A military tribute, Project: "Dixie Thunder"

[ByteTech]

Hello all. This is my first post here. I'm the co-owner of Byte Tech, DCS in Mississippi. We are a computer repair shop and just recently we have decided to try out luck at custom cases.

Our first case is actually being done for my partner but we want all to see. The case theme is being themed after a National Guard unit that I used to be a member of. The 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team "Dixie Thunder". The 155th deployed earlier this month for Iraq and I wanted to show them our support so we decided to theme the case for them.

Overall the case will be flat forrest green and flat black. The front door of the bezel will have a piece of plexi with the 155th's unit patch etched on it.. The side panel will get cut out and another piece of plexi added with a tank and unit patch ethced. We are still debating what type of artwork should go on the right side panel, we have toyed with the idea of adding a stenciled armored cavalry insignia in black.
The case frame will be painted flat black and also the drive cases. Still working on the idea for the PSU, I thought of adding yellow caution striping to and maybe some stenciled labels.

I will keep you folks updated on the progress and post pics as we work. For now here are some pics and details of the current work.

We started with a Chieftec Dragon case. The case yellow not purple, I only took picture of the case before starting it.
http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/solid_mx_prpl-p.jpg

Here's the actual case, ready to for the Dremel.

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/case_new.jpg

We started by cutting out inside of the front door and applying bondo over the bottom of the front bezel. The cutout in the door is where a piece of etched plexi will go.

We started by cutting out inside of the front door and applying bondo over the bottom of the front bezel. The cutout in the door is where a piece of etched plexi will go.

Before:

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/front_no_bondo.jpg

After:

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/botm_and_door_bondo.jpg

used household bondo instead of automotive bondo on the plastic pieces.
After applying and letting it dry for 30-40 minutes I hand sanded the bondo with 120 grit sandpaper then worked my way from 220 grit to 400 grit feathering the bondo.

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/front_after_bondo.jpg

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/door_bondo_detail.jpg

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/front_detail.jpg

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/door_bondo_fit.jpg

The top door will handle pulls on it also.

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/top_door_w_handles.jpg

Here's the frame after being painted. One coat at the time of the photo.

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/frame_1_coat_2.jpg

Some photos of the flat green paint on the panels.

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/top_cvr_painted.jpg

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/top_door_painted.jpg

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/front_lower.jpg

A pic of the drive bezels.

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/drive_plates.jpg

For the plexi that goes int he front door, I made a stencil out of Frisket film and then used some spray on frosting for the etched look.
http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/door_w_plexi_frost.jpg

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/plex_frosted_sanded.jpg

We decided to move the location of the power and reset buttons and LED locations, also added switches for the fans with LEDS and a light switch for LED lighting. A note on the lighting. We put a white and a red LED in the top of the front bezel above the door. This way the light will shine down and illuminate the frosted patch. Anywho, here are some more pictures.
The switchplate will be painted green and lettered with black to indicate to function of the switches and LED's.

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/swtchplte_accsc.jpg

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/swtchplate_fit_test.jpg

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/swtchplate_fit_test_2.jpg


If you notice in the pics of the switch plate the top right LED holders are off a little. Since I have cut a new plate out of styrene instead of aluminum. A little easier to work with and no where near as costly when mistakes happen. I'll get some photos up of that later.

I hope everyone will enjoy seeing the progression of the case as much as we are enjoying working on it.

Stay tuned more photos to come this coming week.

Mike
Byte Tech, DCS

[Knipex]

Nice first post, and a nice mod....

I love the switch plate for some reason. Not quite sure why but I do....

[Starbuck3733T]

Welcome to the boards ByteTech, nice entrance. Very clean work.

I really must get a bezel like tha to replace the stock antec one that has the swiss cheese instead of the slats. Again, very nice work.

[godfoot]

Hehe, this case looks awfully familiar. ;)
Nice work!

[Da_Rude_Baboon]

Nice work. Personally i would have got the switch plate to follow the curve underneath it.

[Rally]

Nice work. I love seeing these tributes. The control panel is spot on for Army equipment.

We are still debating what type of artwork should go on the right side panel, we have toyed with the idea of adding a stenciled armored cavalry insignia in black.
Has the 155th lost anyone? You could get an airbrusher to put the boots, M-16, helmet tribute on and stencil on the names of the fallen.

[Starbuck3733T]

Nice work. I love seeing these tributes. The control panel is spot on for Army equipment.

Has the 155th lost anyone? You could get an airbrusher to put the boots, M-16, helmet tribute on and stencil on the names of the fallen.

