• Get cracking! Here’s the hardware hacker’s guide to banishing boring beige boxes
• ExtremeTech readers aren’t timid about cracking the case and voiding the warranty, and they’ll love these detailed instructions for PC extreme makeovers that add lights, shapes, windows on the works, and more individuality to standard PC cases
• Modding is hot; a multimillion dollar industry has grown up around the hobbyists who modify their computer cases with way-out windows, neon and lighting displays, custom cooling systems, and more
• Modding is also mainstream-major computer retailers now stock light kits and fan kits, while some PC vendors offer out-of-the-box cases with personality
• Written by a serious modder who took a Dremel to a computer case long before it was fashionable, the book provides materials lists, identifies necessary tools, and supplies all the directions for over a dozen cool case mods

• Get cracking! Here’s the hardware hacker’s guide to banishing boring beige boxes
• ExtremeTech readers aren’t timid about cracking the case and voiding the warranty, and they’ll love these detailed instructions for PC extreme makeovers that add lights, shapes, windows on the works, and more individuality to standard PC cases
• Modding is hot; a multimillion dollar industry has grown up around the hobbyists who modify their computer cases with way-out windows, neon and lighting displays, custom cooling systems, and more
• Modding is also mainstream-major computer retailers now stock light kits and fan kits, while some PC vendors offer out-of-the-box cases with personality
• Written by a serious modder who took a Dremel to a computer case long before it was fashionable, the book provides materials lists, identifies necessary tools, and supplies all the directions for over a dozen cool case mods

You’re about to come down with a case of mod

Face it—you’re just not a boring beige box person. If you were, you’d never have picked up this book. So if you’ve even fantasized about making your computer case scream "cool," don’t put it down. Part I shows you the tools you need and how to use them. Part II frees your creativity, with detailed instructions from the inventors of nine incredible mods. You can build any of those, or use them as a launch pad to create your own.

Meet the mods

Each includes detailed, illustrated instructions and the story behind the mod.

1. Matrimony mod
2. The mad scientist
3. Picture frame PC
4. Framed 8.0 custom PC
5. miniMAME
6. $3000 Fish tank
7. UFOs have landed
8. Millennium Falcon PC
9. Aircraft carrier PC

You’re about to come down with a case of mod Face it you’re just not a boring beige box person. If you were, you’d never have picked up this book. So if you’ve even fantasized about making your computer case scream "cool," don’t put it down. Part I shows you the tools you need and how to use them. Part II frees your creativity, with detailed instructions from the inventors of nine incredible mods. You can build any of those, or use them as a launch pad to create your own. Meet the mods Each includes detailed, illustrated instructions and the story behind the mod. Matrimony mod The mad scientist Picture frame PC Framed 8.0 custom PC miniMAME $3000 Fish tank UFOs have landed Millennium Falcon PC Aircraft carrier PC

• Get cracking! Here’s the hardware hacker’s guide to banishing boring beige boxes
• ExtremeTech readers aren’t timid about cracking the case and voiding the warranty, and they’ll love these detailed instructions for PC extreme makeovers that add lights, shapes, windows on the works, and more individuality to standard PC cases
• Modding is hot; a multimillion dollar industry has grown up around the hobbyists who modify their computer cases with way-out windows, neon and lighting displays, custom cooling systems, and more
• Modding is also mainstream-major computer retailers now stock light kits and fan kits, while some PC vendors offer out-of-the-box cases with personality
• Written by a serious modder who took a Dremel to a computer case long before it was fashionable, the book provides materials lists, identifies necessary tools, and supplies all the directions for over a dozen cool case mods

• Get cracking! Here’s the hardware hacker’s guide to banishing boring beige boxes
• ExtremeTech readers aren’t timid about cracking the case and voiding the warranty, and they’ll love these detailed instructions for PC extreme makeovers that add lights, shapes, windows on the works, and more individuality to standard PC cases
• Modding is hot; a multimillion dollar industry has grown up around the hobbyists who modify their computer cases with way-out windows, neon and lighting displays, custom cooling systems, and more
• Modding is also mainstream-major computer retailers now stock light kits and fan kits, while some PC vendors offer out-of-the-box cases with personality
• Written by a serious modder who took a Dremel to a computer case long before it was fashionable, the book provides materials lists, identifies necessary tools, and supplies all the directions for over a dozen cool case mods

All the skills you need, plus 9 cool projects
If you are tired of your boring beige box, then this is the perfect guide to tricking out your PC. Russ Caslis - the guy behind those cool mods you have seen online like the Millennium Falcon and Aircraft Carrier mods (both included in the book, by the way) has written an excellent guide that is broken into 2 main parts. Part I is called Basic Training, and covers all the skills you need to mod your case -cooling systems, cable management, windows, blowholes, soldiering, even working with acrylic, and a brief guide to overclocking.

Part II has 9 complete mods with step by step instructions. Looks like there is also a website with the book that has color photos for all the projects and other stuff - www.wiley.com/go/extremetech.

This is the most complete book I have seen for learning casemodding skills, and highly recommended for anyone who has seen a cool mod on the web and wondered, "how’d they do that?"

Cool mods
Caslis gives us 9 mods, where he came up with ways to personalise, and I mean, REALLY personalise a PC. He’s reaching out to the user who is not satisfied with have a unique background bitmap on the screen, or some strange arrangement of the icons. Rather, you need to be of the hands-on ilk.

He also gives you a good overview of the general techniques you need to be facile in. Like drilling holes in the computer casing, without trashing it. Or soldering. Or putting in extra fans for cooling. This latter ability is important if you are into overclocking your machine, with its concomitant extra heat dissipation needs.

The cutest mod may be that of turning your PC into a baby UFO. Sorry, it doesn’t fly. But it looks really cool.