donnybrook

im finishing up a budget builder right now to replace the nothing i currently have (my old rig has finally moved on to a better place) but im not spending much on it. reason being, i want to build a stunner. i want to make it very original and very "RJ" so my question is, for someone who wants to build a custom water cooled case, with minimum wiring and maximum pretty factor. what should i be looking for, and preparing in terms of the case.

here is my basic idea, i want to have the reservoir visible from the outside, i like the tribaloutcast design idea, but im not sure if having custom parts fabricated for this is gonna be a bit out of the question, unless its possible for me to do it by myself. i know people who work as welders and im sure i can get something welded on, but contracting fabricators seems a bit out of budget for me. lol. im not looking for ultra cold and super high tech, im looking for very aesthetically pleasing while staying highly functional.

also i want a case that i can sand off all the finish because im having a friend of mine custom paint it. so something with a good base to paint over, along with a pretty open side window (or one with a completely closed side window that i can turn into something cool)

so firstly, how plausible is this idea in terms of someone new tryin it, and secondly, how account strangling is an endeavor as such? thanks in advance

Warfarin88

It's a pretty safe bet that anytime you use phrases like "custom parts fabricated" and "contracting fabricators" that you are going to start running into your potential "account strangling" scenario pretty quickly. I would imagine your case could quickly and easily outpace the cost of your hardware if you went about it farming out all the craftsmanship.

The catch-22 is that if you want to do it yourself, the tools you need for this sort of work and the material you run through when you make the inevitable mistakes along the way will add up pretty fast too.

Suggestions?

Hrm. If you have the patience and the time, I would look into some of the "bondo" mods out there. You can do some amazing things with some body filler, sand paper, and a little creativity. The entry level here is cheap too. Decent tools for even simple metal work can set you back in a hurry, as can the metal material you need to buy to work with in the first place.

If you want to go the fill, sand, and prime route, I have a few more suggestions:

Yellow page the local auto body supply stores in your area. Make the rounds one afternoon, and talk to the guys at the counters. One of them eventually is bound to be a closet geek like the rest of us. Tell them what you are doing, and that you haven't ever done anything like this before. Find a shop that you're comfortable with, and make it your second home. Don't worry about what brands they carry of if they're priced competitively -- in the long run, your relationship with them and the expertise they can share with you will far outweigh any penny pinching you might find "shopping around".

Look into plastics. They're easy to work with and cheap. Go to the local Home Depot or Lowes and check out the PVC plumbing. Get some ideas there, and take a few fittings or a length of pipe home with you to experiment with. You can make short work of PVC with just basic hand tools and some sheet sand paper if you need too. Pile on a little lightweight body filler and a few primer coats and you can be looking at something very unique and satisfying without breaking the bank.

If nothing else, you can hash out some of your ideas on the cheap rather than diving headlong into areas that might be cost prohibitive for your immediate budget.

Hope I helped, and thank you for occupying my morning cup of coffee.

Good luck!

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Hole Sawing Guide: here

donnybrook

ya i definitely didnt want to have custom work paid for, i wanna make this a 100% done by me type thing. i had an idea this morning about modding a clear case, or creating one and using glass panels (thats what i really want to do, but how reasonable is that? what would the process of making a glass case for a computer entail) or would a plastic case that i drilled and added on to be better, and how would you do that? lol. too many questions im sure... but for anyone getting curios, think, fishtank + case (the water being seperate of course.

Warfarin88

All glass would be next to impossible to ventilate without some serious experience in glass work. Even then, aren't fish tanks usually tempered? If so, then definitely impossible.

Now acrylic. That's too easy (compared to glass anyway). And fishtanks do come in acrylic. I'm not the guy to talk to for that. There are some real plexi pro's around here though, you're definitely at the right place for advice there as you get your project going.

To get help get yours wheels turning, this is a good sight to browse for ideas: www.tapplastics.com

Keep us posted. It sounds like you have some cool ideas brewing.

__________________
Hole Sawing Guide: here