Project : DST (Dallas Stars Tribute)

[Tech-Daddy]

Hey everyone.... this is a placeholder for the worklog on DST (Dallas Stars Tribute), my next case. It will be a fan case (as in, Dallas Stars "fan"...) based on influences from the Dallas Stars. The Dallas Stars are an NHL team, that I follow R-A-B-I-D-L-Y! I was introduced to the game of hockey by a very dear friend.

This case, will be my attempt at repaying all of the kindness that she showed me by taking me to games and being patient with me asking questions while they played.

Her two favorite players are Brendan Morrow and Stephan Robidas, two very talented (and hard hitting) players on the squad. I will be incorporating design elements of this Stars orginazion, their logo, and some custom picture work. It will be a sweet case!!!!

I started tonight by stripping down the case into it's components, I'll get the pics uploaded tomorrow. So, it is now on the workbench, and is going to become an active project now until I complete it!

So, everyone... welcom in..."Dallas Stars Tribute"....

;)

[Tech-Daddy]

So, the luh-vuh-ly teardown pics...

Take a good look, cuz it wont be in this state for long! ;)
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench1.jpg

Note in the fan grille, the power/front LED's/Reset wires running out and to the right to escape thru a hole in the case frame.... WTF were they thinking??!?! The lines are CLEARLY visable thru the front of the grill. :D
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench2.jpg

This is pretty cool, but I can se why it was not implemented further... one screw allows for *all* of the pannels to come off!
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench4.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench4a.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench4c.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench4d.jpg

and now the case stripped and disassembled!
;)


http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench4f.jpg

I did some drilling/dremmel work tonight on the back panel to get the hole for the 80 mm fan, and get that crappy punched metal location off and out. I'll likely perform the same thing but on the front of the case frame, where the fan performs intake duties...

[Tech-Daddy]

;)

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench5.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench5a.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench5b.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench5c.jpg

Nothing really exciting here... just trying to get a smooth finish on the rear, and cover up those blasted port holes. I built up the bondo, and put a tube of paper in place to try and round out the fan hole.

[Tech-Daddy]

progress pics on the updates:

This is actually the front of the case frame. As you can tell, I hated the location of hte piddly 80mm fan... so I made it a 120mm fan!!

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/bench6.jpg


Here I am getting the parts ready to prime. I'm using a white primer to brighten the white color coat that I will put on in a few days.

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/primer1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/primer1a.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/primer1b.jpg

first 3 items with two coats of the paint, I have not put the clear coat on them yet.
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/primer1c.jpg


Rear panel where ports *used* to be!!!
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/primer2.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/primer2a.jpg

[Tech-Daddy]

first coat of paint on some of the framework.

Starting off with a semi gloss white. I have clear that will be added later...


http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/paint1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/paint1a.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/paint1b.jpg

[Tech-Daddy]

ya know... the difference between living on a ventalator later in life and not:
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/nofumes4td.jpg

I can believe I went as long as I did without one... wow!

Put the final coats of paint on a couple of pieces:

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/paint2e.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/paint2g.jpg

And started clear coating a few other pieces:
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/paint2a.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/paint2b.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/paint2c.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/paint2d.jpg


This was the back panel that had the port holes that I bondo'd over:
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/paint2.jpg

I'll pop a few more coats onto the pieces tonight and let them be ready for tomorrow hopefully!
;)

[maddmaxx]

I'm not a Hockey fan but I am a fan of case mods. Keep those pictures coming.

[Tech-Daddy]

Will do! More later today!

[Rob Williams]

Oh man, what an *awesome* idea for a case mod. I don't believe I've ever seen one inspired by hockey, so I cannot wait to see this one come together.

As a non-modder, just watching you pull apart the case into a hundred pieces is a little scary :D

BTW, mind telling me how much a ventilation mask like that runs you?

[SillySider03]

Edited.

[Tech-Daddy]

BTW, mind telling me how much a ventilation mask like that runs you?

Cost me about $45/US.

And as for completely tearing a case down... after you have done it once or twice, it really becomes second nature.

The pain portion of it come when you try to make all the pieces fit back together!
;)

If you ever want to practice this stuff... find a place that sells used cases, or watch for a dead boxes in the alley. Get yourself a good drill and a bit htat is just a smidge larger than the inner diameter of hte rivet. That will allow you to remove the rivets.

Then just take good pics of hte case prior to disassembly, and when you put it back together, you use a rivet gun (~$15) and some rivets ($3) and punch that bad boy back together!

;)

[Tech-Daddy]

Oh man, what an *awesome* idea for a case mod. I don't believe I've ever seen one inspired by hockey, so I cannot wait to see this one come together.

Yeah... I have seen a few football fan cases, but never a hockey case.

This one is not going to be full of hockey references... it is just going to be a clean custom case with the Stars as a style guide.

