Modding FAQ - Common Mods

[W-L]

Image Above Provided by: LittleCarrot

For the New Layout of the Modding FAQ click Here.

Hey everyone so after some time I decided to finally create this FAQ for the modding section of the forums with some encouragement from Scheer on the Forums. This will basically go over some of the most common mods, contain reference materials for wiring, painting, components, and templates, with detailed instructions for all the mods.

 

Hope you all find it useful and enjoy! 
 
Table of Contents
General Wiring

Terminal Types

PSU Pinouts and Diagrams

Sleeving

Powering RGB LED's

Wiring up LED Strips

5V or 7V Molex Mod

Modding

Templates and Dimensions

Materials

Tools(Cutting)

Window Mod

PSU Shrouds

Vinyl Wrap and Decals 

Painting

General Painting

Plasti-Dip

Motherboard and RAM Painting

PSU Painting 

GPU Painting

 

Reviews/Information on Modding Supplies or Components

This is an informal section where different things regarding modding or reviews will be added periodically.

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/407754-modding-faq-common-mods/?p=5493607

Review of Addon Custom's LED's

EL Lighting

 

If there is anything you want to see added, or contribute let me know by either posting below or messaging me I'm always open to new ideas.

 

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General Wiring:

 

Terminal Types

This is a general overview of all the terminals one may encounter inside their PC when sleeving or making new cables.

Spoiler

 ATX Terminal (Female):

There are multiple types of terminals the main ones being ATX pins for the power cables to the 24 pin, PCI-E and EPS connectors and also on the PSU end for modular cables (for most PSUs).
 
 Molex Terminal (Female):

These are mainly used for auxiliary power to motherboards, devices such as fans, LED strips, and assorted accessories. Sata is more common these days but molex was used on older hard drives.
 
  Fan Terminal (Female):

Fan Terminals are mainly used as their name specifies, for fan connections and sometimes LED strips.
 
 Dupont Terminal (Female):

This terminal is what you will mostly see for your front panel connectors, internal USB 2.0 connections, and internal audio headers.
 
Sata Crimp Terminal:

Sata is mainly used for hard drives, disc readers and some powering auxiliary devices such as fan splitters or LED strips.The crimp on Sata connections are less used since most are push-in style sata connectors are cheaper and quicker providing a 90 degree connection.
 

Images Above Provided by: Lutro0customs

 

 

PSU Pinouts and Diagrams

PSU pinouts are mainly used for custom sleeving and this includes the diagrams of all the connectors.

Spoiler

For the general pinout diagrams of each connector that plugs into each component they will be referenced below, but for modular PSU’s each PSU and manufacture/OEM has a unique pinout which are mostly available in the repository for many units.
 
Repository of Modular PSU pinouts:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1420796/repository-of-power-supply-pin-outs

 

 

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24 Pin Connector:

 

8 Pin EPS Connector:

 

6+2 Pin PCI-E Connector:

 

Molex and Floppy Connector:

 

Sata Power Connector:

 

3 & 4 pin Fan Connector:

 

 

Sleeving

Image Provided by: Lutro0customs

Sleeving is a very popular option for customizing a system to match a certain color scheme or look. This will cover paracord and PET(plastic) sleeving and both heatshrink and heatshrinkless style.

Spoiler

Tools and Parts Required:

• Pin/Terminals Removal tools
• Flush Cutters and Scissors
• Sleeving Heatshrink
• Lighter and/or Heatgun
• Super Glue – Gel Type (optional)

 

Making New Wires:

• Crimp Terminals and Terminals
• 18AWG or 16AWG wire
• Wire Strippers
• Connectors

 

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Before starting this project it’s recommended to make a pinout diagram to ensure no wires are mixed up during the sleeving process and to test connections after with a multimeter or PSU tester to ensure the cables are properly connected. In the PSU Pinouts and Diagrams section of this post is a good place to start.

 

For further information and details on check this great guide by Lutro0custom’s FAQ on sleeving and his videos:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1262900/frequently-asked-sleeving-questions

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT7p3y4df3uwYYZI7bcdJAA

 

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Sleeving, Heatshrink Sizes, and Wires:

     First going over the different sizes of sleeving and uses, for the majority of individual sleeving inside of a system it will consist of 4mm sleeve. Other wires such as front panel connectors can be done with 2-4mm sleeve where thicker USB or audio cables might require a large diameter 6-8mm sleeve and for sata data most will work with 8-10mm sizes. 

     Paracord is more limited in sizes where 550 paracord (Type III – 3-4mm) is for individual sleeving, and the only larger diameter size being 650-750 paracord (Type IV - 6mm), so as of right now there is no paracord type material for sata data sleeving.

 

     Heatshrink comes in different shrink ratios, ideally 3:1 is best at compressing and holding the sleeving since it shrinks 3 times it’s original size, for individual sleeving 6mm (~1/4”) is required. For others such as USB, Audio and Sata data cables they require 10-12mm (~3/8”-1/2”) heatshrink. If heatshrink style sleeving is done adhesive lined heatshrink can help stick and hold the sleeve onto the wire when heated but tends to be more stiff and inflexible to regular non-adhesive lined heatshrink. If the heatshrinkless style is being done with the heatshrink method, it is used to compress and melt the sleeving down onto the crimp but needs to be remove after that so regular non-adhesive heatshrink is required.

     A useful trick with heatshrink is it can be expanded/pulled to a larger size with a pair of pliers to fit over connectors such as sata data but will still shrink down when heated as if it was never expanded.

 

     If custom cables are going to be made 18AWG (0.82mm²) stranded wire is the standard size, where larger 16AWG (1.29mm²) is also common but may require large diameter cable combs if they are used. If PET sleeving is being done a similar colored wire under the sleeving is desirable since the color of the wires can sometimes show through the weaving where paracord doesn’t have this kind of problem. 

 

 

Heatshrink Style Sleeving

Spoiler

     For the heatshrink method of sleeving sourcing some precut sections of heatshrink or making a jig to cut small sections to keep things consistent is ideal for a neat and clean job. The length of the heatshrink is up to the user’s preferences but in this guide the pieces are 17mm (~11/16”). To start, layout the wires to measure out the proper length of sleeve for the job, remember the sleeving will be stretched once on the wire to ensure it’s tight. When cutting the sleeving using the flush cutters or sharp pair of scissors works well, but be sure to immediately melt the ends of the cut with a lighter to prevent the sleeve from unravelling or fraying when working with it. Make sure the melted ends are slightly flat/tapered to not form a large blob. For PET(plastic) based sleeving you can use the compress and pinch (slinky) type method of pushing the sleeve over the crimp terminal to expand the sleeve. For paracord sleeving it doesn’t expand like PET sleeve so using a sleeving tool (tube or threading tool) can help feed it over the crimp terminal. Applying some tape or heatshrink temporarily over the terminal can prevent snagging during this process.

