HellFire Build - June 2007

Building HellFire - June 2007

OK - before you get started and wonder why I'm rambling on without showing any pictures - they're at the bottom.

This project came about as a potential birthday present for my nephew. His mom sent me some money back in December 2006 and asked me to build a custom computer with the understanding that it would be his birthday present in June. She also sent me a video card they'd purchased (a nice nVidia 7600 PCI-E card) which didn't fit the machine they already had. So I spec'd out the machine and ordered parts.

Knowing her son as we did, a cool paint-job and other stuff was in order, so I also ordered a PowerUp! TC3J-4044 mid-tower case (see below) because of it's coolness factor. I wish they would've had a black one available, but it was going to get painted anyway.

The system specs:

Athlon 64 3500+
1GB DDR 400 RAM
ASUS A8N32 SLI Deluxe mobo
Maxtor 250GB SATA-II HDD
nVidia 7600 PCI-E video card
Lite-On DVD-RW+/- w/Lite Scribe
Lite-On DVD-ROM
NetGear Wireless PCI NIC
52-in-1 multi-media card reader
1.44 3.5" FDD
Antec Basiq 500 watt PS
Clear chassis fans w/Red LEDs (2)
Red Cold Cathode Tube light
Custom Window
Custom Paint w/graphics
Skull thumb screws for side panels
PowerUp! TC3J-4044 Mid Tower

I had the parts sitting around for almost 5 months before I had a chance to do anything with them. So I kinda had to scramble a little to get it done in time for his birthday. I know I keep saying I'll do better about getting these things done sooner, but I never seem to make it work. Oh well.

I kicked off the build effort Saturday morning by making a run to Lowe's to score some still-needed materials: Lexan panel (for the window), some Allen-head screws and Nylock nuts (to hold the Lexan in place), paint, and some metal-cutting jigsaw blades. Once I had all the gear at home, I set-up my makeshift workbench in the garage once again. Like a dumb-ass, I hadn't opened the case box and inspected the case before Saturday, and there was a nice dent on the edge of the top panel... right by the front - chipped and missing paint as well. Wonderful. Oh well, press on.

After totally dismantling all of the components in the case, I discovered that the top was actually pop-riveted to the chassis. Bummer. Oh well, time to drill out the pop-rivets, because there was no way I could paint the chassis and the outer skins the way I wanted with everything all attached like that. And there was also no way to repair the dent with the whole thing assembled as well. Cheap-Ass sheet metal tip number 1: Sometimes computer cases can get a little mangled when the UPS dudes get bored and decide to play football with your package on the loading dock.

After I repaired the dent (pounded it out and re-shaped the edge (turned out OK - a guy named Bart that does body-work in Wichita, Kansas would've been proud). I drew the skull outline on the left-side panel. Cutting out the skull was going to be a snap, after all, with the jigsaw I borrowed from my pal Jim. Yeah... right. Cheap-Ass sheet metal tip number 2: A jigsaw will mangle the crap out of cheap sheet metal if given the opportunity... and it had plenty of opportunity. I made it through 3 good cuts before the jigsaw threatened to completely mangle everything in sight - including me if I wasn't careful. I know what you're thinking - and yes, I can use a jigsaw, quite well, actually. But I've never really used one on this kind of cheap sheet metal before. So this was a learning experience... I learned that next time I'll call my pal Bud Sizemore and have him cut something like this out on his precision laser/plasma cutting rig.

So - time to bust out the trusty ol' Dremel.

Fortunately, I had a handful of the fiberglass reinforced cut-off wheels and a full 30-pack of those cheapo "heavy duty" cut-off wheels. You know, the ones that disintegrate within 45 seconds of cutting, or snap altogether if you look at them funny while cutting. It's a good thing too, because I used all but 2 of them to cut the shape you'll see below.

Here we go again: Cheap-Ass sheet metal tip number 3: Never try to pick the little straggler scrap off using your index finger after you've just finished cutting it with the Dremel. The resulting blister from the burn makes it hard to push the nozzle on the spray can when painting later. (I know this is probably more of a Common Sense rule than a sheet metal tip - but they're related... trust me)

Once I had the had the window cut, I drilled some holes for mounting the Lexan panel to the back once this all comes together. I also lined up and drilled the corresponding holes in the Lexan panel. OK - now that all of the cutting and drilling is done, time to lay down some base coat. I shot some Rustoleum Cherry Red on the chassis and backsides of the outer skins, and let that dry for a couple hours. Once that was all done, I flipped everything back over and fogged on some Rustoleum Black Hammered-Finish paint. So far, so good.