Now... my next one... *hint, hint* may have some more styling pieces in it... but let's focus on the here and now!
:D :p :D :p

[Jakal]

You've made some awesome stuff in the past and I'm trying to wait patiently for this one. :D Looks like you're off to a great start Tech. Thanks for keeping us in the loop man!

[Tech-Daddy]

A busy night in the Tech-Daddy garage tonight! ;)

I felt that the paint had cured and hardened enough now for me to reassemble the frame:

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/rebuild1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/rebuild2.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/rebuild3.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/rebuild4.jpg

Nothing major, but I did mount in the 120mm intake fan, to be sure it would mount properly!

Lit it with an external power supply to make sure I did not have it tweaked or out of round, nice and quiet!
;)

[Rob Williams]

That's looking great man, loving the base color so far. Beats the pants off the gray ;)

[Jakal]

Mo betta by the day! LoL

I like the white as well. Never thought white would look great in a case, but you've turned me around :D. Nice work, keep it up!

[sbrehm72255]

Great work, You have got to have some of the best painting skills around............;) I wish I could paint half as good.........LOL I'm really lacking in the paint department, that's why I always have a brushed aluminum case.........:)

[madmat]

What do you use to paint with? Cup gun? Rattle can? Inquiring minds would like to know.

[Tech-Daddy]

This is all rattle cans right now.

I just bought a great airbrush setup, but I have not practiced enough with it yet!

:D

[Ben]

Looking good, post more pics!

[Buck-O]

What are you useing to spray with? HVLP?

[Tech-Daddy]

On my airbursh setup, it is just a little silent airpump with a Badger Crescendo series airbrush.

No HVLP yet... I am going to be pricing those guns in a few... along with a larger comperessor for the equipment.

[Rob Williams]

Too much paint talk.. I can smell the fumes! Seriously though, after seeing how cool that White looks, I feel like trying my hand at something like this in the future.

[Buck-O]

No Rob, thats just your upper lip. ;)

And yes, it does look really impressive.

I must say, that as a profesional detailer, i have thoguht many a time about having a custom case painted with automotive paints (im partial tot he Subaru limited edition Rally Mica Black, which was a black pigment, with the Rally Mica Blue flake in it, looks absolutely stunning with properly detailed, and in direct full spectrum or sun light). Just so i could detail it to that perfect shine. Unfortunately, i have yet to find "that case" worth modding the bejesus out of.

[Ult1mate x64]

Pretty kewl mod you have here, I hope you finished it.

May I ask what kind of white that is, because that is the same white I want to paint my frame.

[Tech-Daddy]

I believe it was simply Krylon semi-gloss white.

*huff*
*puff*
*bloooooows the dust off...*

;)

Please pardon my "less than gracefull re-entry back into this mod.

Several things came out of a trip I took reciently that have allowed me to progress a few things on this mod...

So, without further adeiu...

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/scuff1.jpg
I scuffed the top and sides way back in March.

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/panel1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/top1.jpg
I also painted the pieces way back then too!

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/decal1.jpg
The two uncut decal layouts...

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/decal2.jpg
Robidas being trimmed up for decal removal. These are waterslide decals. Which means that when I remove them, they are completely emersed in water. Since I print these on an ink jet, I must shoot a solid layer of clear coat on top of the decal print job. If I dont get compete coverage... well, you can likely guess what will happen...


http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/decal3_bleed.jpg
1st time, I did not use enough clear sealent and the colors bled out...

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/decal4_trans.jpg
Whoops... transparent is just that.... you need an all white background for phtography like this to work. Also, putting a tranparent decal on a black surface should be considered a general no-no, there is nothing to bring the colors of the picture out. Use transparent only on lighter backgrounds....


I have a friend, and he hooks me up so well....
http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/decal_grill.jpg

Now, I also had several completely custom 80mm fan grills and several 120mm fan grills that are patterned after the Dallas Stars logo, incorporating the Star from the middle to make the fan grill....

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/decal.jpg

Those are high res shots printed straight on the vinyl.

[madmat]

So, are you going with vinyl decals now or are they still waterslide? I must say that I'm digging the fan grills, who made them?

[Rob Williams]

Yeah, those fan grills are pimp. Must cost a fair bit to get customs made?

Thanks for filling us in man, I look forward to seeing progress :D

[Tech-Daddy]

So, are you going with vinyl decals now or are they still waterslide? I must say that I'm digging the fan grills, who made them?

Yeah, going to try the vinyl, the waterslide just was not giving me the results I wanted. Going to try this method now.

As for the grills, I am not at liberty to give a name. He works for a company that has the ability to produce these items, and we snuck them through "while the boss man" was not looking. So, to reduce his exposure, he shall remain nameless. :)

But, for the record, laser cutters ROCK!!! ;)

[madmat]

Yeah, going to try the vinyl, the waterslide just was not giving me the results I wanted. Going to try this method now.

