MaximumPC 2005 06

96 MAXIMUMPC JUNE 2005

T H I S M O N T H: Craig Tate’s blingGreen

P

rior to its present incarna-

tion, this month’s Rig was

a homely, hand-me-down,

beige steel box of dubious ori-

gins. But Craig Tate saw beyond

its bland facade, past the

machine-punch pockmarks that

riddled its surface, to the beauty

that would be blingGreen.

He rolled up his sleeves,

Bondoed, sanded, and drilled

away at the blah beast until his

joints were stiff and his fingers

bleeding. Then he primed and

MetalCast every nook and

cranny, and bedecked the inte-

rior with lights. It was a mother

of a makeover, to be sure, and

yet despite the radical mea-

sures, the result is tasteful and

artfully balanced.

By far, blingGreen’s most

striking attribute are the hand-

cut harlequin flames adorning

it. On the side, a piece of 1/8-

inch UV-reflective blue acrylic

resides between the cutouts in

the case and the window, for

added dimension.

At some points, these flames are

just 2-3mm wide. And they were

cut with a Dremel! Tate’s biggest

challenge was maintining the

structural integrity of the steel

while giving the flames a delicate,

organic feel.

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If you have a contender for Rig of the Month, e-mail [email protected] with high-res digital pics and a 300-word write-up.

Rig of the Month

More than 20 LEDs of different colors are

attached to a circuit board inside the case. Half

are triggered by hard drive activity, and the

other half are triggered at idle. It all serves to

create a dramatic flickering effect behind the

flame cutouts.

Craig Tate’s blingGreen

At some points, these flames are

just 2-3mm wide. And they were

If you have a contender for Rig of the Month, e-mail [email protected]

Craig Tate’s blingGreen

beige steel box of dubious ori-

gins. But Craig Tate saw beyond

machine-punch pockmarks that

riddled its surface, to the beauty

Bondoed, sanded, and drilled

away at the blah beast until his

joints were stiff and his fingers

bleeding. Then he primed and

cranny, and bedecked the inte-

rior with lights. It was a mother

of a makeover, to be sure, and

sures, the result is tasteful and

Craig Tate’s blingGreen

In what may be

a modding first,

crushed velvet

makes an appear-

ance, doing double

duty as a cable

cover/sound damp-

ener. Is it just us,

or does it make

you want to curl up

inside the PC with a

martini?