Cleaning The Laser Engraving Lens
All this laser engraving generates a ton of smoke and plastic debris, which wreaks havoc on the lens. It became necessary to clean the lens after cutting each part.
Front Panel: Installing The Insignia
The finished insignia acrylic is attached to the front panel, with the Old Republic insignia directly over the mesh of front case fan. Four blue LEDs are attached inside the front mesh grille to light the insignia.
Front Panel: Upper Lighting Armor Plating
“Armor plates” were added to either side of the upper lighting cut-out. The armor was created from black craft foam and styrene sheets, painted red to match the base coat.
Test Wiring
A breadboard was used to quickly arrange and test timing circuit configurations for the custom LED lighting.
Front Panel: Blue LEDs And Wiring
A timing circuit chase controller is added in order to make the LEDs blink. Here is what the front panel looks like with all the blue LEDs lit up.
Front Panel: Optical Bay Door
The outer section of the optical bay door was removed so the iBuyPower logo could be lasered out of it. A layer of opaque acrylic was added behind the logo. Reflective tape was applied to the inner section of the optical bay door in order to diffuse and equally spread the LED light across the entire logo.
Completed Front Panel
With all of the cut-outs finished, paint job complete, LEDs in place, and wiring intact, here is the front panel with functioning alternating lights.
Defender 410: Rear Fan
One of the most ambitious facets of this case mod is the large engine over the rear exhaust fan.
Rear Fan: Frame And Light Ring
Up top, we see the blueprints of the rings that make up the conical structure of the engine's frame, next to the actual machined parts. Below are the blueprints and final parts of a large clear ring of acrylic, which will serve to light up the engine.
Rear Fan: Accommodating The I/O Panel
A vertical slice was made down the side of the rings due to the position of the I/O panel. Here we see the rings come together to create the conical frame.