As for the grills, I am not at liberty to give a name. He works for a company that has the ability to produce these items, and we snuck them through "while the boss man" was not looking. So, to reduce his exposure, he shall remain nameless. :)

But, for the record, laser cutters ROCK!!! ;)


Simply saying "A friend" or "Buddy from work" or what have you would suffice it for me. :) Tell him your forum friends say "Job well done!"

[Tech-Daddy]

I'm so "over the top".... ;)
I'll let him know!

[Jakal]

Nice progress Greg! Those grills are pimp.. wait let me retype that.. Man dem grillz be strait pimp yo! lol Cool of that friend(s) to hook you up with that stuff. I can't wait!

[moon111]

Great job, although the Dallas Stars are definately not my team. I could never put a player's name on my computer because sure enough it would mean they would be traded A.S.A.P. It's a curse like getting you're wife's name tattoo'd or sharing an email address eg cindyndave@gettingdivorced.com.

[madstork91]

... no madano? wheres the love man?

[Tech-Daddy]

... no madano? wheres the love man?

Look for the next "version" of this case that I do *for* the Dallas Stars....
;)

and it is Modano... :D

[Rob Williams]

Look for the next "version" of this case that I do *for* the Dallas Stars.... ;)

:eek:

[madstork91]

I await its greatness with gusto.

[Tech-Daddy]

It is going to rock... mark my words....
;)

I'm using this case as a testing platform for some ideas, but my agreement with the Stars, was that for use of their logo and access to their image library and players, I had to do one for them as well.

It will be a case that will be auctioned off by the Dallas Stars Foundation for their charitable fundraiser. I have commitments from Crucial, Nvidia and Coolermaster. I will be contacting other vendors as well to add into the rig, but I cannot wait to get to work on this next one.

But I cannot get too excited on that one, as I need to finish this one first and proove the concepts.

:)

It is going to be a bit exciting around my house over the next few months. Add into this that I am going to loose at least one month, possibly 2 to recovery from foot and ankle surgery that I go in for this next Thursday. So, my modding is going to be severly curtailed until I can stand for any decent period of time. (Kind of necessary for modding, dont you think?)

[Rob Williams]

You sound like a busy man T-D. I can't wait to see where both Stars mods go. How was it that they found out about you, or did you just contact them? Either way, building a PC for them to auction off is an honor :D

[madstork91]

And any free tickets you dont want that they shower you with will be greatly appreciated going my way ;)

Seriously though, I love what ive seen of your work so far. I hope it turns out Uber!

Edit: Btw what happened to your foot man? I hope youre ok. Ive got a bone chip in my left one. :(

[Tech-Daddy]

If I get tix out of this, and my son does not want to attend, we may have to hook up! ;)

[Tech-Daddy]

http://home.comcast.net/~tech-modz/dst/vinyl1.jpg

Weeded out the graphics last night.
Going out to the garage tonight to prep the other two panels for a white primer. I've got 5 shades of green out in the garage that I need to test and see which one comes out the closest.

Also need to clean up my work area! ;)

More tomorrow I hope!

[madmat]

Keep 'em coming!

[Tech-Daddy]

http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/water_jet1.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/water_jet2.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/water_jet3.jpg

The close up of the "T" is how this guy cut out the internal "spacers" for the R and the A's, so that I will have the little letter spacers to be glued in place once the acrylic goes on...

YIPEEE!!!!!!

[DarkSynergy]

Bitchin'....

[Tech-Daddy]

Applied the Vinyl graphics the other night, have them mounted and finalized... I was debating how to disguise the white vinyl edge of the raised vinyl surface, and had comtemplated just shooting another coat of black over the case, then removing the graphic masking.... then I got inspired!

I am going to shoot either a gold or an emerald green fog around all of the appliques! This will set off the edges of the pictures (as I was worried about the black of the case eating up the black uniforms of the pictured players) allowing the images to have a ghostly/glowing feel to them. I'll likely do green, as the gold would be too difficult to match to the gold in the stitched lettering that I printed, as well as the gold "STARS" that will be back lit.

So, I painted another test piece tonight, letting it dry out and cure for a bit... then I will be going out and test spraying the colors to see which one pops off the black best.

:)

More tomorrow!

[Tech-Daddy]

Apologies for the lack of updates. Ankle recovery is nearly completed! (YAY!) ... I took my first "long walk" with the dog in 2 months tonight, everything felt good! I've had a hard time standing for long periods and that has cut severly into my ability to work in the garage as I would like...

So tonight, after my walk, I went out and went to work on the feet. 2 nights ago, I Had done some prep work that consisted of using my adjustable hole cutter and cut out 12 1/8" thick, 2" diameter circles. I am using 4 soft rubber hockey puck replicas as feet for the case. 4 rubber feet, 3 discs per foot... the acrylic layers sandwiched together and layered with weld-on, with a screw through the middle going 1/2" down into the rubber puck.