Wonderful idea... but seriously, casemods don't usually make me tear up. It just sucks to die before your time, even if it is in service of your country.

[mnpctech]

As I stated @ Pimprig, nice bondo work. very clean mod!

Excellent way to show support for our troops.

[Pug]

Very sweet. Welcome to WizD. B)

One question... do you have any plans to cater for revised intake airflow?
I had a case with a solid front like that and an intake throat at the bottom but case temp was crazy... I dropped it 10°C by widening the bottom throat (and a few other mods) but had to have the front edge overhanging the lip of the desk to do so.
If you do do anything like that, you may have to brace it somehow as it acts as part of the bezel structure. Just a heads-up. :)

[ByteTech]

Sorry for the long delay on replies. Got alot going on these days, trying to get the business going, working a full time job, etc...
To answer the last comment, yes. We have an idea for the front panel for air flow. Just think of a tanks main gun, the 120mm smooth bore cannon. I'll get some pics up this weekend of that.
I'll give you guys a peek at the laser etched plexi for the side panel. We had Brain at Voyeurmods etch this for. Believe me, don't even think about it, if you need laser etching give 'em a call.

Here's the plexi.

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/tank2.jpg

I'll get some more up this weekend.

Sarge

[mnpctech]

Insert "thumbs up" icon B)

[Starbuck3733T]

That's a beautiful piece of work!

[fillip]

That's a sweet etch there.

[biggiy6]

O MAN!:eek: I contacted them about doing an etch and it is a very detailed image like that, I don't see there being a problem with them making it look good.

Very nice window etch I like that alot, you can't even tell that it is a window at first glance. Again EXCELLENT WORK!

[ByteTech]

This past weekend went well but I wanted to get more done.
So here's a recap of the fun. We cut the side panel for the window, we re-modded the front for a 120mm fan intake, still working on the chassis for the fan hole and we got to use even more Bondo. Geesh, I love working with Bondo! :lol: Is it just me?

Anyway, let me get some pics on here so you all can see what's been done.

Here's a closer look at the detail of the etched panel:

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/etch_detail.JPG

Here is the front panel with the PVC test fitted:

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/front_mock_up.JPG

Angled view:

http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/front_mock_angle.JPG

The PVC used in the above pics are a 3/4" coupling and a 3" to 4" reducer. The square peice behind the 3/4" was cut from a sheet of styrene and the filler piece inside the coupling is also styrene. We are striving for the look of the end of the M1A1's main gun. I'll post a pic of an actual M1 in here somewhere. We have'nt quite decided on whether to use modders mesh between the pvc and fan or go with something different. Still rather up in the air on that.

Here's a pic of the chasis with the hole cut for the 120mm fan. I applied some glazing compound/spot putty over the sanded areas too.
http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/chasis_glazed.JPG

Just shortly after sanding this bad boy down, I decided to cut out the stamped grill just above the fan hole. Was that ever a screw up, yet a blessing in disquise. Once I cut it out, I wondered how was I going to cover that square hole??? Then it hit me, use a larger piece of sheet metal and rivert it to the lower front and re-cut the 120mm hole.

Like so, well I have'nt cut the fan hole yet.
http://www.byte-tech-dcs.com/forums/chasis_redesign.JPG

I took some more photos but I went through picked some to highlight. I'll weed through the pics and take more as we get more done. If all goes well, we should be able to get this rig re-assembled this weekend and re-painted. Pretty much just lacking the stenciled lettering.

Stay tuned, same channel.

[ByteTech]

One more thing.. What do you guys do for the case feet? Any ideas?

[biggiy6]

Nice update and dang that etch is nice, I can't wait to get mine from them!

For case feet that is a good question. How about maybe getting some treads like they use on the tanks and fitting it to the bottom somehow.

[mnpctech]

How about modifying 4, dummy 50 caliber shells (http://www.armynavyshop.com/prods/rc4698.html) for feet.

[Fibbles]

How about modifying 4, dummy 50 caliber shells (http://www.armynavyshop.com/prods/rc4698.html) for feet.
That would be sweet.

[fillip]

Think you could resize the pics please man, they're running double width in firefox @ a res of 1280 x 1024 http://wizdforums.co.uk/images/smilies/blink.gif

[Da_Rude_Baboon]

i second that.

[Pug]

We have an idea for the front panel for air flow. Just think of a tanks main gun, the 120mm smooth bore cannon. I'll get some pics up this weekend of that.

...

Sarge

Cool. Do us a favour tho, try to stick to 800 pixels wide on inline pics if you can. We still have members on 56k and I have a bandwidth limit on my DSL too, ta.