# Antec 900 Basic Mod Worklog



## tuxify

After months of looking through the window of my Antec 900 in disgust due to my horrible cable management skills, I've decided to take the Dremel I got for Christmas to the case and see what I can do. And what mod is complete without a professional worklog on a professional computer forum such as this one?

Basically, here's what I want to do so far:

Cut holes in the motherboard tray for cable managment
Flip my PSU upside down (right side up) and cut a hole in the bottom of the case for the fan
Paint the inside of my case flat black

I am constantly looking for new things to do to the case to make it look good, as well as practical. I recently saw a mod that took out the plexi glass on the window with the big hole in it for a fan, and replaced it with just a solid piece of plexi, which may be something I'll consider doing as well.

I am kind of going off of what Kornowski has told me, and these three other A900 mods: http://www.overclock.net/case-mods-...5433-guide-antec-900-cable-mod-pictorial.html, http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=126395, http://forum.xcpus.com/mods/9379-antec-900-mod-log.html.

As I said above, I'll be using my dremel for cutting the bottom hole for my PSU fan, as it won't be a perfect circle due to the fact that the case's feet would get in the way. I'll also be picking up a step drill bit (as used in the OC.net A900 mod) to cut the motherboard tray holes.

Any suggestions on new ideas for my mod, as well as ideas to change the way I'm planning on doing something would be greatly appreciated.

Once I get around to planning out my cuts and whatnot I'll start posting pictures.

I do realize this is a pretty small mod that everyone and their mothers has done, but it's my first attempt at modding a case (first time ever modding anything, really) and I thought a worklog would be a good way to get suggestions and feedback throughout my adventure.


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## Sean89

Good luck, I've been wanting to do this for my antec900 can't find rubber grommets big enough for the psu in a store though.  As for the rubber trim for the psu http://www.mnpctech.com/UChannel.html .  If you find rubber grommets big enough let me know .  I want to order them online but I feel i'll order the wrong sized ones, I like to visualize before I buy.  Oh since you're painting it too, I'd use a sandblaster if you can get a hold of one..


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## tuxify

I was going to get the rubber trim from mnpctech.com, but I realized the shipping would cost more than my order, so I tried to look for places other than there. I found a website called McMaster-Carr. They have not only tonnes of different kinds of rubber u-trim, as well as dremel cutting discs for like a fraction of the price of normal ones. I ordered about 10 feet of the 8510K111 (on the page I'll link you) and a 12 pack of the dremel discs.
The website also has plexiglass, which now that I have found a really cheap place to get it, I might start trying to use plexi as well.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/3709/=1no4od

Also, I'm not planning on painting anything on the case that is already painted. I'm just painting the metal on the inside flat black, so I don't think I'll need to sand any of it off. Thanks for the tip though.


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## tuxify

I went to Ace hardware today looking for a step drill bit. Turns out anything near the size I'd need is over $40... So instead I'm going to go to my metal fabrications teacher at my school and see if he has one I can borrow.
I also ordered U-Channel trim and some dremel discs from McMaster, and a 5v resistor for my 9700. 
Once it all gets here I'll start on the mod.


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## Sean89

Which trim did you order?


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## tuxify

8510K111. 10 feet of it haha.


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## Ramodkk

Sounds good man! Keep us updated

I'm really interested in that U-Channel that you ordered. Let me know if it works ok.


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## tuxify

It's supposed to get here on Monday with the dremel discs. I'll get started on it then.


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## pfig88

nice!


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## Kornowski

Uchanel stuff works great. It's a little awkward to put on, but it looks awesome when done. 

Good luck with, can't wait to see some updates!


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## tuxify

Yeah, got the U-Channel Molding and dremel discs yesterday, and I talked to my metal fabrications teacher about something that I could use other than a dremel to cut small circular holes. He said he could find me something that punches the holes out, so it makes them clean and very easy.
Once I get a hold of that I'll start posting pictures and everything.


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## Ramodkk

Oh man, those things are awesome! They make factory-like holes. They're hella expensive though!


