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Case Modding Tool Guide
I have tried case modding both ways and the "do the best
with what you've got" method will only get you so far, I
have found having the right tool for the job makes all the
difference and also makes for a more professional finished
mod. I hope that this guide gives those new to the hobby an
idea of the tools available to make case modding easier and
also a little insight into their use.
Read the Guide |
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Hand Cutting / Applying Vinyl
Decals
I have a
roll of red mirror chrome vinyl stock left over from my
Hells Illusion case mod and had actually planned on having a
local sign shop cut the design for the mod, instead I
decided to kill a bunch of birds with one stone and do the
cutting myself. When performing this mod a steady hand is
key, but the low cost of materials required makes this a
project worth trying... even if you have to re-do it a few
times before it's perfect. Follow along step by step from
initial design to final installation, it's decals
demystified within this guide.
Read the Guide |
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5.6" GameCube LCD Screen Mod
I bought a portable
GameCube LCD monitor online for cheap months back with the
intent of modding it into a bay mounted device for a
computer and I finally got around to doing it. Follow along
and learn LCD game screen breaking and re-making through
five pages of super easy to follow how-to guided goodness.
Read the Guide |
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Simple
Drive Stealthing
This guide
is guaranteed easy and will show what I consider to be the
hands down absolute best way to stealth a drive. The end
result looks awesome, is entirely functional, completely
removable and unlike a lot of other mods will not void your
warranty.
Read the Guide |
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Build a PC Test Box
"I was
going through the piles of computer crap I have accumulated
over the years, keeping everything that is useful and
throwing away the junk, when I noticed this project floating
in my "maybe" pile... the treasures that almost hit the
trash - consisting of a pre-wired power button, reset
button, power and HDD LED's and lastly a small pre-wired
speaker - this was my initial motivation."
Read the Guide |
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6" LCD - Single 5.25" Bay
Case Mod
There is no
real reason for you not to have a 6" LCD screen as a
secondary monitor in your case, it is an entirely functional
mod that is absolutely kick-ass. If you have ever wanted to
mod an LCD into your case then you need to check out our
guide, for little more than a Matrix Orbital or Crystal
Fontz you can have a secondary case mounted monitor...
sweet.
Read the Guide |
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CD Button Rerouting
Got a
stealthed CD-drive but tired of pushing on your faceplate to
pop it open? This mod will give you an external button that
wont ruin your stealthed look... You can put the switch
anywhere on your case, I chose the most convenient spot
right on the front. A power drill with a quarter inch bit
did the job just fine.
Read the Guide |
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Making Custom Fan Grills
Although
admittedly new to modding, Orion and Vivio have a definite
knack for creativity and evidently know how to do things
right the first time, this guide will show how to make your
own fan grills and then make them come alive by hand
painting them.
Read the Guide |
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Hardcore Hard Drive Modding
Modding a window into a
hard drive is nothing new and there are guides on other mod
sites that can show you how to do just that, but when you
completely replace the entire top half of the drive housing
with clear acrylic then the term "hard drive window" takes
on a whole new meaning and you are truly modding CMG style.
Though this is just a rough prototype for a larger drive mod
it looks very cool and best of all the drive is still
functional, check out this guide on turning a hard drive
into a windowed work of art.
Read the Guide |
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Build an LED Flame Fan
This guide
shows how to turn a top blow hole fan into something more
closely resembling art, the flames are made of cloth
illuminated by LED's and do a great job of simulating fire.
Here is a quote from the guide, "After trying a few
different types of cloth with mixed results I finally found
one that worked well, silk. The flames were cut free hand
and if you look closely you can see the slits that were cut
to connect them together, one down
the middle on the top of one and the other up the bottom."
Read the Guide |
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5.25" Fan Controller Makeover
There are a lot
of really cool bay devices on the market, whether they have a
finish similar to your case or are completely different - as in
the case of the Zalman fan controller, this guide will show you
how to make it match the rest of your case.
Read the Guide |
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Mod a Lian-Li Bezel MOBY1 Style
Sadly this
guide marks the end of mods for MOBY, sometimes something like
destroying and having to re-mod a bezel has to happen to make
you realize that enough is enough and that everything has to end
somewhere. So I present... MOBY, the end. And I'm not just
saying that because my new case is sitting on the floor next to
me... ok, maybe I am. This guide will show how to mod 80mm
blowholes and grills into the bottom and how to mount Lazer LEDs
onto the top of a Lian Li bezel.
Read the Guide |
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Defyants Lighted Wiring Tubes
Face it, wires ain't pretty... short of sleeving or looming them
your options are pretty much limited. Of course if you are
Defyant you get around these limitations by coming up with an
alternate and original way and for good measure make the cases
wiring glow too. CMG's favorite Aussie has a killer little
guide showing how to make your wiring look entirely slick, a
professional mod coming to you straight from the pages of the HP
Resurrection II work log.