Right Image Provided by: Lutro0customs

 

     The first few tries may require some trial and error to get the correct length of sleeve, but once the correct length is achieved noting down the length for the next few wires in that cable can help speed things along. When measuring for sleeving be sure to have the sleeving set back from the crimped terminal approx. 7mm (~9/32”) so the sleeving/heatshrink will butt up tightly with the back edge of the connector. (This can vary slightly due to tolerances during manufacturing of the connectors so it’s best to double check each one). When installing the sleeving adding a drop of super glue just before the end of the sleeving can help ensure it stays in place during stretching and prevent it from moving over time. The heatshrink will cover any spill over or residue that can occur.

 

     Next add on the precut piece of heatshrink so that it covers the crimp terminal that fastens down on the insulation and is only half way onto the crimped copper wire section, if it is too far forward it will have problems during re-installation back into the connector. Some recommend to have the heatshrink all the way down to the front of the crimped wire section (two small prongs) but that tends to make it more difficult during re-installation into the connector due to a taper inside that helps align and guide the crimp into place. Use the heatgun or carefully with a lighter to shrink down the heatshrink until tight to the wire and sleeving, making sure the heatshrink is slightly tapered and compressed down at that front end of the terminal. 

 

     To reinstall make sure the wings/tabs (circled in photo) on the crimp are not compressed down, if they are carefully lift them up since these are what hold the terminal inside the connector. Make sure it is in the correct orientation where the two small prongs are up when installing into the connector, an audible click should be heard when it locks into place.

 

     Next repeat the process on the other end of the wire with the same method ensuring everything lines up nicely to get a neat and clean job. When sleeving the other end be sure to pull the sleeve from the finished end all the way to the end that’s being worked on so that the sleeve is nice and tight on the wire. (Using a ratcheting bar clamp to hold the wire just before the finished end can be quite helpful to pull the sleeve tight while working on the other side).

 

 

     When all the cables are in place some ends of heatshrink may not line up perfectly or be crooked which can be fixed. Using the heatgun carefully warm the heatshrink on all the wires to then carefully push or pull them to align everything all straight using one’s fingers. Make sure to keep the heat gun moving and on a low setting to not melt the connector or sleeve. Sometimes if they are too far misaligned that piece of heatshrink will need to be cut off and redone.

 

Other Images Provided by: W-L

 

Heatshrinkless Style Sleeving

Spoiler

     For heatshrinkless sleeving similar to previously start by laying out the wires to measure out the length of sleeving require. Remember the sleeving will need to be stretched on the wire to ensure it’s tight. When cutting the sleeving using the flush cutters or sharp pair of scissors works well, but be sure to immediately melt the ends of the cut with a lighter to prevent the sleeving from unraveling or fraying when working with it. Make sure the melted ends are slightly flat/tapered to not form a large blob. For PET(plastic) based sleeving you can use the compress and pinch (slinky) type method of pushing the sleeve over the crimp terminal to expand the sleeve. For paracord sleeving it doesn’t expand like PET so using a sleeving tool (tube or threading tool) can help feed it over the crimp terminal. Applying some tape or heatshrink temporarily over the terminal can prevent snagging during this process.      

Right Image Provided by: Lutro0customs

 

     The first few tries may require some trial and error to get the correct length of sleeve, but once the correct length of sleeving is achieved the first time noting down the length can help speed things along for the next set of wires on this cable. For the heatshrinkless method the sleeving needs to extend halfway onto the crimped copper wire section where it will be melted down into place. While not a bad idea adding a small drop of super glue onto the crimped insulation section of the wire can hold it in place.

 

 

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There are two main ways of melting down the sleeving onto the terminal and this will cover both

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Using Heatshrink for Melting:

     After add a piece of heatshrink over the sleeve to where it lines up with the end of the sleeving, this is used to shrink down, melt, and compress the sleeving down onto the crimp but will be removed right after. Heat only the front section of the heatshrink using a lighter concentrating where it shrinks down on the end of the sleeving, keep heating for another 5-10 seconds to where the sleeving inside starts to melt. Once done quickly press down on the melted section to push the melted sleeve to a taper. Becareful when doing this as it is very hot so having a wet sponge to dip one’s fingers in while completing this can save them from burning their fingertips. The heatshrink can be removed immediately after using the pair of side cutter from the unshrunk end slicing along to the front.

 

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No Heatshrink for Melting:

     Another method is to not use heatshrink to help compress/melt the end of the sleeving but instead to quickly pinch and press down on the melted sleeve around the terminal to a taper as before with one’s fingers. Becareful during this process since both the crimped terminal and melted sleeve can get very hot. Once again having wet sponge to dip one’s fingers in while completing this can save them from burning their fingertips. Both methods are effective at achieving the same results and can be used on both PET and Paracord based sleeve where PET does seem to fair better with the heatshrink method of melting since it tends to unravel during heating unlike paracord.

(Sleeving Above is Paracord)

 

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     To reinstall make sure the wings/tabs (circled in photo) on the crimp are not compressed down, if they are carefully lift them up since these are what hold the terminal inside the connector. Make sure it is in the correct orientation where the two small prongs are up when installing into the connector, an audible click should be heard when it locks into place.

 

     Repeat the process on the other end of the wire with the same method ensuring everything lines up nicely to get a neat and clean job. When sleeving the other end be sure to pull the sleeve from the finished end all the way to the end that’s being worked on so that the sleeve is nice and tight on the wire. (Using a ratcheting bar clamp to hold the wire just before the finished end can be quite helpful to pull the sleeve tight while working on the other side).

Other Images Provided by: W-L

 

Sata and Molex Sleeving

Spoiler

Lutro0Customs covers sata sleeving in more than the few ways shown here under “How To Sleeve Sata Pass-Through or Crimp Style Power Connectors”:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1262900/frequently-asked-sleeving-questions

 

         For sleeving molex and sata cables if there are multiple daisy chained together (more than two connectors) there will be some issues since the sleeving cannot easily thread down between chains of molex or sata connectors. So only two sets of connectors can be easily sleeved. If more are desired new cables will need to be made sleeved along the way or more preferably push-in, or inline style of molex or sata connectors are best since they make sleeving cleaner and quicker. 

Left Image Provided by: W-L

     For that method the push-in or inline connectors can be removed for sleeving or done where only the main section to the PSU is sleeved with colored wires matching the sleeving for the wire.

Image Above Provided by: Lutro0customs

 

     For two molex or sata connectors, modify a harness by removing the extra ones is the best solution if very few connections are needed in the system. To remove the extra connector’s first take off the connector from the second molex or sata coming from the PSU side, this is now going to be the last one in the chain of connectors. On the terminal crimp use a pair of side cutters or fine pliers to lift the crimped section only on the insulation side to allow for the flush cutter to cut off the extra connector’s cleanly, do this for all 4 or 5 wires. The tabs should be bent back down into place onto the wire’s insulation when this is done. Now as usual sleeve the cable as the others, where the wires meet together in the first molex or sata is where things can get tricky.

 

     The first method is to cut the sleeve short so a piece of heatshrink can be applied over both wires going into the crimp terminal to hold the sleeve down into place. The second method is to have both piece of sleeve come up together as tight as possible and one piece of heatshrink to go over both pieces of sleeve and the crimp terminal to hold it into place. With this method doing a bevel cut between the sleeve and adding a drop of super glue is a good idea to ensure it stays in place.

