Project: Arctic Cat

[sh4rkbyt3]

Very cool SXR. I loved this case when some of it's first pictures and designs were initially released to the public and thought this would be the ultimate modding case. However, after seeing some of the mods that have been done to it, it's pretty much in perfect shape the way it is. Most of the mods weren't really that much different than the stock case.
With the added coloring to yours I think it will be the first fully modded case I've seen yet. It may be because most of the mods so far have used the factory (original) coloring of red, black or white and nothing else really added? I wondered why they didn't make one in blue or green or yellow even?
The added details in your's are much more of what I had in mind.
I heard several comments about the top holes for the fan mounts that you ran into also.
The green LED touch to the V6GT is going to really add to it too.

[Sheldog23]

Cool work so far. Love the candy molds. What a great idea!

[SXRguyinMA]

Very cool SXR. I loved this case when some of it's first pictures and designs were initially released to the public and thought this would be the ultimate modding case. However, after seeing some of the mods that have been done to it, it's pretty much in perfect shape the way it is. Most of the mods weren't really that much different than the stock case.
With the added coloring to yours I think it will be the first fully modded case I've seen yet. It may be because most of the mods so far have used the factory (original) coloring of red, black or white and nothing else really added? I wondered why they didn't make one in blue or green or yellow even?
The added details in your's are much more of what I had in mind.
I heard several comments about the top holes for the fan mounts that you ran into also.
The green LED touch to the V6GT is going to really add to it too.
I saw one that Bill Owen from MNCPtech did, but he just added some billet intakes and repainted it with a metallic white. I've seen a couple others, but like you said, nothing to the lengths that I'm going with it.
I've seen comments on top fans and even rad fitment. NZXT says they put holes in for a 2x120 rad in the top, but I guess it depends on who made the rad you're trying to put in.
Thanks for the comments

Cool work so far. Love the candy molds. What a great idea!

Thanks! I wanted to take the core out of real spark plugs, but after a few days of trying to just get one apart, I figured it'd be easier to get a mold, and Iw as going to make my own mold with a vaccum table, but then I found these molds on eBay for like $2, so I figured it'd be easier just to buy them lol

[SXRguyinMA]

Memory came in! :banana:

4GB Crucial Ballistix Tracer Green DDR3 PC10600, 1.65V

[SXRguyinMA]

OK so update time, finally


I started off by finishing the sanding and filing on the edged of the spark plugs, and trimming them down to size. The tops were not needed, as the plug boots will be covering them anyways.

I then used my Dremel to cut a channel into the backside. This channel will hold a 3mm blue LED, and the wiring will run out the top and into the plug cap, as shown.





Next I got some 1/4" black fuel line. This will be the plug wires, and the wiring for the LEDs will be run through this as well.

It fits nicely into the cap

Now I needed to make something to hide the PSU wiring mess that will reside behind the PSU where the second drive cage was removed. I made this carbon fiber piece for my Tempest SXR mod, and will do something similar, but nicer.

Here's the PSU installed, and the bundled wiring will need to be hidden for aesthetics

I've got approximately 15" in length, 7" on the horizontal leg and 4" on the vertical. I got 2 sheets of aluminum, 18" x 12". I marked 7" from one end and made a line, then bent the sheets on my metal brake.



These will be used as an inner and outer mold. I've got some Rexco Formula Five release wax and Partall PVA mold release on the way for these. This way I'll lay up a few sheets of carbon fabric with resin, and clamp it between these two mold halves to get a nice consistent single piece, then I'll just trim and sand as needed.

That's it for now!

[Sheldog23]

Looking good!

[SXRguyinMA]

Update time!

Here is the mold release and PVA I used:



It says to put 3 coats of wax on a new mold, so I put on 5 just for good measure

I then did 2 brushed on coats of PVA onto each mold. I've got 2 layers of carbon and 2 layers of fiberglass matting for the middle. The fiberglass will add stiffness since it is not a directional weave.

I worked up some resin and got it all laid out and clamped the mold halves together.





About 2 hours later I popped the mold halves off the part. Thanks to the wax and PVA, it came off effortlessly. The PVA is still on the part in the following few pics, which is why the finish is a little dull.

Uh oh! I must not have clamped the parts together good enough, and ended up with a big air bubble! :facepalm: The purple over the bubble is the PVA film.



There was also an excess of resin at the corner, but that can always be sanded down.

An air bubble on the inside, which isn't as big of a deal because it won't be noticeable.

A shot of the air bubble with the PVA film removed

And a few shots of the part with all the PVA removed. The finish is a lot nicer, and once I wet sand, clear and buff it'll be nice.











I'm going to try to mix up a little resin and fill in the hole, then sand it down and see how it comes out. If it doesn't come out nice, I've already been brainstorming a few ideas to keep the halves stiff and supported, and to be able to clamp them more evenly.

[SXRguyinMA]

The case is FINALLY back from all the paintwork! I have it partially assembled. Enjoy

Enjoy

[sh4rkbyt3]

SO COOL SXR! It turned out great and the paint job is totally perfect with the shadowed paw/claw prints! You nailed it bud!!!
At first I thought the V6 was photoshopped in with the smked blue edging until I saw the close-up pic lol. Great job on the trim painting.

[SXRguyinMA]

Primo Customs in CA did the case paint and airbrushing (it's all hand airbrushed) and Rick Maines (SgtM from TBCS) did the airbrushing on the CPU cooler