Show Off Your Computer Mods

[Board of Command]

I'm a real amateur at modding. In fact, I've only done one mod ever and that was yesterday. I painted my MX500 black and swapped the LED. Check it out:

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/1107/mx500black5au.jpg

Just wondering if anyone else here has done any modding (pictures if you have). I'm trying to think of other things I can do to my mouse, such as adding decorative LEDs or whatnot, but as of now it looks real slick so I'm not sure.

[Kraco]

Your mod reminds me of the most cool mouse mod ever:

Project Cryo (http://www.metku.net/index.html?sect=view&n=1&path=mods/cryo/index_eng).

Well, I haven't ever done any modding, but I thought to mention this, in case somebody hasn't seen it before.

[IFHTT]

Well, I don't mod computers anymore but I do mod xboxes, which is sorta close to kinda the same sort of thing :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/habighk/dvdwindowmain.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/habighk/dvdwindow1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/habighk/100_0201_copy.jpg

[Board of Command]

Wow that cryo mod is pretty sweet. I've always wanted to add a window or some kind of LED lightning to my mouse but the mechanisms inside are just too complex for such a thing. Maybe if I get a dremel in the future I can try it on a cheap $5 mouse.

The Xbox window is pretty cool. By the looks of it, it's very simple but the end result looks really nice.

[IFHTT]

The Xbox window is pretty cool. By the looks of it, it's very simple but the end result looks really nice.

Dremels are a modder's best friend, definately a must have.


The dvd drive window wasn't too hard but the metal on the drive was a pain in the ass to cut and get softly sanded and round. The lcd was a bitch to fit in too but its all a labor of love.

[Board of Command]

Ohhh that's an LCD on the Xbox. Damn I thought that was your TV.

And speaking of difficulties...I certainly do not recommend my mouse mod for other amateurs. Removing the original LED was a royal pain in the ass despite how easy it may sound. Theoretically, you just heat up the solder point with a soldering iron and pull the LED out. Well in reality that is very very hard unless you have someone helping you out. If you heat up the solder point but fail to pull the LED out (i.e. solder cooled too fast), you are in for quite a treat. That's exactly what happened to me, so instead of soldering the LED off I cut the LED off and soldered on my new one. Moral of the story: do not attempt to remove the LED unless you are very proficient with a soldering iron and happen to have 3 hands.

However, if you do succeed you end up with a sweet looking white/blue/green/orange/yellow/whatever color laser instead of the ugly red.

[Raven]

I modded my case - sorta. 2 fluro green case fans and a green cathode tube with a specialized side window. Looks a bit like an X-box, but meh, my PC's insides are too messy so it doesn't look that great overall. Better in the dark.

[IFHTT]

"I modded my case - sorta. 2 fluro green case fans and a green cathode tube with a specialized side window. Looks a bit like an X-box, but meh, my PC's insides are too messy so it doesn't look that great overall. Better in the dark."

Got any pics? Here's a few of my case:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/habighk/DSCN0252.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/habighk/DSCN0256.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/habighk/DSCN0255.jpg



Yeah if you try and pull while the solder has cooled, you run the risk of pulling up circuit board traces and ruining the mouse. I recommend to anyone learing to solder, at least practice soldering on some sort of practice board(old useless circuit board or something) for at least until you feel fairly confident with a soldering iron before moving on to what ever you are trying to solder. Speed is the key though, that and make sure the soldering Iron is both low enough wattage to keep from frying the circuitboard and high enough to melt the solder quickly. For precision circuit board jobs 25-30w is good.

Just some tips for those that want to try your mouse mod or those who want to pickup soldering. It really is something I use often, so if you are around electronics often and love to fix and mod your own stuff soldering is something I highly recommend learning. Its fun too :)

[Board of Command]

Holy crap is that the new Zalman HSF? That is massive!!

[IFHTT]

Heh yep cnps-9000.. It looks heavy, but its actually really light. Does a hell of a job cooling though.