Left Image Provided by: W-L, Right Image Provided by: Lutro0customs

     

     With the heatshrinkless method, where the two pieces of sleeving are cut at an angle or bevel to each other and melted down together as close as possible to the crimp. This is all hidden by the recess of the molex or sata connector, but can be fairly tricky to get right and will take more time than doing the heatshrink methods.

 

 

 

 

Powering RGB LED's

RGB LED strips will require a controller to cycle through the different colors and modes and to power that requires a special adapter.

Spoiler

Tools and Parts Required:

• 2.1mm DC Jack (Barrel Connector)
• Male Molex
• Solder Iron and Rosin Core Solder
• Heatshrink or Electrical Tape
• Crimper/Terminals (optional)

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     To make the adapter a 2.1mm DC jack and a male molex or sata adapter will be required, for 12V take note of the colored wires or orientation of the molex plug to determine the voltages. Strip back the wires for the 2.1mm jack and molex/sata connector to prepare the wires for soldering, connect the black lead of the connector to the negative end of the dc jack and the yellow 12V to the red positive lead. Similarly if new cables are being made once the terminals are crimped ensure they are installed in the correct locations. For soldering once complete be sure to insulate the connection for heat shrink be sure to slide the tube into place before soldering.

 

For the DC jack the orientation of the barrel connections where the negative connection should be on the exterior and positive on the interior of the barrel, but to confirm this a polarity diagram should be present on the RGB controller for you to ensure it is correctly orientated including the voltage.

 

 

Wiring up LED Strips

For LED strips there are multiple ways of wiring them for operation, one using by soldering and another with LED crimp connections.

Spoiler

For a more in depth video instructions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTRLt-fzTwg

 

For both Situations the LED's must be cut on the marked lines of the LED strip of they will have a portion that will not function.

 

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Soldering

Tools and Parts Required:

• LED Strip
• Soldering Iron and Rosin Core Solder
• Hookup Wire (22AWG Min.)
• Heatshrink or Electrical Tape
• Knife and Scissors
• Power Connector or Crimp Terminals

 

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     For the LED strips if it has a clear waterproof coating applied it will need to be removed from the copper contacts before soldering. For single color LED strips they should be labeled positive and negative for the two contacts which can be connected to power either through a molex, sata power, or 3pin fan connector as desired for 12V operation. The solder point need to be insulate using heatshrink or electrical tape and the wire can be sleeved if desired.

      For RGB or RGBW LED strips they will have 4 and 5 contacts accordingly for each color with one common positive line, which requires the power leads to be soldered on and then connected to the controller box/module which provides power and controls the different colors and lighting modes.

 

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Crimp Connections

Tools and Parts Required:

• LED Strip
• LED Crimp Connections
• Knife and Scissors
• Power Connector
• Crimper and Terminals

     For LED crimp connections be sure to have the correct crimps since the two main variants for SMD5050 LED (12mm) and SMD3258 LED (8mm). If there is any waterproofing coating it must be removed from the copper contacts before the LED crimp is applied. When crimping be sure the contacts are aligned and that the surfaces of the contacts are clean before closing down on the LED strip. Similar to previously for single color LED's the power connection it can be connected to molex, sata power or 3 pin fan connector as desired for 12V.

     For the RGB, or RGBW LED strips they will then need to be connect into the controller box/module which provides power and controls the different colors and lighting modes.  

 

 

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Power Connections

 

 

5V or 7V Molex Mod

Image Provided by: Lutro0customs

This is a method of manually undervolting fans that are directly power to the PSU to run quieter without low noise adapters.

Spoiler

Tools and Parts Required:

• Molex Terminal Removal Tool
• Precision Screwdriver or Pin

 

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     This is a fairly simple mod where the work will be done on the fan side of the molex connector or adapter. All that needs to be done is to reconfigure the positive and negative power leads to read either 5V, 7V, 12V. Using the molex pin removal tool to remove the terminals from the connector it can be then reconfigure to any of these setups above to achieve a potential difference of 7V using both the 12V and 5V lines or all the way down to 5V using a GRD and 5V lines. Sometimes the tabs that hold the terminals in place can get flatten so using the small screwdriver or pin it can be lifted back out to hold when re-inserted into the connector. When reinstalling the terminals an audible click should be heard.

 

Note the orientation of the connector with the side that has the two chamfered edges for the location of each terminal.

 

Image Above Provided by: Tomshardware.com

 

 

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Modding:

 

For a bunch of great modding guides and ideas, check out MNPCTech.com:

http://mnpctech.com/case-mod-tutorials.html

 

Templates & Dimensions

Image Provided by: MNPCTech.com

This will include many templates and measurements of motherboards, fan cut-outs and a variety of other diagrams.

Spoiler

Fan Templates:

http://mnpctech.com/pc-cooling-fan-templates.html

 

Motherboard Dimensions:

http://www.10stripe.com/featured/form/atx.php

 

PSU Diagrams:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/power-supply-specifications-atx-reference,3061-4.html

 

HDD and SSD:

http://support.wdc.com/images/kb/3_5_emount.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1gJYEzRW7tM/Tn3g4FEScCI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/qMZLMGv3-2k/s1600/Micron_P400e_Enterprise_SATA_SSD_Review-picture-5.jpg

Spoiler

 

 

 

Materials

For creating new panels, mounting plates, covers, or even entire cases many different materials can be used and each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Spoiler

Rigid Plastic:

ABS - 105 °C

PVC - 80 °C

Acrylic - 105 °C

Polycarbonate - 147 °C

 

     For most acrylic or a plastic of sorts they will be ideal for mounting HDD, controllers, or other electronic PCB’s to prevent short circuiting.

 

     For cutting plastics most are best cut on on the table saw but for curves or contours using a band saw or jigsaw is a great option. The most important thing is to support the piece properly and having the proper cutting blades.

     Most plastics are prefinished and can vary from matte to high gloss, transparent to opaque however they can be paint, vinyl wrap or plasti-dip fairly easily, which are covered in Vinyl Wrap and Decals, General Painting, Plasti-Dip sections respectively.

     One of the biggest downsides of theses plastics is they are all fairly brittle and tend to break if too much force is applied where metal will yield and bend. For window based materials the harder acrylics are good for that but still tend to pickup micro scratches over time and need extra care when cleaning.

 

The temps listed are glass transition states or when material starts to yield in a rubber like state for those who are interested in bending or forming using a heat gun.

 

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Metal:

Steel - Stiffer and stronger most times will require metal brake

Brass - If annealed is soft and easy to bend

Copper - If annealed is soft and easy to bend

Aluminum - Soft and fairly easy to bend depending on the grade/series

 

     Metals are great especially thicker materials for the extra rigidity and less sag that can occur on large pieces compared to similar thickness on plastics.

 

     Thinner pieces can be cut using metal shears or Dremel/Rotary tools but for thicker materials cutting should be done with a proper metal brake or cutting tools like band saws.

     For bending ideally a metal brake will give nice sharp corners, a DIY solution to this is using some good clamps and a metal clamping bar to hold down the work piece while being bent over the clamping bar.

     Metals can be polished, brushed or left bare for that industrial look but may tarnish or stain overtime so a sealer or clear coat may be needed to keep that bright finish.

