Case Mod fan placement???

[Edgerunner]

First off, is this the correct forum area for this type of thread?

Doing my first Mod for the GF, who just happens to be a Huge Steelers fan.

My plan is to cut a large square section out of the side panel of her Mid ATX case, approximately a large window size, and then bolt on a piece of sheeting in the "Diamond Plate" style.

Next I "Plan" to stencil and cut out this type of pattern and to back the words with a White Acrylic sheet so the light shines through it.

Now the actual Question.
I was hoping to cut out the three "Star" shapes and to back them with Appropriately colored RGB lighted fans but I am beginning to think that there just isn't enough room to put all three in the area without spreading the cut-outs farther away. I also feel that I will need to mod the front panel trays to accommodate the fans, something I was hoping Not to do.

Any ideas or suggestions

 

[Mr5oh]

What kind of case modding experience do you have? Have you cut, sanded, and polished acrylic before? This is quite a project you are about to undertake.

Have you thought about trying to come up with an existing piece of steelers art work, stained glass, acrylic, etc say from a flea market, ebay, etc to add to the side panel rather than make one from scratch?

 

[Edgerunner]

What kind of case modding experience do you have? Have you cut, sanded, and polished acrylic before? This is quite a project you are about to undertake.

Have you thought about trying to come up with an existing piece of steelers art work, stained glass, acrylic, etc say from a flea market, ebay, etc to add to the side panel rather than make one from scratch?

This is my first case mod but will be using practice pieces. I also have plenty of time as this will be an X-Mas present.

Not to worried about the Acrylic sheet. I can get it from our local hardware store, cut to size for less than $5. I was just going to cut the letters out of the Diamond Plate and then back it with a white square epoxied to the inside of the door.

 

[Bearmann]

I have no modding experience, so take this with a grain of salt. Maybe get some colored pieces of acrylic for the colored areas with a plain white light behind them. Put a single fan behind the cut out Steelers logo- maybe a white LED fan.

 

[Edgerunner]

I have no modding experience, so take this with a grain of salt. Maybe get some colored pieces of acrylic for the colored areas with a plain white light behind them. Put a single fan behind the cut out Steelers logo- maybe a white LED fan.

It's an old EMachine case but there's nothing original left of the 6 years old system except the case LOL. I was wanting to use it because it's in damned fine shape and has a smooth top and front panel that I think the Steeler "Stripes" will look excellent on.

PLUS. If I mess it up I have no issues with getting a new case.



I had already thought of the Colored Acrylic behind the "hypocycloids" but was hoping to use the Fans for extra airflow.

 

[Mr5oh]

Actually you may not be able to jut replace the case. Some of the OEMs use proprietary parts which complicate case replacement. Not that its impossible, just that it may not be as straight forward as building a regular custom PC. You may end up with parts that cant be re-used in a new case, like those card readers.

Im not tryng to discourage you. Just you've picked something really complex to start with. Especially since you want to make the "window" from "scratch". Definitely start with cuttimg your pieces and making your window before you cut the PC panel.I think you'll find it to be much more difficult than expected. That or you'll be much more crafty than the average person. Cutting the PC panel to install the window is the easy part so leave last.