The Wood Base
 
I had never built anything out of wood before, so YouTube to the rescue!

Watched a few videos on how to make a box, using pocket holes, and multi-layer staining, and I'm off!
 

 

 

 
Done!

 

 
Cut out the holes for the pipes that will attach the base to the top:
 

 
And then stained the box with multiple layers of Kona and Sunbleached, sanding in between coats for a nice distressed look:
 

 
Attached the pipes, added handles and ready to mod the main box:
 

 

 

 
Front USB 3.0

 

 
Front VR Ports (HDMI + USB 3.0)

 

 
 
Rear Panel I/O

 

 

 
Done!
I eventually cleaned this up a bit and replaced the DisplayPort port with HDMI, as I had major issues with several DisplayPort panel mount cables.
 

 
And finally, I bid farewell to my nVidia Bottle Opener as it opened its last beer for me...

 

 

 

 

 
 

Cutting top and side panels on the main box
 
Time to cut the box!

Using a removable motherboard tray from a Lian-Li case
 

 
The rear I/O panel on the motherboard tray will be on top of the modded box. I first made several stencils out of paper until I got the fit to be perfect, then placed it over the metal box, made my marks and began cutting.
 

 
And also cut the rear fan exhaust
 

 
Next the window and a hole for a large gauge
 

 
It pays to measure multiple times, perfect fit!
 

 
Next I made Glow-in-the-Dark paint by mixing Glow Pigment with Matte Medium.
I used about twice the amount of pigment so that it would have some extra glow!
 

 
I painted the inside of the case with the glow paint. The idea was that the PC lights would charge up the paint, and when I turn off my PC the case would reaming glowing on the inside.

Below are pictures of the bare case in a pitch black room, with the only light coming from the glow-in-the-dark paint inside the case.
 

 

 
This is the Gauge I was planning on adding to the side. I really wanted to mod more that I ever had before, so I purchased single LEDs and wired a white LED into this gauge so it would be illuminated when the PC was on.
 

 

 
Installation
Used Liquid Nails (strong glue) to attach the gauge.
The big red button will be the power button for the computer, and the toggle switches for the lighting
 

 

 
 

The Fans and The Lighting
 
I used CaseLabs ( RIP :cry: ) FlexBay Fan/Radiator Mounts for the fans in the front and the rear of the case so they would match and would look like they belong together. The gun metal color matched the mod exactly, and I love the unusual grill pattern they used to use (reminds me of Star Wars).
 

 

 

 
For the front intake fan, I used the Lepa Chopper in green, and it looks AMAZING!
 

 
I did all custom wiring, even for the lighting.

I used 3 Nanoxia UV Rigid Light Strips, cut off the ends, wired them together and then used my own wire to power them from a single power source routed through the toggle switch on the side of the case.
 

 

 
* Big Red Button Powers the PC
* 1st Toggle Switch controls the white LED on the big power gauge
* 2nd Toggle Switch controls the Nanoxia UV LED Strips
 

 
The UV Lights charge up the glow-in-the-dark paint, which looks really great when you turn them off
 

 
 

PDXLAN Spring '19 Mod Contest
 
800+ PC Gamers
 
 

 
Top 5 Mods

>> 5th and 4th Place <<
 

 
 

 

 

 
>> 3rd Place <<
 

 
 

 
>> 2nd Place <<
 

 
 

 
>> 1st Place <<
 

 
 
1st Place Loot
 

 
 

 
 

notfordman
I like every bit of it. Quite imaginative, that's why you won. Very cool! I started to like it when you made the connectors housed by the pipe connector. You have many different building skills and it shows, nice job. Pretty epic win, congrat's! 

Thank you!