 

Metal being metallic are highly conductive where it can short out contacts on PCB's or other components which can be disastrous so plastic spacers or standoffs for backplates and motherboards are a must. 

 

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Wood:

MDF (Medium Denisty Fiber Board) - Made from compressed wood fibers

Particle Board - Made from compressed wood dust chips/shavings

Solid Wood - Either a butcher block type board or solid piece

Plywood - Layers or glued veneered wood

 

     Wood is a fairly accessible material, being easy to shape cut and finish which can be used to make PC cases or parts.

 

     Different kinds of panels and grains of wood can be used in a variety of ways but for the best finishes and wood grain solid wood and veneered plywood’s are best suited. MDF’s and particle boards don’t have wood grain unless veneered and are cheaper and denser making a good surface for painting and sealing.

     Wood being a fairly versatile material was a living organism when cut down so it is still vulnerable to changes in temperature or humidity, where they will expand and contract with different seasons. So precautions taken during construction may be needed to prevent gaps in joints or warping from occurring using proper woodworking techniques.  

 

It is perfectly safe to have an entire PC made of wood, since the temps produced by the components can’t reach anywhere close to wood’s flash point of ~300-400°C.

 

 

Cutting Tools

Tool selection for projects depend on the job and situation where cut quality speed and precision are all important factors.

Spoiler

Dremel/Rotary Tool:

Control: Reasonable

Cutting Speed: Slow/Medium

Cut Edge: Fairly Smooth (some burrs)

 

     The tool of choice by many modders, the rotary tool let it be an air powered or electric one is highly versatility and provide good control for cutting, grinding and sanding materials. There are many different kinds attachments from cutting wheels to die grinders but for most who will be cutting metals or plastics a reinforced abrasive cutting disc is ideal.

     When using it be sure to cut away from the marked lines and to after file to it to ensure accurate and clean lines.

 

Scroll Saw:

Control: Very Fine

Cutting Speed: Slow

Cut Edge: Fairly smooth

 

     Scroll saws are great for very complex turns or patterns due to the control you have over the work piece and the very thin cutting blades. It can cut a variety of materials with different blades and is much more efficient compared to a hand coping saw which yields similar results.

     For very complex work however it can take a very long time, at that point it may be a good option to look into possibilities such as laser cutting.

 

Jigsaw:

Control: Fairly reasonable

Cutting Speed: Moderate

Cut Edge: Somewhat Smooth

 

     Jigsaws are a great general purpose cutting tool that make quick cuts and give fairly good accuracy while not being too costly, being able to complete similar jobs of larger pieces of equipment like band saws. The most important part of using a jigsaw is properly supporting work pieces to ensure proper control and cutting accuracy without it jumping around. Blades vary heavily allowing the tool to cut almost any material from metal, wood to plastics.

     The accuracy of cuts for thinner material is fairly good but for thick stock extra attention is require to ensure the blade doesn’t drift, potentially cutting a bevel in the work piece.

 

Band Saw:

Control: Fine

Cutting Speed: Fairly Quick

Cut Edge: Somewhat Smooth

 

     Band saws are great at making fairly fast cuts and give quite good accuracy. It can also be a tool that gives decent finishes with little finishing work while being able to cut intricate pieces. The options for blades are fairly good from metal to plastic and ones that allowing for complex curves and shapes.

     One thing to note on the band saw is it cannot start a cut in a middle of a piece such as cutting a window for a case since its blade is one continuous loop.

 

Angle Grinder:

Control: Moderate

Cutting Speed: Fast

Cut Edge: Rough (Metal)

 

     Angle grinders are great at giving fast cuts especially in thick metal or grinding/smoothing surfaces but doesn’t give very accurately control or clean cuts. For stripping paint off panels or smoothing surfaces however it is perfect for this task with a wire attachment or flap discs.

     When using an angle grinder they usually will throw off quite a lot of sparks and heat up the work piece during the cut which can be an issue at times.

 

 

Window Mod

Image Provided by: MNPCTech.com

This will cover the procedures of cutting a window in a case and the details when refinishing and installing in the new window material.

Spoiler

Tools and Parts Required:

• Cutting Tool (Ideally Dremel/Rotary Tool)
• Metal File
• Masking Tape
• Silicone or Double Side Tape
• U-Channel or Touch Up Paint
• Window Material

 

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     To start make sure the section of the panel where the opening will be cut is all on the same level surface. To begin mask off the entire panel to prevent scratching while working and mark the cut lines where the opening will be on the masking tape. When cutting the panel be sure to cut away from the marked lines and use a metal file afterwards to file towards the lines to straighten everything out. Using a reinforced abrasive cutting disc is ideal on the Dremel/Rotary Tool.

     Once everything is cut, clean and ready, the U-Channel or touch up paint can be applied to the edge of the cut metal. An oil based paint marker works great for this kind of application.

    

Image Provided by: MNPCTech.com

 

     For the window material, the most common is acrylic and glass, between the two glass does provide higher scratch resistance and better clarity but there is the downside of easily breaking the panel if dropped or impacted when moving and the added weight. For glass most local glass shops or online sources can provide custom cut sizes, regular window glass is a good option while tempered glass is ideal but the cost of it is much greater due to having it be custom made and tempered.

Image Provided by: W-L

     To install the window panel if there is U-Channel sourcing some double sided tape of similar or greater thickness to ensure a good bond between the window material and side panel. If there is no U-Channel and no gap between the window material and panel is desired due to the thickness of the double sided tape, silicone is a great adhesive for adhering the panel into place. If silicone is used do leave the panel aside for 24 hours to cure before handling or reinstalling back onto the case.

Image Provided by: W-L

 

 

PSU Shrouds

To create your own PSU shroud it will require measuring your specific case for cuts and sizing since it can vary between cases, the shroud itself can be made with a variety of materials from metals to plastics.

Spoiler

 

For more in depth information regarding PSU shrouds and designs checkout theses great post here:

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Tools and Parts Required:

• Cutting Tools
• Metal or Plastic Sheeting
• Velcro or Mounting Supplies
• Paint (optional)
• Heat gun for Plastic Bending (optional)

 

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     PSU shrouds can be made from metal or plastic sheets such as acrylic with different benefits for each. For acrylic and plastics it well require either a heat gun to soften the material to bend the 90° corner or the proper solvent to glue two sheets together for the cover. For metals a metal brake would be ideal but if thinner steel or aluminum is used it can be bent easily with a few clamps and clamping bar all by hand. Usually around 20-22 gauge aluminum or annealed steel is good for bending by hand, but thicker or harder material like stainless need to be done with a metal brake.

Left Image Provided by: Lutro0customs, Right Image Provided by: B Negative

 

     Portions of the shroud may need to be notched out or cut to fit the specific case so measuring or making a cardboard template beforehand is a good idea. Be sure to also plan out mounting options and how it will be secured to the case.

     For attaching the PSU shroud there are different methods such as velcro, double sided tape or matching magnets. To do this making some mounting points inside the case will be necessary to hold up the PSU shroud to prevent sag. These mounting blocks/points can be made from blocks of foam or simple 90° brackets to attach it into place.

