Silent ContexYZ by Mr Kholl

Author: bit-tech Staff
Published: 10th July 2006

Introduction

As a musician for 22 years, I have always been involved in audio projects and building audio equipment. In 2001, I started to build my studio, which I called Bluetrack.

I decided to split the studio into two parts: one, high-tech and the other, old-school. The older part would use vintage equipment, and I found several types of amps, pre-amps, compressors etc with unique and stylish designs. The kit was ful of analogue gauges and tube based circuits. I'm happy to keep this stuff alive!

I won a Coolermaster Cavalier case in a modding contest back in 2004, and it was my incentive to create a mod that would be a good bridge in my studio - a retro case mod that could represent the spirit of the vintage style, whilst housing cutting edge technological equipment.

Silent ContexYZ is the result of this goal. I hope you enjoy reading about it!

Creating the Window

The first thing was to create a window for the side of the case. I wanted to cut an intricate side panel design.

I made two designs for the window, in 1:1 scale using Corel Draw. The first was a simpler design and the second was more detailed. I ended up choosing the second.

I used Corel to mark where I would use a drill to make the necessary holes to start cutting. I then sent this file to a graphics company, which cut the design into a sheet of vinyl that I could overlay on my case panel.

I cut a 3mm plate of MDF with the exact dimensions of the side panel, and I put this on top of the panel and used it as a guide for the cuts I was going to make, since I didn't want to cut directly onto the side panel. I also placed a 9mm MDF sheet below the side panel as a sturdy base.

You can see how I used the holesaw to start off my panel design. The holesaw cuts through the vinyl guide, through the MDF cover and into the panel, through down to the MDF base.

I must say thanks to my friend Marcelo Tchoboys and his dad, not only for the use of their drill press, but for taking some pictures for me too!