P180 asthetics help

33L · 9 Oct 2006 at 15:19

Okay- i have had my p180 for a few months and want to do something to jazz it up.

I was thinking about doing a colour scheme or some artwork on the case or something along those lines. I have a spare set of side panels for the p180.

anyone got some ideas.
I seen RB Custom and wished i had that tallent
someone was polishing the alu on a restored collermaster case - thats an idea
Getting some custom decals to do a case wrap kind of thing. i really dont want to chop the case up as i like its simplicity.

give us your ideas

33L

Messiah Khan · 9 Oct 2006 at 15:30

Make some cool stencils, stick them to the case and spray paint over the top. Then peel away the stencils to reveal a wonderfull design.

33L · 9 Oct 2006 at 16:22

been watching a lot of american chopper, hotrods and overhaulin on discovery and they use some very thin tape for the edges. does anyone know what it is as i would love to do it. normal masking tape i find bleeds a little and its not a good finish.
Messiah - i know i cant compete with the likes of android - i cant wait for it to be finished.

wizardmaxx · 9 Oct 2006 at 16:23

I think it the same as pinstriping

Wouldn't it be easier to do a design and get a graphics/sticker shop to print one out.

33L · 9 Oct 2006 at 16:26

pinstiping is done by hand iirc with a brish rather than mask it out first! I could try a design and get it down to a print shop or one of these bad boy racer shops that does decals.

Azza · 9 Oct 2006 at 16:45

Put a window in the side panel, etch something in it, and then put some cool stencils on it like messiah khan said.

33L · 9 Oct 2006 at 17:17

I dont know if i want to go the window route. its a plan that i have thought about a few times but i havent seen a good result apart from the premade one at an american site.

I have done windows before way back before every manufacturer was doing window options on their case so i can be quite handy with a jigsaw. Im just not into led fans cold cathodes and stuff that much anymore. I used to go as far as match pcb colours thumscrews braiding the whole lot!

I would love to do the stencil myself and do the paintwork. I have a basement at my disposal so thats not a problem.

joeyjojo · 9 Oct 2006 at 20:18

33L said:
...or one of these bad boy racer shops that does decals.

Would love to see that, turns up with his computer and all these chavs are there with their Peugot 106s and Clios

Make or buy some stencils and spray paint 'em.

samcat · 9 Oct 2006 at 21:16

Picture really doesnt do it justice, edges had all been sanded and tidied now, the silver side of the case thats under the window is now black (using double sided foam tape).

Bottom of the visible part of the window perfectly corresponds with the bottom of the upper chamber.

Insides painted black, and many of the surfaces had a layer or two of dynamat then a layer of carpet (black of course).

With the green cathode on it looks pretty awesome if I do say so myself

MUCH nicer in the flesh!

Wiring is also MUCH neater now, looks a right mess in that picture (I am a touch anal about the wiring of a pc, trimming to length and soldering extras to get the lengths just right.

The side panel is very easy to cut with a jigsaw using an aluminum 'razortooth' blade.

CYa,
Sam C

33L · 10 Oct 2006 at 08:53

samcat have you got any update pics of the window. i have a couple of spare panels so i might get the gijsaw out however im at still minds cuting into the case.

w3bbo · 10 Oct 2006 at 19:56

I guess it depends how far you want to go :

Dreamcaster · 11 Oct 2006 at 02:28

w3bbo said:
I guess it depends how far you want to go :

Just wondering, how did you mount the vantec fan thingy over the ram ?

w3bbo · 11 Oct 2006 at 07:24

Blue peter special - (double sided sticky tape) attached to the top of the case. Works fine but will be replaced once my evercool 'neon crab' arrives.

R B Customs · 11 Oct 2006 at 10:27

33L said:
pinstiping is done by hand iirc with a brish rather than mask it out first! I could try a design and get it down to a print shop or one of these bad boy racer shops that does decals.

thats right.
its all done by hand and it is an absolute skill ! ive been doign it for a while as well as airbrushign and its Very hard lol.

33L - the tape you see them using is known as 'fine line' tape. its a vinyl type tape that you can make smooth curves with.
the yanks use 3m fine line tape ( blue) but over here we use whatever we can.
ill post example later on

gt_junkie · 11 Oct 2006 at 11:57

Nice window mods! :cool:

Don't think i could bring myself to chop into the panels like that though! Knowing me i'd destroy it completely! :rolleyes:

gt_junkie

33L · 11 Oct 2006 at 12:08

gt_junkie said:
Nice window mods!

Don't think i could bring myself to chop into the panels like that though! Knowing me i'd destroy it completely!

gt_junkie

lol thats why i got spare panels first

R B Customs · 11 Oct 2006 at 12:58

heres some fine line tape:
this is 1/16th tape. whicch is not common at all - which is why it is on a very small roll
the common size is 3mm ( 1/8th)

and heres an example of some pin striping too:

thats is done by hand, with special striping enamels and squirrel hair brushes... really a lot harder than it looks !
no masking, no trickery, no mistakes... mistakes are a very bad thing ! . just a quick stectch of the design onto the window with a special pencil.

as for ideas. i really dont think P180's suit windows.
have you thought about chemical etching ? think of a desing, mask the case, cut the design, apply the etch gloop, wait and remove / rinse
or atempt it free hand

33L · 11 Oct 2006 at 13:33

what kind of finish would i get with a chemical etch. I dont think there is gonig to be much point for a window as its not lit up in any way and its not water cooled so not much to show off really. Its a simplistic case that i want something tasteful done to it.

33L · 12 Oct 2006 at 14:28

R B CUSTOMS said:
33L - the tape you see them using is known as 'fine line' tape. its a vinyl type tape that you can make smooth curves with.
the yanks use 3m fine line tape ( blue) but over here we use whatever we can.
ill post example later on

Where can i get this of the shelf would b&q type places do it or more sepcialised stores!

33L

R B Customs · 13 Oct 2006 at 09:19

33L said:
Where can i get this of the shelf would b&q type places do it or more sepcialised stores!

33L

local model shops *should* sell fine line tape made by Pactra, and Flair ( i work in a model shop lol )

other than that you need to contact your nearest paint shop supplier. if your really struggling. ring a local body shop and ask them where they get their supplies from or ask f they have any fine line tape.

what did you plan on usign it for anyway ?