 

     For plastics there are different colors and finishes that can be purchased making finishing simple and easy to match a theme or color for the build, whereas metals will require painting and finishing to match. For finishing the General Painting section of the guide will have more details on painting plastics and metals.

 

 

Vinyl Wrap and Decals

Vinyl wrap is a great way to change the look of cases and parts to color coordinate a system or add a new look with custom designed decals, they come in a variety of colors and finishes with some evening being mirror finished metals, to brushed aluminums.

Spoiler

 

For Custom designed decals or designs check out @MeDownYou on the forums.

 

For a more visual demonstration this video covers wrapping over the edges and trimming:

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwnLmE6Je0s-

 

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Tools and Parts Required:

• Vinyl Wrap or Decal
• Heat Gun or Hair Dryer
• Isopropyl Alcohol
• Squeegee
• Exacto Knife

 

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For vinyl wrapping or applying decals, to start clean off the surfaces with isopropyl alcohol to ensure there is no dirt, residue or debris. Custom decals can be made by tracing out a design on vinyl and cut with an exacto knife but complex designs with lots of parts can make it very difficult so a vinyl cutter is ideal for those situations.  

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Vinyl Wrap:

     When cutting the wrap to fit a panel or part that is being covered be sure to always cut more than needed, usually a couple of inches on each side is enough, and for smaller parts they can be less so cut accordingly.

    

     Once the surface is clean and ready, align the sheet and peel the backing paper partway to apply the vinyl one section at a time. Use the squeegee to adhere it to the surface and push out any trapped air bubbles, continue this until the backing paper is completely removed. If the surface is not flat or has compound curves the heat gun on low or hair dryer is needed to soften the vinyl so it conforms to the surface when squeegeeing over it. When heated vinyl wrap can also be lightly stretched to conform to curves or bends but do not to leave the heat source on one spot for too long as it can shrink or damage the material.         

 

     Once everything on the surface is in place the edges need to be wrapped back around or cut along the edge. To wrap it back along the edge, corners will need to be gentely stretched over and cut back to prevent wrinkling. Using the heat gun or hair dryer once again to heat up the material and wrapping back will ensure it stays in place and conforms to the edge and corners by working the material around slowly. Any excess material at that point can be removed and cleaned off.

 

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Decals:

    For single piece decals with no transfer paper they need to be applied carefully as to ensure no wrinkles or excessive stretching. Ideally peel back a section of the backing paper and apply the decal one section at a time using the squeegee to push out any air bubbles, continue peeling back the backing paper and apply the vinyl until in place. For curved surfaces heat may be needed to work the vinyl to conform to the surface, be careful to not distort the decals by overstretching.

     For decals with transfer paper, tape one edge of the decal in place with the transfer paper facing up and the backing paper on the surface. Lift a section of the backing paper off of the decal and start adhering it to the surface with the squeegee to push out any air bubbles continuing until the entire decal is in place with the transfer paper.

 

     Ensure all the small details are properly adhere and down on the surface, this is important for the next step. Now to remove the sticky transfer paper, peel back at a very sharp angle to the work surface and go slowly when removing to prevent lifting parts of the decal if it lifts stop and squeegee part of the decal back down before trying to lift off the transfer paper. Once it is completely removed go over the entire decal with the squeegee to ensure its properly adhered with no trapped air bubbles.

 

 

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Painting:

 

General Painting

This will go over the main topics and techniques mainly for spray painting plastic and metals including clear coat finishing, and touch on brush painting.

Spoiler

Tools and Parts Required:

• Paints and Primer
• Fine grit Sandpaper (>400 grit) or Scotch Brite
• Lint Free Cloths
• Isopropyl Alcohol or Prep All
• Masking Material

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To start different surfaces require different paint process and steps, for all these processes however the most important step is cleaning and properly preparing the surfaces for paint. For spray paint apply in light even coats to prevent runs and allow it to dry the manufacture’s specified time between coats and not to rush the process, less coats is always better than one thick one.

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Plastic:

     To start if the material is glossy or flat it’s good to roughen up the surface with fine grit sandpaper or scotch brite to allow for the primer to properly adhere to the plastic. Before starting to spray be sure to wipe off all sanding dust, finger prints, and oils, cleaning with isopropyl alcohol or Prep all. On plastics a primer should always be applied before painting to promote adhesion. For primer ideally a plastic or self-etching primer is ideal, note the self-etching primer will bite into the plastic more but might melt or dissolve very fine details on the plastic. Another option is using a clear adhesion promoter instead of a primer.

 

Metal:

      Metal if bare needs to be cleaned off of oils and rust before giving a light sanding to allow for the primer to bite in. A self-etching primer is ideal for bare metal to bite into the surface and get proper adhesion. If the metal piece is previously painted a light sanding or scuffing with scotch brite is recommended and a light primer coat is optional but not a bad idea especially for scratched or heavily worn pieces. If it is flaking off however it would be best to take it down back to bare metal before doing any painting. Same as previously the panels should be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol or Prep to remove any sanding dust, finger prints or oils before starting.

 

 

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     When setting everything up make sure to have the parts either hung for easy access for spraying on metal hangers or laying flat on a stable surface. The air temperature must be above a certain temp. for spray paints and should be specified by the manufacture, follow them since the paint can potentially have drying or adhesion issues. Shake up the can for a good couple of minutes before starting and give a good quick shake every 5-10 mins afterwards to ensure everything is mixed up and ready to go. A trick is to keep a warm bucket of water to keep the cans in which helps raise the internal pressure and ensures a nice fine mist.

     When starting spray spray off the part and in long even strokes keeping consistent spray distance from the surface of the part. Edges and hard to reach places are best coated first before larger flat areas. Once the first coat is down let it dry the specified amount of time between re-coating. It will usually takes between 3-4 coats to get perfect even coverage.

     Most paint will take less than a day to dry to the touch but will require up to a week to cure before it’s thoroughly dry and provides a tough coating.

 

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Clear Coating (optional):

     Clear coating can help provide extra protection and durability to work pieces especially if airbrushing is applied. There are different finishes with clear coat from matte to high gloss piano type finishes.

Spoiler

Tools and Parts Required:

• Wet Sand Paper (1000-3000 grit)
• Sanding Block
• Random Orbit Polisher
• Microfiber and Foam Pad
• Leveling/Cutting Fluid and Polisher

 

     If a perfectly flat glass like piano finished is desired a few steps before applying the top/color coat can help later on down the line; when the final primer coat is applied and fully dried a wet sanding with fine grit (>600grit) can help remove and lessen orange peeling later on during the clear coating.  For this finish ideally the clear coat is applied with a spray gun which gives thicker more even coats, however it can be done with spray can clear coating but will require more coats to provide the proper thickness. Once all the painting and clear coating is complete the paint must cure at least 1-2weeks before any work can be done to cut back and polish the clear to that glass like finish.

 

     At this point a slight orange peel texture to the finish is normal and will need to be wet sanded or cut back to flatten the clear coat. Sanding progressively up to 2-3K grit sandpaper ideally. For this process a foam or rubber sanding block is necessary and should all be sanded in one direction, be sure to liberally apply water to ensure proper lubrication between the sandpaper and clear coat.

