting mine some time in the near future.
also i have a cable management thread if you need tips for wire management. the wiring is a little different though with the p182 since it has those slot in the mobo backplate, makes it easier. check it out though.
http://www.overclock.net/case-mods-general-discussion/215819-antec-p180-p182-cable-mod-pictorial.html

lurin

Thats what i had origanaly planed on doing to the case but the plastic on it made me stop. I know I can get a metal like finish on the plastic with great work and prep. But the amount of plastic that is there to get prepped is so vastly spread out yet so little of it there. Painting the exterior is almost out but if I do then I probably will leave the plastic alone and only paint the Aluminum parts of the door and side panels.
and i love the cable managment features of the case. That is why i got it over the P180.
Sorta sucks that just after i got my P182 the come out with the P190. I think thats the name of it. Pissed me right off. But the price difference probally would have stoped me.

__________________
Kentsfield or a Conroe Kentsfield or a Conroe Kentsfield or a Conroe........ Pyren
SORRY AND YES I KNOW IM WORKING ON THE CAMERA

spacegoast

ya i am going to leave the plastic on top alone and paint the side panels, front door and the back. the front panel, the top, and the back will be black while the side panels and the front door will be red. at least thats the plan lol. these cases are so awesome though, so much you can do with them. just need some tools for it.

lurin

Well so far.... I havent done any thing to it. The guy that works the CNC machine wont be back in the shop till around Halloween. So I haven’t done anything but try to figure out what to do to it.
The only thing that sucks is as I was going threw the old parts and tools room the other day I found a case that is beyond old the thing was not worth it to try to salvage into a new computer case four anything other than a mini ATX board, a ITX board , or maybe a XBOX board, but I was thinking of using it to house a mobile back up system. A small PSU, a SATA Prot Multiplier, a few hard drives, and 2 DVD burner’s.
To let all know this mod didnt sie just got put on hold till the peices can be made. the work log for it will be posted with pics.
I did do a Sketch up drawing

__________________
Kentsfield or a Conroe Kentsfield or a Conroe Kentsfield or a Conroe........ Pyren
SORRY AND YES I KNOW IM WORKING ON THE CAMERA