starting case mod business

[commandercup]

painting indoors is not recommended unless you have a real paintbooth setup... the fumes will kill you...

anyways...

I've had good results with Duplicolor Engine Enamels... I have had bad experiences with lacquer based paints... but thats just personal

pretty much any spray paint will work, enamels are pretty good stuff at least in my mods...

brush strokes are not a good idea from what I could see because they will make it so that you'll have an uneven surface, you'd have to sand a lot if you did use a brush... you could try it, I've personally never used a brush... why would you? spraying is a lot easier... brushing is hard work... you have to make sure you don't overdo the paint on the brush and have to have even, lined strokes.

If your at the point where the things will get damaged during the job... you just really need to work on your skills... (This isn't meant as an insult.)

One helpful tip is to cut/do things on the inside where eyes will not see them in the fully assembled product... IE. if your cutting a window panel out, make sure you cut on the interior of the panel (the side that faces the motherboard) that way when the dremel skips and jumps, you'll only scuff the metal rather then if you had done it on the other side, you'd have made a visible mark.

also, KEEP EVERYTHING MASKED/TAPED! Metals will get scratched really easily... when you plan on cutting... make sure both sides are taped and that everything is protected... if your going to use a tool with a metal guide like a jigsaw or a handsaw, I'd recommend taping twice because the metal guides can cut through the tape and rip it up.

what kind of mods are you planning on doing?

oh and a final note, I was listening to the interview Modders-Inc had with Bill Owen, and he was talking about something really important for people who want to mod as a business... you need to make sure that everything in the case is understandable to your consumers... You don't want people to be confused about how to change out a part or how to install a radiator etc. and you also need to remember that every product you put out has your name on it... (not literally) so if one person gets a product that you didn't do your best on... they'll spread word, and "word of mouth is everything in this business"

 

[Luke]

If your at the point where the things will get damaged during the job... you just really need to work on your skills.

no, the case is bound to get some marks and scratches, it has nothing to do with skill.

brush strokes are not a good idea from what I could see because they will make it so that you'll have an uneven surface, you'd have to sand a lot if you did use a brush... you could try it, I've personally never used a brush... why would you? spraying is a lot easier... brushing is hard work... you have to make sure you don't overdo the paint on the brush and have to have even, lined strokes.

never mind, i didn't plan on using a brush but i though you could only buy clear coat as a paint, and not in airsol, but i was wrong.

also, KEEP EVERYTHING MASKED/TAPED! Metals will get scratched really easily... when you plan on cutting... make sure both sides are taped and that everything is protected... if your going to use a tool with a metal guide like a jigsaw or a handsaw, I'd recommend taping twice because the metal guides can cut through the tape and rip it up.

im not sure at all what u mean by that, tap what?

what kind of mods are you planning on doing?

A nice feature to add to the windows is to put long thin led line in the lock molding that comes with the tinted acrylic windows im ordering, it will glow into the window...

Some artistic paint jobs, obviously adding a fan or two here and there if i think it needs it. Im thinking about making a sort of hdd cage that is covered so you can't see the hdd's, they would be covered with modders mesh, and i was gonna try to make a wind tunnel threw the cage, im not sure yet though(i would remove the origional hdd cage, and add my cage). Some acrylic fan grills (which i will probably get you to makethem if your up to it and they aren't too expensive).

Also i was thinking about putting some cool, tinted acrylic designs on the top of each side of the case (again, i would probably get you to make them). i haven't completely decided on everything yet...but i have plenty of ideas

 

[commandercup]

no, the case is bound to get some marks and scratches, it has nothing to do with skill.

I disagree... the case won't randomly acquire scratches if you take care of it properly in your work area... and with the masking tape methods I outlined, you can prevent them from happening on visible areas

im not sure at all what u mean by that, tap what?

tape*

you should masking tape everything... the entire case should be coated on whatever parts you work on... if your cutting a window in the side panel, tape up the side panel on both sides and cut on the inside (side that is not visible when assembled) so that marks don't matter... you won't be painting that anyways

A nice feature to add to the windows is to put long thin led line in the lock molding that comes with the tinted acrylic windows im ordering, it will glow into the window...

Some artistic paint jobs, obviously adding a fan or two here and there if i think it needs it. Im thinking about making a sort of hdd cage that is covered so you can't see the hdd's, they would be covered with modders mesh, and i was gonna try to make a wind tunnel threw the cage, im not sure yet though(i would remove the origional hdd cage, and add my cage). Some acrylic fan grills (which i will probably get you to makethem if your up to it and they aren't too expensive).

Also i was thinking about putting some cool, tinted acrylic designs on the top of each side of the case (again, i would probably get you to make them). i haven't completely decided on everything yet...but i have plenty of ideas

I personally think the line locking molds are weird looking, but yeah, that does look cool, you could save a lot of money if you just wired them yourself... but that is harder...

I'd be happy to do any acrylic design work that you need! I've actually been working on some cool new little 'panel accents' that are substitutes for an airbrushed paintjob or a stencil paintjob...

the little green venom design on the bottom

they would look great lined up on the side of a case!

and yeah, I won't be charging much for my work

I could even offer you a heavily discounted price just for advertising for me on your listings

 

[Luke]

^ i really love you work, it is completely my style. the yellow/green lined up at the bottum of a case was exactly my thinking when i saw it.

and yeah, I won't be charging much for my work

I could even offer you a heavily discounted price just for advertising for me on your listings

sweet, although all my listings will be on ebay at first(i can adverise you from them too), if i really get into it and need a site and am constantly building cases you should get some pretty good advertising.

 

[commandercup]

lol thanks and yeah, advertising on eBay is what I meant

I merely want to spread word about my products... (especially once my site is fully online and I begin stocking some items) so that I'll have more hits on my site and thus more customers

I really do love the venom flames as well, I have some more normal flames (both MNPCTECH.com templates) that I'll cutout tomorrow

 

[Luke]

^well, you are now my official supplier of acrylics, any acrylic things i need i will order from you. Except sheets obviously, as i can get them for like $5 at frozencpu and i have to already pay for international shipping as well as a $45 over the border fee(customs), so any orders from them i will make large for i don't loose as much money in the long run.

If i sell the 2 cases quickly, like within a week, i'll just order like 4-6 more right of the bat so if that happens, you will get considerable business.

 

[commandercup]

lol that will be great!

try McMaster-Carr! (mcmaster.com) they are an actual like wholesale supplier

great prices, and I order from there (high quality goods)

 

[jfenwick]

no luck finding a local plastics place eh? I know my local place sells me square foot acrylic in any colour or thickness from $1.50 to $5 square foot, so much cheaper than through the mail.

 

[Luke]

^i'll take a look, thanks.

So what do u think i should make the price for these cases (not the limited edition ones just the normal ones)

The cases are i think $70, i'll be putting at least $50 of supplies into them, plus my labor, i was thinking around $170.

Edit:

no luck finding a local plastics place eh? I know my local place sells me square foot acrylic in any colour or thickness from $1.50 to $5 square foot, so much cheaper than through the mail.

i looked but couldn't find any place, i can buy clear acrylic from home depot but that's it.

 

[commandercup]

I would say that you should try and sell your cases as cheap as possible until you get recognized within the community

try starting up worklogs for your products on some forums like OCN/TMN/[H]

$150? + shipping of course

you also need to make sure the listings are amazing... if its just plain like all the other eBay listings, you will not generate sales...

you might even consider spending for a custom made and designed listing page...