     When sanding be aware you are sanding away a layer of the clear coat to remove the peaks to flatten the surface so do not over sand and go down into the pigment or color coat. When wet sanding a milky color fluid is normal but if the fluid starts to show the color of the base/color coat then too much of the clear coat has been sanded away or the clear coat was not thick enough to start so it will need to be re-clear coated before proceeding again. Once the surface is complete flat it can be cleaned off and then buffed out to remove the fine sanding marks using a microfiber cutting pad and leveling fluid (cutting compound). Afterwards it can be polishing with a foam pad with finishing compound to bring that perfect mirror shine.

 

Here is a very in depth process of wet sanding and polishing but done on a vehicle with the same concepts:

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgCmrGMhvss-

 

 

Brush Painting:

     For very small or intricate pieces painting brush painting is usually a better solution and easier to work with since there is less masking and provides more control over spraying. However brush marks will be evident in brush painting compared to spraying but there are ways to lessen it.

     For brush painting a good quality brush of the correct size will yield the best results but the most important is the correct paint for the material. As usual sanding or scuff the surface with scotch brite is recommended before starting and bare metal should be primed with a self-etching primer. To avoid or lessen brush strokes be sure to apply very thin coats at a time and ideally a slow drying paint where it will allow the paint to level out before completely drying. Another method is to use a sponge instead of a brush and evenly dab the piece to give it a very light texture to hide or remove brush strokes.

 

 

Plasti-Dip

The spray we all love to use, as of recently it’s probably the most common modding product used for re-coloring. In general this will go over the properties of plasti-dip and some of the good and bad.

Spoiler

Tools and Parts Required:

• Plasti-Dip
• Lint Free Cloths
• Isopropyl Alcohol or Prep All
• Masking Material (maybe)
• Exacto Knife (maybe)

---

 

     Plasti-dip being a removable rubber coating makes it very versatile and easy to change color schemes or send parts in for service (RMA) by peeling off the coating. Being a rubber coating it gives surfaces a matte grippy or soft touch finish but may capture dirt fairly easily. To remove plasti-dip from a surface all that is needed is to scratch or lift and to peel off the coating similar to a stretchy latex type material. Since it is a removable rubber coating it tend to be soft or easily ripped or torn into if too much contact pressure is applied or abrasion occurs.

 

     When applying plasti-dip there are a variety of finishes can be achieved from a flocked (sandpaper like) to a smooth orange peel like texture. Plasti-dip is much more particular in terms of spray speed and spray distance from the surface compared to spray paint so it needs extra attention when applying. To achieve a flocked finish very very light coats to just dust the surface of the part is needed and many coats applied, around 5-10 with the proper dry time between coats, this will give it a thicker more rough finish.

 

Images Above Provided by: Enderman

     For a smooth orange peel texture which is more difficult, it’s best to lay the part flat if possible, the spray must go on heavy and wet the entire surface evenly but not to the point where paint runs occur in the coating. This method usually takes are 3-4 coats for full coverage and again give the proper amount of dry time between coats.

Image Provided by: W-L

     If there is any masking tape applied be sure to create cut lines using an exacto knife to score the plasti-dip so when the masking tape is remove it splits on the cut line and doesn’t peel up the surrounding plasti-dip. If surround plasti-dip is lifted up it can be re-sealed down with paint thinner but it will make the surface finish glossy. Once the job is finished plasti-dip tends to be fairly soft until fully cured so it can take about a weeks time for that to occur and gain some durability.

 

If a glossy/satin finish is desired plasti-dip has specific glossifers and pearlizer that can be applied after to plasti-dip afterwards as a final coat to add gloss, and even metal flaked finish.

 

 

Motherboard and RAM Painting

Re-coloring heatsinks or heat spreaders to color co-ordinate builds are common practice and can be done fairly easily with spray paints or coatings with little impact to heat dissipation.

Spoiler

Tools and Parts Required:

• Paints and Primer or Plasti-Dip
• Lint Free Cloths
• Isopropyl Alcohol or Prep All
• Masking Material
• Heat Gun or Hair Dryer (maybe)
• New Thermal Interface Material (maybe)

---

High temperature paints are not required since motherboard and memory heat spreaders do not get to a temperature where regular spray paint or plasti-dip will have issues. Plasti-dip can withstand temps of 100C where most regular spray paints are also good up to 100C.

 

When spraying heatsinks or heat spreaders ideally they should be removed from the motherboard or RAM stick to reduce masking and risk of overspray or damage. The impact paint has on the thermal performance of heatsinks can vary but as long as thin coats are used it will not heavily affect cooling, at most a few degrees. Plasti-dip can also be used but since it is a rubber based coating will insulate more and tends to be thicker to give it good coverage meaning it will have more impact to cooling performance.

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Motherboards Heatsinks:

     For most motherboards the heatsinks are screwed in place from the back, others will have a push in style clips that can be released by the front to remove them. If the heatsinks can be further separated to paint colored accents or parts this will be easier to spray and require less masking. For the heatsinks remove any thermal interface material (TIM) and keep it clean away from dust or paint for re-installation after spraying. It is a good idea to mask off the contact area on the bottom of the heatsink where the TIM makes contact to the VRM or chipsets. Giving the heatsinks a light scuff with a scotch brite pad can promote better adhesion including a very light coat of primer. Keep the coats nice and thin when spraying and be sure to hit hard to reach areas first and concentrate on edges before spraying the larger easier to coat portions.

IImage Provided by: W-L

     With Plasti-dip very similarly try to keep the coats as thin as possible and if there is any masking done, make cut lines along the tape before removing them as to not pull up surrounding plasti-dip. For more details on spray painting and plasti-dip check out General Painting and Plasti-Dip section under this post.

     Another method for changing the look of motherboard heatsinks is vinyl wrapping the accents. This will affect cooling more so than paint but similar to plasti-dip since it is a vinyl sticker if the entire heatsink is covered, this works great however for colored accents. To wrap a heatsink it will require a fair bit of time and patience to have it form to all the curves, having some exacto knives and small popsicle sticks can aid in wrapping. If the entire heatsink is being wrapped be to sure leave the bottom or space for the thermal pads to make contact to the heatsink. For more detailed instructions on vinyl wrap check out Vinyl Wrap and Decals section on this post.

 

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RAM Heatspreaders:

     For RAM most heat spreaders they are usually glued in place by the thermal interface material (TIM) so using a hair dryer or heat gun on low to warm up the adhesive will make removing them easier. Some heat spreaders may be clip into each other so bending the tabs to release the two halves is needed, be sure to bend them back before starting to paint, theses will hold the heat spreader back on when reinstalled. It is good practice to mark on the PCB with tape or a marker where to line up the heat spreader for re-installation later. When heating be sure to not apply too much heat in once place or for too long it just needs to warm up the adhesive so the heat spreaders can be gently pried off.  Do not force it as it can potentially pull off the RAM chips.

 

     Once removed save the TIM for re-application later but if it is damaged during removal new TIM will be needed that matches the thickness of the original. Same as the motherboard heatsinks be sure to mask off the contact area where the TIM makes contact to the heat spreader to ensure good thermal conductivity and remove any stickers on the RAM before spraying.