Sunday had me setting up my spiffy new expandable step-ladder as a painting easel so I could have a decent way to paint everything. I hadn't painted anything since Dave's truck back in November, so I had to get friendly with the airbrush again. I was hoping to use my new Iwata HP-CS that I scored on eBay, but the fitting for the air-hose was too big. I guess I need a new air hose for it now. Bummer. Oh well, the Paasche VL does a nice job, so no biggee. Once I started laying down some orange flames, I was getting back into it and was pretty happy with how the left panel (with the window) was going. So I grabbed the other side panel and decided to free-hand a flaming skull onto it. I chickened out and drew some quick guidelines with my trusty ol' Sharpie first though - they were going to be hidden with the paint, after all. It was turning out great... until I decided to pile on some more colors and ruined the effect I was going for. Dammit. I've never been good at 'minimizing' anything. Oh well - it turned out OK - just not exactly how I wanted it. And with both side panels done, I decided to try again with the top panel... except this time, this guy was going to look a little meaner. Same deal - Sharpie then paint. Although, I'm much happier about how he turned out (technique-wise, that is). Looks meaner too. ;-)

OK - so now all the graphics are done, so it's time to clear coat everything. Since I hadn't planned on clearing the chassis, I flipped everything black-side up and started shooting (Rustoleum Clear) and pretty much finished up the front bezel and door, when I noticed this bizarre crinkling effect going on. Oh. My. God. I had just ruined everything. The black Hammered-Finish said something about waiting 48 hours to cure (but I didn't have that kind of time) and I hit it with the clear at 24 hours. Well, the chemical reaction wasn't quite through, so it wrinkled like a big dawg.

CRAP!!

Then my wife saw it and said it looked cool. So, worried about what it was going to do to the graphics, I shot the rest of the pieces and the same thing happened pretty much everywhere - I would up with pretty much the equivalent of Harley Wrinkle-Black all over the whole thing. It didn't mess up the graphics in the least... I got lucky there.

I let it dry overnight and took Monday off so I could finish assembling the whole thing. Once I got the top pop-riveted back on, it was all downhill from there. Everything went in like it was supposed to, except that I didn't have a power supply anywhere. Dammit! So, I took a break from the heat and ran to Circuit City for an Antec Basiq 500 PS. Of course, it was twice as expensive as ordering online, but oh well - again, I didn't have any more time for small stuff like this. Once I got the power supply installed and zip-tied all the wires in-place I took it inside and began loading Windows. Normally, zip-tying everything means that I'll have some issue crop up that I'll have to take everything all apart to fix, but it all went well this time. It's like the machine knew it needed to be done and out the door today... and it behaved. After I finished everything up, I took a couple of quick pictures, packed it all up, and ran it to Office Depot for UPS pick-up. Hopefully, it'll get there in time, and more importantly - intact.

Lessons learned: Bug some friends that have cooler tools for the hard stuff, make sure you have everything before you begin, check ALL of the parts when they show up, and don't wait until the last damn minute to do this kind of stuff anymore.

Well, that's pretty much it. Nothing major, nothing spectacular beyond the window and paint. Hopefully, my nephew will be happy with it and maybe even get me some more pictures.

Click on any of the thumbnails for larger pictures - then use the 'Back' button on your browser to return.

Here's the picture of the case I saw on Tiger Direct when I picked it out.

A nice shot of the front before I messed it up.

I'm bummed I didn't get a shot of the back when I was done - image the back end is Cherry Red with a wireless nubby antenna sticking up out of the bottom slot.

I was in such a hurry that I didn't get an interior shot. The whole thing was Cherry Red with barely any wires showing, except the power leads, which were zip-tied about every 1.5" (that's a lotta zip-ties)

Here's the front - You can just make out the wrinkled finish. It's pretty cool - but I would've preferred the hammered finish instead. Oh well... hopefully, it'll stay on.

This is a detail shot of the skull on the top panel. I like this one the best... I guess more practice is in order.

Another shot of the top - only because I don't have as many pics of this as I would've liked. Oh well.

Here's the right side of the case. This was the first attempt at a free-hand skull I've ever done. Turned out OK, and the picture really doesn't do it justice. I need a new camera.

And finally, here's the shot of the window. I wish I could've gotten a nice darkened room shot, because the CCL light really lights up the inside rather well. Again, maybe I'll get lucky and get some more pictures once the birthday present is received. (hint, hint)

	Here's the picture of the case I saw on Tiger Direct when I picked it out.
	A nice shot of the front before I messed it up.
	I'm bummed I didn't get a shot of the back when I was done - image the back end is Cherry Red with a wireless nubby antenna sticking up out of the bottom slot.
	I was in such a hurry that I didn't get an interior shot. The whole thing was Cherry Red with barely any wires showing, except the power leads, which were zip-tied about every 1.5" (that's a lotta zip-ties)
	Here's the front - You can just make out the wrinkled finish. It's pretty cool - but I would've preferred the hammered finish instead. Oh well... hopefully, it'll stay on.
	This is a detail shot of the skull on the top panel. I like this one the best... I guess more practice is in order.
	Another shot of the top - only because I don't have as many pics of this as I would've liked. Oh well.
	Here's the right side of the case. This was the first attempt at a free-hand skull I've ever done. Turned out OK, and the picture really doesn't do it justice. I need a new camera.
	And finally, here's the shot of the window. I wish I could've gotten a nice darkened room shot, because the CCL light really lights up the inside rather well. Again, maybe I'll get lucky and get some more pictures once the birthday present is received. (hint, hint)