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## tuxify

Yeah, but my metal fab instructor may be able to let me use them for free =D


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## tuxify

Ooh goody! I got the Zalman 5v resistor I ordered off of eBay today.





About to install it.


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## tuxify

So today I got the 1 1/4" slug buster from my metal fabrications teacher, so I started the holes in the motherboard tray.

(Sorry about the quality and blurriness of some of the photos. My camera isn't that great, and I had to turn the flash off for some of the shots for them to come out.)

I forgot to take a legit before photo, but here is the main idea of what my case looked like when it started.





I still needed to use my computer when working on this part of the mod, so I decided to set it up caseless. Temps were very good, and I kept the fans on high.





Completely stripped case. I can't even tell it's the A900...





For those of you who don't know, this is a slug buster (1 1/4" diameter)





How it goes together.





I practiced on an old school computer case, which turned out to be a good idea, because I didn't have any clue how to drill holes with a small drill bit into metal .





Fatty old drill I used, with a small drill bit, for a pilot hole for the 3/8" bit.





The bigger 3/8" bit I picked up today at Bi-Mart.





Kinda blurry picture of the small initial hole.





Bigger 3/8" hole.





Bottom side of the slug buster in action before initiating the busting of the slug.





Top side.





Apparently I don't own a ratchet, so I had to use this wrench to tighten the bolt pulling on the cutting part.


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## tuxify

After the buster cuts through, it leaves a distorted circle that it cut out. Thing is, it leaves the part of the case left over completely flat and amazingly cut.





The first parts of my A900 that won't ever be a part of my A900 again... 





All 3 holes cut. Amazing cuts, really glad I used the slug buster instead of a $40 step drill, or a dremel. 





The rubber U-trim I got from McMasters a few days ago. Got 10 feet of it for $4... 





What it actually looks like.





First try, perfect fit. Took some fiddling with, but I think it looks great. Electrical tape could probably fix the part that isn't covered, but the hole is covered by my motherboard, so it shouldn't matter.





Decided not to trim the other two holes because it's a hassle, and I'll be taking them off anyway when I paint it.

This is all I got done tonight. It's a Friday night, and I need to go do something not computer related. I'll do the PSU modification tomorrow probably, and will post more pictures then. Thanks for reading! Comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.


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## laznz1

nice work so far mate ive never heard of a slug buster they a completely different name over here but great work


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## Sean89

is a slug buster better than a hole saw when doing this?


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## tuxify

Sean89 said:


> is a slug buster better than a hole saw when doing this?



I think slug busters are pretty expensive (I got mine from my metal fabs teacher), and have never used a hole saw, but the slug buster was really really easy and made a practically factory-made hole. If you can find someone (like an electrician) with a set of them, I'd highly suggest using them.


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## Ramodkk

Those cuts look factory made!

That U-Channel seems like a great deal, I'll definitely switch to McMasters


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## Sean89

tuxify said:


> I think slug busters are pretty expensive (I got mine from my metal fabs teacher), and have never used a hole saw, but the slug buster was really really easy and made a practically factory-made hole. If you can find someone (like an electrician) with a set of them, I'd highly suggest using them.



yea I know some electricians and mechanics they might have 1, how does it work u pre drill a hole and it has a piece on each side of the metal then u just tight it with a socket and it presses it in to cut it? or does it circle around like a bit to cut it


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## laznz1

you pre-drill the hole 
then it press the hole through


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## Machin3

That would have looked sick if it was black.


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## funkysnair

spray interior.... its a must!

you wont belive how nice it looks inside the case with it being black and good cable management


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## Ramodkk

I agree!


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## Kornowski

ramodkk said:


> I agree!



Yeah, for sure. Especially since you have the same PSU as me (and case). When you paint it black and get some good cable management, the cables are pretty much invisible. You can barely see them!

Lookin' good so far!


