Metal work suggestions

mangomerle

Distinguished
Jan 21, 2009
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18,510
I'd like some opinions on what to do with my aluminum cutouts for my window. I work with aircraft metal and I have access to basic metal working tools, paint booth, and stencil machine. This is really my first build and I want some advice before I go any further.

I have an Antec 900, love the case, hate the window. So I want to cover them up with aluminum cutouts. Make a nice design in the metal, and rivet the panel, plexi glass, and aluminum all together. Let me show you what I have so far.

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So this is where I am, I want to cut out a design but I can't decide on what to do. The metal was a thicker than I wanted it but you gotta take whats available. On the triangular piece (the smaller one) the plexiglas holds a fan pretts nicely and I'd like to keep that functional, maybe a skull or something circular but i just can't make up my mind. For the bigger piece I think some Kanji going down vertically would be cool.

What do you guys think??? I'm open to all suggestions, help me decide on a design, please!

I do have access to a stencil machine so I think I could make a pretty detailed design but my metal tools are limited. Things like files, drills, vise, mallet, nibbler, and basic hand shears. As for paint I think I am set, we have some left over glow in the dark paint that we put on prop tips. So I think a gloss black and glow in the dark mix along with a black light inside would be sick.

As for the rest of the case let me show you what I've done so far. Just cut some wire tuck holes with a dremel and then took it in and painted it gloss black, tell me what you think.

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Looks good so far. For exterior, if you want to keep the shine put some automotive clear coat on it and then use carwax and polish it up. As for what to put, a skull would be cool. But if you play any specific games (ie HL2D/Wow/CSS,etc) then one of those logos would make sense.