 

 

PSU Painting

Image Provided by: Linus

Painting a PSU is possible but does require some understanding in wiring and comes with a certain risk when opening a PSU.

Spoiler

Tools and Parts Required:

• Paints and Primer
• Fine grit Sandpaper (>400 grit) or Scotch Brite
• Lint Free Cloths
• Isopropyl Alcohol or Prep All
• Masking Material
• Heat Gun or Hair Dryer
• Soldering Iron (maybe)

---

Note this safety warning when opening a PSU, it is recommended to unplug the PSU from the wall and leave it for 30mins - 60mins before opening to ensure the capacitors have drained most of their charge. When open still be aware of the contacts of the capacitors and to not at any time short or touch them.

---

 

     To paint a PSU it will void the warranty and does require the PSU casing to be removed to easily mask and paint the unit. This process may require some soldering to be done on certain models to remove the main power leads temporarily to the unit before re-soldering them in place once complete, others may use removable spade connectors.

     Once the screws on the casing are located, remove the main cover and unfasten the PCB to remove it. Here is where some PSU’s may have spade connectors that can be removed from the main socket attached to the casing, where others will be solder in place so a soldering iron is needed to de-solder them temporarily.

 

     Note the orientation of theses power leads for polarity for reinstalling or re-soldering once completed painting. It is very important that none of these wires are mixed up or installed backwards drawing a diagram or taking detailed photos is not a bad idea.

Both Images Provided by: Jonnyguru.com

     Once everything is separated and it’s just the bare casing mask off the power switch and socket to prevent any paint from getting on those components, any stickers or labels should be removed at this point and can be aided by a heat gun or hair dryer, be sure to clean any glue residue and properly prep the surfaces for paint. The main techniques and procedures for metal painting is under the General Painting section of this post.

     Let the parts cure for a few days before re-assembly of the mains power leads and the casing. For the stickers you can reapply them and if needed replace the old adhesive with new double sided tape, such as carpet tape to adhere it to the newly painted PSU.

 

 

GPU Painting

Image Provided by: Rumikarimu

This is a fairly general guide on GPU painting and will focus on painting accents or shrouds where it will not have an impact on cooling performance. 

Spoiler

Check out Arct1c0n's great GPU painting guide he did with a MSI Gaming 980TI:

---

 

Tools and Parts Required:

• Paints and Primer
• Fine grit Sandpaper (>400 grit) or Scotch Brite
• Lint Free Cloths
• Isopropyl Alcohol or Prep All
• Masking Material
• Thermal Paste/Pads (maybe)

---

For GPU heatsinks it is not recommended to paint the fins of the cooler since the cooling performance will have a great impact with a coating over it. 

---

 

Shrouds and Backplates:

     In general most will require the cooler to be removed from the GPU completely and further dis-assembly to remove the shroud and fans including backplate. Some coolers however can have the shroud and fans removed without taking the heatsink off so be sure to keep an eye on accessible screws or clips that may be under the fan blades or the side of the cooler that hold it in place. Once removed any stickers, badges or LED logos should be taken off or masked over before painting.

 

Both Images Provided by: Arct1c0n

     If spray paint is used proper surface preparation and cleaning is needed before spraying, under the General Painting section of this post it will go over the proper techniques for coating different materials. Be sure to concentrate on spraying edges and harder to coat surfaces first before larger easier to reach spots.

     For plasti-dip similarly proper cleaning is needed before spraying, with similar techniques focusing on edges and hard to reach surfaces first. The main difference is any masking requires cut lines to be made with an exacto knife before removing or it will peel up surrounding plasti-dip. More details information can be found under the Plasti-Dip section of the post.

 

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PCB Coating:

     While possible to coat a bare PCB on the back of a GPU I personally do not recommend it and to go with a custom backplate instead so do this at your own risk.

 

     However if anyone does want to attempt this it can be done safely with plasti-dip since it’s a non-conductive rubber coating, with less aggressive chemical that etch and bite into the surfaces compared to spray paint. While others have done it with spray paint the risk is a fair bit higher and if spray paint is used make sure it is non-conductive and has no metal flake or metallic finish. Be sure to mask off contacts such as the SLI fingers and the PCI-E connection, when removing the masking be very, very careful when peeling and cutting to not cut into or damage the PCB traces and surfaces.

Image Provided by: Muffinator

 

[W-L]

 

 

Reviews/Information on Modding Supplies or Components

 

This is going to be a more informal section I will be adding to every so often on different things based around modding, small projects or reviews.

 

 

Review of Addon Custom LED's

 Image Provided by W-L

Review of Addon Custom's SMD 5050 LED strips

 

 

EL Lighting

Image Provided by Adafruit.com

Electroluminescent (EL) lighting is a very low profile tape, panel, or rope light that gives off a very Tron (movie) like even glow of light.

Spoiler

     This was a small experiment I wanted to do and test out to have a different kind of lighting that gave off a very dim glow or light up effect without being overpowering or needing diffusers like LED strips. The main focus was possibility of using this on computer cases as exterior accent lighting due to the extremely slim profile of the EL tape or on everyday items to liven them up a bit.

 

     To start, how it all works, electroluminescent (EL) lights work by passing a high voltage AC current through thin copper wires that make a phosphor coating glow/light up. Similarly for the flat tape or panels they work in the same fashion using a dielectric layer instead of wires to excite and light up the phosphor coating. The power for these units must be AC, so a small DC to AC inverter is used to power them similar to CCFL lights, some are even portable being able to use batteries to power the lights for hours. 

 

Testing and Overview

     I purchased couple lengths of this for testing, one tape section and two different lengths of EL rope, I had intentions of using the tape on my case as edge lighting around the bezel and since Christmas was approaching to use the rope lights around the home.

     My first impressions of this was very promising as the lighting effect was exactly how I envisioned, it gave this really nice even glow without being overpowering or blinding, without bright spots like LED’s. However this was quickly soured by the noise I heard from the inverter.

The power draw of the tape and lights are extremely low with:

100CM EL tape

           ~0.50W at 12V and 0.042Amps

 

1M long EL rope

          ~0.41W at 12V and 0.034Amps

 

3M long EL rope on the 12V inverter and battery inverter

          ~0.52W at 12V and 0.043mps

          ~0.58W at 3V and 0.193amps

The EL Tape is made from a very stiff but bendable plastic that has a width of 15mm (~9/32”) and is 0.25mm (~0.0010”) thick, where the EL rope is more of a clear PVC type insulation similar to regular hookup wire and has a diameter of 2mm (~5/64”).

 

Inverter Issues:

     Before I purchased theses I had heard many users complain about inverter noise due to the fact they operate from between 90-180V AC, but with a frequency of 100-5000Hz which is right within the audible range creating coil whine. If any of you have experienced coil whine from components you know exactly how annoying it is. This was very unfortunate to have occur but hearing from Cable Mod who has also looked into EL lighting, this was not a new thing, where most of the inverters they tested were deemed unusable due to the noise.

