What to do?

Discussion in 'General Hardware' started by Matt555, Oct 30, 2005.

  1. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Okay I got 2 PC's for free today

    Specs:
    Fujitsu PC's
    500 and something MHz PIII CPU's
    128MB RDRAM PC800@400MHZ
    12GB Fujitsu HDD's
    One with Windows 98SE and no CD-Drive and one with Windows 2000 and a CD-Drive plus extra USB ports.
    Both have network cards (unsure of speeds)

    They are quite small and the motherboard layout is strange.
    What to do with them? I want to do a cool mod and then write about it and post it somewhere, first I need to get me a Dremmel or something as I dont have one and they are priceless tools when modding.

    What to put one of them in, ideas/suggestions are welcome (that's what I made this thread for) I'm only going to do one at the minute as my mum may want the other one.

    So, got any ideas?
     
  2. Willz

    Willz MiCrO$oFt $uK$ :D

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    hmm, got some wacky ideas now
    intergrate the computer into a wheel chair lol, and have a battary pack that will make it last for about 30 mins :p
    or why not, try to build a computer into a chair :D or a desk, or on a wall<< think you told me about that before :p
    or build the main part of computer (tower) into the floor, pull floorboards up, and then build computer into floor, and but a piece of heavy duty glass over it, then get long cables and stuff so you can use it :D
     
  3. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Interesting, although the floor thing would be hard and the wall thing won't happen i dont think as I'd need to make a perspex box to stop my little brother and his sometimes very annoying friends going in and placing their grubby little mitts on it...
     
  4. Addis

    Addis The King

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    Build it into a chair, and use a voice synthesizer and pretend your Stephen Hawking. Tilt your head aswell while reading the Brief History of Time with the synthesizer.
     
  5. Exfoliate

    Exfoliate Geek Trainee

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    :D, heh, yeah that would be sweet. I do like the wheel chair idea even if it isn't too likely. If you had a really big toaster you didn't want you'd have some potential there but you'd probably need a small toaster oven instead. The whole appliance theme is pretty endless so you've got a lot to look through there. I'm still for the aquarium PC.
     
  6. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Could do, although I don't have an aquarium, I do have a pond though...actually I know, modify the case into some sort of Mighty Boosh PC, try and find some Boosh-related stuff and build around the case...
     
  7. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    My friend gave me an idea, I'm going to try and find a small barrel/cylinder of some sort and attempt to modify the computer into that, then make it look like a toxic waste barrel...
    The dimensions of the computer case at the minute are 12"x13"x3.5" so it's not too big, might be able to find something small enough...
     
  8. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Okay it's not going to be a barrel, because I would have to mount the motherboard to something and the mounting inside that would be awkward, plus this is my first 'mod' so I'm just going to mod around the current case, spray it brown and green, maybe UV paint spashes, use expanding filler to make 'goo' appear as if it's growing over the box, then on the side with the air vents for the CPU cooler I'm going to use mesh and bend it and spray it so there's still airflow but it's not noticable that there's vents under there.
    On top I may cut a hole for a fan and make it look like an air duct on top of a building or something, but we'll see, I'll make the design up as I go along.
     
  9. Exfoliate

    Exfoliate Geek Trainee

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    Nice idea mate. Yeah for a first time mod job it's probably smart to play it safe, even if they were free it would be shame to screw things up. Plus the barrel idea would make it really hard to intechange components I imagine.
     
  10. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Yeah with this idea only the case is being modded, and it's only really some filler and a bit of cool spray work (i'm not too bad at spray work, check out my bass that I did)

    How do you reckon I could cover the front? I need access some stuff on there, here's a picture of the front of the case, the part on the left under the slidey flap is for a USB port. Also note I may use the other PC which doesnt have a CD-Drive and I can use the External CD-RW for this so CD access isn't a problem. I was thinking having some sort of flap/window cover (maybe made from a CD case cut jaggedy to look broken/smashed) over the USB port and volume control and then not having any access to the Floppy Drive as it's not really needed, then for the power and reset buttons having something on the 'goo' for the buttons, like a small oil drum or something, so I've got a novelty button. And for the lights I may try and find a street light from a toy set or something and put a white-ish yellow LED in there for HDD activity, that way it would look as if the street lamp is flickering after being damaged. What do ya think?

