Building a new computer in a 31 year old case

[Dizzyhat]

So this took all of about a month to finish and was definitely full of its challenges but i think i got a decently nice system set up with solid overclocks and decent temperatures in a pretty kick ass one of a kind case. What the pictures don't do justice with is the fact that the power button is a keyed ignition switch and that the entire lid of the case is on self closing smooth glide drawer rails.

Full post here with a sequential build album

[Billy_Mays]

Wish I had the money to do it and it's older than me

[kb5zue]

Really nice job but maybe should have left it the old off yellow color.  That way when the thieves break into your place to steal, they wouldn't take it cuz it looked like a boat anchor.

[LHJKO]

Thats really cool wish i could do something like that 

[Dizzyhat]

2 minutes ago, Billy_Mays said:

Wish I had the money to do it and it's older than me

It is older than me too.  All in all it wasn't terribly expensive because I had most of the parts already on hand.  I paid maybe $45 in all for the spray paint's and clear topcoat I put on it,$25 for the drawer slides,  and another $20 worth of acrylic for the different pieces.  The cost of the hardware was mostly second hand parts, and a new sfx psu ($100) and an h60 ($65).   No ssd or anything super fancy.

[Billy_Mays]

Just now, Dizzyhat said:

It is older than me too.  All in all it wasn't terribly expensive because I had most of the parts already on hand.  I paid maybe $45 in all for the spray paint's and clear topcoat I put on it,$25 for the drawer slides,  and another $20 worth of acrylic for the different pieces.  The cost of the hardware was mostly second hand parts, and a new sfx psu ($100) and an h60 ($65).   No ssd or anything super fancy.

Oh that's real cheap 

[Jurrunio]

I would have left it's dated appearance, especially that "386 33MHz" badge

[Dizzyhat]

Just now, Billy_Mays said:

Oh that's real cheap 

The biggest expense honestly was the time

[Billy_Mays]

1 minute ago, Dizzyhat said:

The biggest expense honestly was the time

I know that because you have to plan it out and wait

[Dizzyhat]

Just now, Jurrunio said:

I would have left it's dated appearance, especially that "386 33MHz" badge

If the computer was for me I would have as well but I made it as a surprise for a friend as his intro into pc gaming.  I figured the black and gold was more favorable since the antique aesthetic is a bit more niche.  He recently graduated from university and was gonna have a bit more free time on his hands so i figured a new pc couldn't hurt.

[rodrosenberg]

Love this project! Excellent work

[Dizzyhat]

2 minutes ago, rodrosenberg said:

Love this project! Excellent work

Thanks Rod, that means a lot coming from what you do.

[You_are_a_cunt]

Needs more RGB.

 

lookin' good.

[You_are_a_cunt]

Afterthought:

@Dizzyhat Any tips for spray painting?

Whenever I paint I either get a perfect finish or a trip to the hardware store to get paint remover.

 

Also, stop hogging my router's IP. I needs it.

[Dizzyhat]

Just now, revsilverspine said:

Afterthought:

@Dizzyhat Any tips for spray painting?

Whenever I paint I either get a perfect finish or a trip to the hardware store to get paint remover.

 

Also, stop hogging my router's IP. I needs it.

The biggest issue i had for this project when it came to paint was too much pooling and drip formation.  Means I was too heavy on it in small spaces.  I had to sand out the drips  so everything was flush between coats and then apply more paint from further away in large sweeping motions.  More sanding and then I used a Krylon matte finish topcoat in 3 layers with more sanding.  I ended up scraping off the first two layers of black after messing it up and resanding the entire case back to bare metal then finishing the metal with med-high grit paper starting paint again.  Between coats of black I used a 400 grit paper on a slow rotating contraption I built.  Between my layers of the matte finish topcoat I used 2000 grit paper on my contraption and 3 more coats again.

[rodrosenberg]

11 hours ago, Dizzyhat said:

Thanks Rod, that means a lot coming from what you do.

I'm just another guy in a shop with a hammer hitting things