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## tuxify

Sean89 said:


> yea I know some electricians and mechanics they might have 1, how does it work u pre drill a hole and it has a piece on each side of the metal then u just tight it with a socket and it presses it in to cut it? or does it circle around like a bit to cut it



Yeah, like in the pictures I took, you just cut a hole the size of the bolt going through the slug buster, then you put the pieces on either side, tighten the bolt, and it pushes the sharper, pointed side through to the bigger opening. Perfect cuts every time.

And for everyone suggesting to paint it, I plan on it. I just have to do the 2nd part of my mod, where I cut the hole in the bottom for the PSU fan. I got some flat black spray paint, and should get around to it today or tomorrow. I've seen the great pictures of non-gray interiors, and I fell in love .


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## Ramodkk

Yeah, I'd like to get one of those cutters, a 120mm (4.5") but I believe they're around $350, hehe


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## Sean89

Nice cant wait to see more pics, how are you gonna manage the psu cut out?


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## tuxify

I finished the PSU cutout today, and put the paint on, but for some reason the paint for the motherboard tray is really crappy quality. I've never spray painted before, so I probably just didn't do something right on that part. I'm going to re-paint it tomorrow, and post up the last of the pictures.


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## epidemik

I've never spray painted a case before but I was under the impression you were supposed to sand first...

Danny did it, ask him.


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## funkysnair

tuxify said:


> I finished the PSU cutout today, and put the paint on, but for some reason the paint for the motherboard tray is really crappy quality. I've never spray painted before, so I probably just didn't do something right on that part. I'm going to re-paint it tomorrow, and post up the last of the pictures.



you need to clean the metal then sand it down with low grit sand paper (sanding gives the paint something to grip on to) then you use primer (grey primer) then spray it black.

whats happening to you is that the paint will be flaking off as the paint has not got anything to stick too!

what part did you miss out?

the sanding and the primer?


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## tuxify

I didn't sand or primer, but I probably should've.
Here's the rest of the worklog:

This is the tape I used when working on my case. Low adhesive blue painter's tape.






This is how the PSU is going to be set. It is upside down from where it normally is.





After a while of working on it, I finally found the center of the fan.





Marked the center of the fan so I could cut around it.





This is the case I was working on earlier to test out my cutting skills. I had never cut a circular hole in metal before with my dremel, and it was a good thing I practiced on the old case.





Half of the hole cut out. Check out those kicks 





The cutting disc and dremel I used.





The fully cut out hole. Not bad for my first try.





The part that was cut out.





I then drew out what I needed to cut out of the bottom of my A900 to allow the fan to run, and still keep the feet on the bottom of the case.





Main arc cut out.





Around the feet. Messed up a little on this part.


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## tuxify

Fully cut out bottom.





What was left over.





It's kind of hard to see, but the first cut I did on the older case had pretty thick metal. The A900 has a lot thinner metal, making it easier to cut out than the older case.





After I painted the case with about 6 layers of flat black paint. I didn't sand or primer the case, as I didn't think it would be necessary. Turns out it was pretty necessary, and now some of the paint got chipped off when I was installing the parts. It's not a big deal, but it's certainly a lesson for next time I paint something.





It all fits as planned!





Everything installed and plugged in. Couldn't have been happier with the results.





Bottom of the case with the PSU fan poking through. I had to electrical tape the u-trim on, because it didn't want to stay on.





With the side on.





The lights in my room off.





My entire setup.





Before and After:









I'm pretty satisfied with the results of this mod. On the next mod I try to do (and there will certainly be more to come, I had so much fun doing this one, and it was very basic) I'll make sure to sand and primer before I paint, among other small problems I had with this mod.
Thanks for reading my worklog. I hope you enjoy.


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## Bodaggit23

Nice job on the psu hole. That's the only way to mount a psu imo.

It looks great!


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## porterjw

Looks nice - very elegant I'm looking for a new setup, too, I'll definitely keep that case in mind. Love your monitor - LG FWT!


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## Shane

tuxify that looks realy good 

But yeah what i think is the best is to sand it down like Funky mentioned,then primer grey primer it...sparay it with Black plasticote and then buy a can of Clear Plasticote to give it a protective finish from scratches etc.

I heard that works well.


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