Read the Guide |
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Test PSU Into Modded Desktop PSU
This guide is
based on our recent Test PSU guide, in it we show how to turn an
old PSU into an external independent test PSU... Build the test
PSU, mod the hell out of it and use it to power desk, monitor,
mouse pad, keyboard, printer or speaker lighting mods, why limit
the mods to the inside of your PC?
Read the Guide |
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Make a Test PSU
Ok, I know I
know. This project is probably seen all over the Internet and
many of you may have already done this. But for those of you who
have not, Built Ford Tough will show you how to make an ATX
switched PSU test unit.
Read the Guide |
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EL Applique Side Panel Mod
"Instead of
just reviewing the EL appliques by using them on case windows
and calling it good I decided to take things to the next level
and mod them permanently into the case, and also document it as
I went. They kind of look like glowing tattoos for your
computer, it's not a simple mod by any means but it definitely
looks classy and is well worth doing. CMG is proud to present
our latest how-to guide "EL Applique Mod".
Read the Guide |
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6" LCD - Triple 5.25" Bay Case Mod
A 6" LCD
monitor is about as large as will comfortably fit into a
computers 5.25" bays, there are other guides out there showing
how to fit smaller LCD modules into the front of a PC... but
bigger is better. This guide will show you how to fit the 6"
LCD module into the case without having to alter the case at
all, wiring instructions for the LCD are in the single bay 6"
LCD mod guide.
Read the Guide |
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Build an HSF Funnel
"Why funnel
your HSF? Simple answer really. Cooling benefits. Your CPU
builds up a tremendous amount of heat and relies on your heat
sink and fan to dissipate that heat in the most efficient way by
design that it can. Now don’t get me wrong. There are a lot of
excellent heat sinks and fans available that provide good
cooling. This mod will enhance it.
Read the Guide |
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LED PCI Bracket Mod
If you have
ever wanted to make the back side of your computer glow then
this is the how-to for you, inexpensive and effective are two
words that best describe this mod. CMG reader Sebastian submit
a beginner friendly guide that will walk you through it showing
the wiring of LED's and also how to hook it to a switch.
Read the Guide |
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FraggPad WB Mouse Pad Mods
In the ongoing
tradition to try and mod everything we proudly present a
mousepad lighting mod, done for under $15. We were sent a
Steelpad 4S and a FraggPad for review, they both performed well
and received good scores... but the main reason for wanting to
review them was to mod them both afterwards, first up... the
FraggPad mod.
Read the Guide |
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-
Window Etch Experiment
-
- If you are
modding on a shoestring budget then this just may be the
guide for you. This guide is entirely experimental (me
screwing around) but it will show how to create your own
custom sanded window etching and also a few different ways
to highlight it afterward.
Read the Guide |
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Cable Management Guide
Is there a
window in your case? Does the inside of your case look neat and
tidy or are all your wires and cables in disarray? If the
inside of your case looks like spaghetti all you need is some
split loom, zip ties and a half hour of time and it can go from
messy to managed.
Read the Guide |
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Make an Old Case New Again
If you have an
old case lying around that is scratched up or dirty looking, or
if your present case is suffering from the same symptoms then
our latest guide is just what the mod-doctor ordered. Trash
becomes treasure with all steps completely covered in what we
like to call "The $10 case makeover".
Read the Guide |
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Make a Case Front Switch Bay
If you have
more than one light in your case and are tired of having to
reach around to the back of your case to turn them on or off you
need to read our latest how-to guide. We show a very simple and
affordable mod that adds functionality and class to a 3.5"
floppy bay cover, plus the guide contains a template layout for
up to four switches.
Read the Guide |
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Add Molexed Wiring to a Rheobus
So you got
yourself a shiny new rheobus and you are looking at the backside
of it where the red and black wires should go... wait a minute
your fans have a plug on the end of it, not bare wires and you
don't want to cut them off. What can you do? CMG has the
answer, let us show you how to sacrifice a few molex Y-splitters
to the modding cause.
Read the Guide |
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Outline a Window with EL Wire
This guide will
show you how to trim the edge of a window with Glo-wire. Below
is the window that was shown in our how-to article "The $5
Window Mod", we are going to tear it completely apart and redo
the whole thing, sure it looks good as is but it is about to
look a lot better...
Read the Guide |
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Lazer LED's on the Case Underside
Cars have neon
kits that can be installed to their underside and we all know
how cool that looks, but putting a CCFL under your case isn't a
good idea (especially if you move yours around as much as we
move ours). This guide shows an affordable way to achieve a
great under-case lighting effect without having to worry about
breaking a bulb. This guide shows how to elevate the case and
also wire Lazer LED's to an on/off switch.
Read the Guide |
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LED Meter How-To Guide
"The LED meter is a rare mod that is used by only the most
daring (read: can kill a parallel port) or well funded case
modders. This mod uses the printer port to transmit data to an
array of 8 LEDs, making them do whatever the user can find or
write a program for. From WinAmp sound movement to system use,
the possibilities are limitless. This guide will show you how to
make an affordable and safe meter so you to can have one of the
most visually entertaining mods on the market."