I then burrowed a 3mm wide hole into the layers of acrylic tonight, and built out 4 single 3mm green LED circuits. Eavh puck's acrylic layer will have a green LED lighting up the space between the puck and the case. Green (obviously) for the Dallas Stars. I then has a 2" silicone "washer" that is going to lie between the bottom of the case and the tops of these LED's... hoping that this will absorb a bit of the shock of movement, as well as setup an insulating layer electrically between the steel of the case and the 5v LED lines that will be running under the case to a central point.

I lit them all up and they look great! Took some pics but I am a bit too tired to crop and post... this case must be done by Nov. 15th. Obviously sooner, the better. so be on the look out for a blast of updates out of me this comming week and a half! Might just go ahead and bring it down to the Mabry Intel/Dell LAN event and try to get some work on it done there. Depends on how much room I have in the vehicle.... ANYWAYS...

more to come!
;)

[DarkSynergy]

As always, very excited to hear any news of the case. We are all looking forward to the final post with all the pretty pictures in it.

BTW, how is that monitor treating you? :D

[Tech-Daddy]

Very well! However I needed that monitor like I need another hole in my head. I have sold it to a graphic designer, and I will be using the money to go towards some system upgrades both on my machine, and my kids machines.

I also plan on purchasing more painting and airbrushing gear so that after I get through with this rig and the official Stars rig... I can focus on airbrushing and training on technique.

That will be a good break for a few months to just work on painting technique! ;)

Thanks for the supportive comments!

[Tech-Daddy]

Ok... so I found a replica hockey puck that is made out of soft rubbe, and I bought 4 of them. drilled a hole in the center and put a screw into it:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/feet1.jpg

I then got really tired of my drill press! ;) I cut out 12 identical holes out of acrylic:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/feet2.jpg

sandwiched 3 layers of them together (because it was the only clear acrylic I had), glued them with weld-on:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/feet3.jpg

used my rotary tool's "multi bit and bored out a single hole in each to embed a green LED:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/feet4.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/feet5.jpg

and mounted them to the bottom of the case:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/feet7.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/feet8.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/feet9.jpg
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/feet10.jpg

[Tech-Daddy]

I plan on routing all of the LED wires to 4 RCA jacks that will be mounted in the bottom bracket. Center is power, outter is ground... should work like a champ! 4 power lines coming out from under the machine, terminating in to 4 RCA jacks, that will then feed into 4 RCA plug receptacles mounted in the bottom bay... something like this:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/feetpower11.jpg

Also, here was the last pic I took before a botched clearcoat screwed up the finish.... I will now likely need to mask over the graphics, scuff the paint, and re-shoot the black again to get it the proper ammount of gloss... the Clearcoat just wrecked the finish due to himidity increasing the night I shot it...
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/side_graphic.jpg

And this is the top piece:
http://www.tech-daddy.com/wlog/dst/top2.jpg

[Jakal]

As always man, awesome work. Real creative with those pucks! I like that. Your recovery is the most important thing. I hope everything turns out alright. Both with the project, and your ankle. I've had some ankle problems myself, and know how much of a pain it can be.

Looks like you've done an awesome job so far. We're all believing in you, and trust that things will turn out great!

[Rory Buszka]

I see you used a fly-cutter when cutting out the acrylic disks. This is smart. When I had to cut some circles from acrylic for a recent class project, I used the typical hole saw (as one would use with wood) and had trouble with the acrylic melting around the saw blade, and the drill motor stalling at the end of the cut. For a little while, I was worried I would lose the bit and blade assembly to the acrylic's hold, but I managed to break it free.

[Rob Williams]

Hah, those case feet are great!

[Tech-Daddy]

I see you used a fly-cutter when cutting out the acrylic disks. This is smart. When I had to cut some circles from acrylic for a recent class project, I used the typical hole saw (as one would use with wood) and had trouble with the acrylic melting around the saw blade, and the drill motor stalling at the end of the cut. For a little while, I was worried I would lose the bit and blade assembly to the acrylic's hold, but I managed to break it free.

I ran into the same issue on my initial attempt! I realized after the first attempt that a hole saw just "wouldn't cut it" *chuckle*

Thanks guys!

Rob... cool thing about the feet is that since they are a soft rubber... no vibration to the ground! ;) I also put a wide, black rubber washer/spacer between the top of the LED's and the bottom of the case. "Shock absorbers"... in two ways! (electical insulation and physical shock).

:)

[DarkSynergy]

Brilliant idea for the feet of the case. The green glow is a great touch as well. Still looking forward to the end result. It's almost there.

Good to hear about the ankle recovery too!