    Okay here's what I'm thinking so far for stages:
    1. Cut a hole in the center where the center of the biohazard symbol will be, this hole will be for a fan I'll install If i can, if not then this step won't happen.
    2. Spray a black biohazard sign on using a template I'll make, leave some areas patchy to give a more 'worn' look.
    3. Spray some blotchy, speckles of brown and green paint over the box, making the biohazard sign harder to see but still visible, like it's been used and got dirty.
    4. Get the mesh and bend it to a random bumpy shape over the vents, leaving space so the vents are more difficult to see.
    5. Use expanding foam filler to create moss/'goo' on the case making it more 3D and textured, not covering the whole case, just some areas.
    6. Make the front cover using tips from you guys (and gals if you're out there...)
    7. Spray the mesh and filler using grey, green and brown spray paint making sure the filler is completely covered but making it look more 'goo' like, maybe a brighter green would work for some of the 'goo'.
    8.Finish off the front cover installing LED's and switches etc.
    9.Admire my handy work if it's good and slap myself if it's bad.
     
  11. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Okay this computer thing might not happen for a while, things have come up here (hence the My Mood thing being set to 'Sad') and I really can't be bothered with it at the minute.
    But I'll let you know if I find anything good that would look good on this thing, and if I do decide to do anything to it.
    If you get any ideas about what to put on it then let me know, I was thinking haveing a small oil drum or something for the on switch and other little bits and bobs like an air duct/vent or something where the mesh for the computer vents are going, to let more air in but also look better.
    Thanks
    Matt
     
  12. Exfoliate

    Exfoliate Geek Trainee

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    Hey no prob man, hope things start looking up for you (and myself for that matter, which someone would check out my thread...). I like you're ideas and the bass looks sweet!
     
  13. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Yeah man I would have posted on it but I am completely stumped, yeah I like my bass, I may do this project to try and take my mind off things here, but it may just make me get angry if something doesn't go right and then I may just end up using the computer as a discus or something.
     
  14. Exfoliate

    Exfoliate Geek Trainee

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    :D, hehe, yeah believe me I was extreamly temped to just mircowave the lot and see what would happen last night. I've been put off assembling computers for quite some time now:(
     
  15. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Okay I'm going to start getting this for this mod, today while in town I got some car body filler (for texture ontop of the case) and a small can of paint, they didn't have any colours I need so I'll have a look in some other places sometime soon.
    Got:
    Car Body Filler
    Brown Spray Paint
    Need:
    More Body Filler
    Black Spray Paint
    Graan Spray Paint
    Grey Spray Paint
    Yellow Spray Paint
    Mesh
    Small Canisters
    Model Lamp-post
    Expanding Foam
    EDIT: Any other ideas as to what I'll need, I have a free afternoon at school tomorrow so I may do a sketch of what I want to do with this case.
     
  16. Exfoliate

    Exfoliate Geek Trainee

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    Awesome, scan the sketch or take a pic and post your ideas!
     
  17. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Okay did a quick sketch of what I want the front to look like (it's in pen, that's why it's not too good, usually I'm pretty good with art) of and the little man drawn in blue, he's meant to be in a radioactive protective suit with a flame-thrower...not a part of the project but my friend thought it would be funny to draw him on there...
    Those doors will be able to open if I use the case with the internal CD Drive, if not then I will do something else there...
    http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/6590/image0120tw.jpg
     
  18. Exfoliate

    Exfoliate Geek Trainee

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    That's awesome! Looks pretty daunting I must admit though. But definately doable. Keep us posted.
     
  19. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Yeah I'm gonng use something to bulk out the big areas then cover it in filler for texture, should be doable, might take some time though...
     
  20. Matt555

    Matt555 iMod

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    Okay, I'm going to need to make a kinda 'shell' to go over the front so there is space behind the front part of the mod.

    Then I'll use the filler to build up layers and add texture/shape to the project.

    I may use the doors over the USB part at the front (the left) so that I don't need to worry about access to the CD drive (use external one).

    That window over the left side where it is smashed will be awkward, a high change of cutting yourself on the jagged plastic when trying to reach inside.

    It shouldn't be too hard to get the overall shape of the mod, the hard part will be painting and getting realistic paint on this thing, I'll spray the symbol on top before anything else so then the other stuff will go over that and make it look like things have 'grown' over it.

    I think I'll start off with grey paint for the base, then add some brown and green, I may keep grey as the main colour and use the filler areas as 'rocks' and then have goo emerging from that...

    So does anyone know of any substance that can be 'drizzled' (feel like a cook :eek:hah: ) on stuff to look like goo, it can't remain liquid as it will have to harden. It will need to have colour as well because I want the goo to be green. I was thinking something like that glue stuff from glue guns, but how could I colour it green (don't want to paint it, I want to mix the colour into the substance)
     

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