Read the Guide |
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The Five Dollar Window Mod
A mod doesn't
have to cost a fortune to look classy. We installed a window
for under $5.00, then we added a custom applique and a lighted
fan to the window. Tips on cutting holes in plexi-glass and
making a home made window applique make this guide something
that every modder can benefit from.
Read the Guide |
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Hole Saw - Modding PC Blow Holes
Coming
to you directly from our "Mod Guides of the Lost" series... this
guide covers the best way I have found to cut blow holes into
wood, metal, Plexi-Glass and acrylic. Originally appearing in
the "$5 Dollar Window Mod", "Modding a Test PSU Into a Desktop
PSU", "A Modders Toolbox" and the "MOBY1 Bezel Guide" this 'new'
guide explains the ins and outs of cutting blow holes into your
computer.
Read the Guide |
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Defyant Style Turbine Fan Mod
Defyant shows how to turn a
bland fan into something unique, here's a quote from the
guide... "When I built HPR-2 I had a lot of people asking how I
made the "Turbine" Style Front Fan. As simple as this was to
just explain (which I hopefully did well) pictures always
help." Read on to learn how easy it is to trick out your case
fans.
Read the Guide |
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Printing Custom Color Appliques
Coming
to you directly from our "Mod Guides of the Lost" series... this
guide shows how to print out and apply home made window or case
appliques. Originally appearing in the "$5 Dollar Window Mod"
and "Modding a Test PSU Into a Desktop PSU" guides, this
compilation guide will take you from initial designing to final
application of DIY custom printed appliques.
Read the Guide |
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LED Brake Lights Into Case Lights
Coming
to you directly from our "Mod Guides of the Lost" series... this
guide shows how to turn the LED brake lights from a car into a
very bright and highly affordable case lighting solution in any
color you like so long as it's red. Originally appearing in the
"Project Lament: HellRaiser Cenobite PC" and "Project Lament II:
Hell's Illusion" worklogs the 'new' guide shows two different
takes on brake light modding.
Read the Guide |
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Oven Forming Sheet Acrylic
There
are a few different ways to form acrylic including a heat strip
or heat gun, but short of using a vacuum table the electric oven
in your kitchen is your best bet for forming complex shapes in
acrylic sheets. Coming to you directly
from our "Mod Guides of the Lost" series... this guide shows how
to form your own 3-D case windows or parts, originally appearing
in the "Project Lament: HellRaiser Cenobite PC" work log it's
now a stand alone guide.
Read the Guide |
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Sculpting Compounds - A Primer
This guide will introduce you to a few
different sculpting compounds that can be used to create
original mods and also rates their ease of use, strength and
effectiveness versus cost per ounce. Coming
to you directly from our "Mod Guides of the Lost" series and
originally appearing in the "Project Lament: HellRaiser Cenobite
PC" work log, not all
sculpting compounds are created equal.... read on to take the
hassle out of deciding which modeling product will work best for
your mods.
Read the Guide |
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5" Lumin Disk Window Mod by Ecca
Ecca wrote up a guide showing an easy
way to mod a five inch Lumin disk into your side panel window,
it really could be modded into almost any open part of of your
case but it shines as a window accent. A quote from the guide:
"This was a brilliant idea I thought up when I was in the
mall and saw this super-fly groovy Lumin Disk. A Lumin Disk is
very similar to a plasma ball... Anyhow, I thought this would be
a nice addition to my wannabe plasma tubes already in my PC". Follow
along as Ecca shows step by step how to accomplish a slick
little window mod.
Read the Guide |
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CD Bezel Vinyl Dying Guide
Coming
to you directly from our "Mod Guides of the Lost" series... this
guide shows how to take apart a CD-ROM drives front bezel and
how to go about changing your drive color from beige to black by
using a can of spray vinyl color. Shown briefly in the $10 case
make-over guide, this all new guide covers CD-ROM disassembly,
preparation and spraying... so simple that there's no excuse to
settle for beige drives.
Read the Guide |
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2X16 Serial LCD Mod by Arem
Arem wrote a
2X16 LCD modding guide to share with the community, here's a
quote from the how-to: "I've had a basicx24 with
development board and serial LCD laying around since Christmas
about 2 years ago... While looking through the documentation for
the LCD however, I noticed that it could be connected to a PC
serial port as well as to the micro-controller.", sweet. Follow
along step by step as Arem hacks a 2X16 character LCD into a bay
mounted programmable PC display.
Read the Guide |
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Mod LED's into PSU Molex Ends
Coming to you directly from our "Mod Guides of the Lost"
series... this next guide covers adding a little extra 'bling'
to what is normally just a small white drab piece of plastic.
Originally appearing in the "Modding a Test PSU Into a Desktop
PSU" guide, this excerpt shows how you can make your molex ends
glow.
Read the Guide |
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Steelpad 4S Lighting Mod
In our ongoing tradition to try and mod
everything we proudly present a mousepad lighting mod done for
under $15. We were sent a Steelpad 4S and a FraggPad for
review, they both performed well and received good scores... but
the main reason for wanting to review them was to mod them both
afterwards, here is the Steelpasd 4S mod.
Read the Guide |
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