An introduction to modding

Well, it has been quite some time. If you care to know, finishing an undergrad, applying for a masters, and preparing to raise a baby is very time consuming.

I was hoping that I would have some sweet projects to share in that time, but I do not. What I do have, however, is much experience gained from doing things for other people. Unfortunately, I either cannot share those or they are not really fit for this blog. In lieu of that, I thought I would continue giving tips and theories on doing certain projects. This time, it is modding in general!




Image courtesy of Roboduck: http://www.modders-inc.com/forums/
showthread.php/2580-Epic-A380-Mod

My Fiberglass Car Subwoofer Install (aka The Bass Boulder)

If you have ever completed a summer to-do list by the end of summer, please tell me and I will reward you with cake or some equivalent delicacy. Well, I can say I finished my biggest project and boy was it worth it. For those of you who have never considered fiberglass, yes it is as versatile as duct-tape, yes it is messier, and yes it can look smoother than my bumpy speaker box. Read more for some comments and how to get started on your own build!






Difficulty: Hard (hard-er the less careful you are)
Cost: $100-$200

Materials: Approx. 2 Gallons fiberglass resin, fiberglass mat, fiberglass cloth, big fleece sweater, fiberglass hardener, plywood, dowels, truck-bed liner spray-paint, painters tape, acetone

Tools/Aids Required: Paint roller, paint brush, rubber gloves, HEPA dust mask, goggles (optional), mixing pail, grinder, sand paper, drill, scissors, glue gun

Tip: 6 Simple and Effective Computer Cooling Methods

This applies to a wide range of electronics, not just computers. Rather than resort to daunting, expensive, or complex (all three tend to go together) cooling methods, there are many ways in which you can utilize natural physics to cool components cheaply and effectively. The picture on the left looks awesome, but is expensive if not complex. Lets face it, it is just as cool - if not more - if you can harness nature through your own cheap resourcefulness to get the same performance.

DIY Hard Drive Dock

Hard drive docks allow you to plug in internal hard drives to your computer without opening up your computer and installing it on internal SATA. These cannot always be justified, however, due to price and a lack of regular usage (until a catastrophe hits, that is). The solution to the problem is twofold. Maybe it isn't even a problem, but you can still get a two-for-one deal with my method!

Difficulty: Easy
Price: $20-$80 (depends on the price of your external)
Materials: A Seagate FreeAgent Go portable hard drive (or any portable of your choice)
Tools Required: jewelers screwdrivers