 

Here’s an example of how it approx. sounds, set the frequency to 2800Hz and lower your volume:

http://onlinetonegenerator.com/

 

     Even though the inverter is fully potted and sealed the only other way I found to lessen the whining was to seal it in a container lined with acoustic foam which was not ideal. As of right now while EL lights give a great lighting effect the noise produced by the inverter makes them unusable for my plans on edge lighting my PC case’s bezel.

 All Images Above Provided by W-L

     This may be a bit unfortunate due to how promising it was at first but unless a better designed inverter or method of isolating the noise is done, it’s not very suitable for PC use. However other uses such as costumes and dashboard lighting in a cars where there inverter can be hidden away in a pocket, or panel in or outside of the cabin of the car may be more suitable, since the coil whine will be dampened and drowned out from surrounding noise.

 

 

CableMod Sleeving Review

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/582931-cablemods-new-pet-sleeving-lots-of-photos/#comment-7607865

[W-L]

-RESERVED-

[beach_boy98]

Thanks for this write up. Will help people like me a lots. Bookmarked. One question where can i buy plasti dip in the UK?

[W-L]

Thanks for this write up. Will help people like me a lots. Bookmarked. One question where can i buy plasti dip in the UK?

Amazon UK carries it but other places like local automotive parts/paint stores should carry plasti-dip. In North America some hardware stores also stock plasti-dip.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plastidip-Plastic-Rubber-Paint-400ml/dp/B0006SU3QW

[beach_boy98]

Amazon UK carries it but other places like local automotive parts/paint stores should carry plasti-dip. In North America some hardware stores also stock plasti-dip.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plastidip-Plastic-Rubber-Paint-400ml/dp/B0006SU3QW

Thanks

[_Err0L]

Loved the info so far. Could you show how to paint a PSU?

[W-L]

Loved the info so far. Could you show how to paint a PSU?

Welcome to the Forums!

 

That could be added on 

[Madmanchris1]

So i want to paint my Asus Maximus Formula z97 Armor White with red accents. something like this. 

 

Would plasti dip be any good for this or would it make it hard to do the red accents. can you paint on plasti dip? 

What would be the best way to achieve a good finish. 

Thanks in advance. 

[W-L]

So i want to paint my Asus Maximus Formula z97 Armor White with red accents. something like this. 

-PIC-

Would plasti dip be any good for this or would it make it hard to do the red accents. can you paint on plasti dip? 

What would be the best way to achieve a good finish. 

Thanks in advance. 

 

White plasti-dip on the entire armor is achievable but to add on those red accents to the recessed parts of the plastic is going to be difficult. While I have heard of others using spray paint over plasti-dip with no cracking, shrinking, or flaking issues I haven't tried it myself. The most difficult part would be trying to get nice crisp lines for the red accents and painting the SupremeFX and Maximus VII Formula logos perfectly.

 

From the images my guess is they used spray paint for the entire including the red accents, not to mention the white parts on the PCI-E locking tabs which I'm pretty sure is all spray paint.

[mosin40]

Nice, guide!

This will help lots of people when modding, especially beginers (including me)

[MeDownYou]

@W-L

 

I have been approved via luke to do custom vinyl decals.

[Lenidar]

Hope you make one about making back plates

[W-L]

Hope you make one about making back plates

 

it would be a bit hard to get diagrams or hole patterns for each specific card and mounting since there are so many and ones with different variations but there are businesses out there that make backplates to specific order if anyone is interested:

http://www.coldzero.eu/

[Lenidar]

it would be a bit hard to get diagrams or hole patterns for each specific card and mounting since there are so many and ones with different variations but there are businesses out there that make backplates to specific order if anyone is interested:

http://www.coldzero.eu/

Sadly it would be too expensive for its own good if I ship it to where I live

 

OH and how about GPU shroud painting?

 

[W-L]

Sadly it would be too expensive for its own good if I ship it to where I live

 

OH and how about GPU shroud painting?

 

GPU shroud painting would probably fit in there somewhere down the line I'll add it to the list.

[Zoomv]

GPU shroud painting would probably fit in there somewhere down the line I'll add it to the list.

good work m8 you helped me out a lot

[Curufinwe_wins]

GPU shroud painting would probably fit in there somewhere down the line I'll add it to the list.

W-L

Anyone you know happen to remember a website or guide on a TF 5 tear down? I remember seeing one but can't find it, and I think there is a way to just remove the shroud but I can't remember.

 

I want to paint the red accents silver (I think I will have to test.)

[W-L]

W-L

Anyone you know happen to remember a website or guide on a TF 5 tear down? I remember seeing one but can't find it, and I think there is a way to just remove the shroud but I can't remember.

 

I want to paint the red accents silver (I think I will have to test.)

 

Do you have a model number they made so many of those hybrid type tablet/laptop I'm not sure which one is which theses days.

[Curufinwe_wins]

Do you have a model number they made so many of those hybrid type tablet/laptop I'm not sure which one is which theses days.

I was talking about the Twin Frozer 5 cooler sorry. Specifically for the msi gaming 980ti but the cooler connections should be the same no matter what.

[W-L]

I was talking about the Twin Frozer 5 cooler sorry. Specifically for the msi gaming 980ti but the cooler connections should be the same no matter what.

 

Hmm I don't think I've seen one before, here's an overview of what it looks like removed but the shroud on the cooler are held in place by screws just under the fans blades themselves, afterwards the red accent should be fairly easy to unscrew and remove from the main section:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1514085/official-nvidia-gtx-970-owners-club/3960

[Curufinwe_wins]

Hmm I don't think I've seen one before, here's an overview of what it looks like removed but the shroud on the cooler are held in place by screws just under the fans blades themselves, afterwards the red accent should be fairly easy to unscrew and remove from the main section:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1514085/official-nvidia-gtx-970-owners-club/3960

Thanks. I assume it will be the same process!

[You_are_a_cunt]

I LOVE THIS GUIDE!

 

 

Just found my new TechModsBible

[Necrodead]

I didn't want to make a whole thread about it, so maybe you could add it on here, but it seems most people go out and buy expensive panes of glass for their side panel mods when buying a cheap frame off amazon or similar is a much cheaper alternative. Frame sizes are even listed by the size of glass, so all you have to do is pick the size you want, and since it comes shipped in a frame breakage is very unlikley!

 

Just thought that I've never seen this suggustion and I was looking for weeks online to find the right glass supplier when all I needed was amazon!

[W-L]

I didn't want to make a whole thread about it, so maybe you could add it on here, but it seems most people go out and buy expensive panes of glass for their side panel mods when buying a cheap frame off amazon or similar is a much cheaper alternative. Frame sizes are even listed by the size of glass, so all you have to do is pick the size you want, and since it comes shipped in a frame breakage is very unlikley!

 

Just thought that I've never seen this suggustion and I was looking for weeks online to find the right glass supplier when all I needed was amazon!

 

Yeah I could mention that, having tempered glass would be great if it accidentally breaks but in most situations regular window glass is still very safe with the proper care. As for suppliers places like Amazon or ideally local glass shops are great for this since they can custom cut a glass to any dimension or shape you want.

 

EDIT:

Tempered glass is good for places that have small kids or say pets if they do impact the window unexpectedly so large shards of glass will not cut them.

Edited September 12, 2015 by W-L