PC Modding Basics: What tools you need to start modding

If you're interested in following me further, feel free to check out my gaming channel: / @lamentersgaol
This is a guide to what tools you should think about getting if you're interested in PC modding and are trying to figure out what you need. This is not an exhaustive list of every useful tool, but instead a baseline for what I believe most modders should have access to. With these tools in your workshop, you'll be capable of doing some extremely impressive stuff. I have a bunch of modding tutorials on my channel and I'm always updating them to be more comprehensive, so check those out if you want help with specific types of mods.
If you want to order something from V1tech.com, use my discount code! You get 10% off your order, and I get a small commission from the referral. Just enter "dietecmods" at checkout for them sweet savings! www.v1tech.com...
Below is a list of all the tools and materials I've covered in this video, with timestamps for when in the video they're shown (affiliate links)
1:03
Acrylic cement: amzn.to/2pWoE7O
Acrylic scoring tool: amzn.to/2IjxKmV
3mm cast acrylic: amzn.to/2rNZAjm
2:04
Heat gun: amzn.to/2wH34dV
(This will be useful for hard watercooling tube bending too)
2:32
X-acto knife: amzn.to/2uCxMEa
Vinyl sheets: amzn.to/2rxYATd
3:09
Armour etch: amzn.to/2KWsVBH
3:33
Rustoleum enamel paint: amzn.to/2qe221z
Painters tape: amzn.to/2Il4so2
4:02
Nice cordless drill: amzn.to/2KYUWZr
Cheap drill alternative: amzn.to/2rxt1co
Drill bit set: amzn.to/2IhKii5
Hole saw mandrel: amzn.to/2If4TUR
4.5" hole saw (~120mm): amzn.to/2KnYtiS
5:04
Dremel rotary tool: amzn.to/2qei3nW
Reinforced metal cutting disc: amzn.to/2sEUuJ5
Sanding drum: amzn.to/2wFxBZG
5:29
Solder: amzn.to/2xLQfxH
Soldering flux: amzn.to/2k9h5e8
Soldering iron: amzn.to/2wfTXwW
RGB LED strip: amzn.to/2yxRUEz
RGB controller: amzn.to/2xLe4FC
RGB connector wire: amzn.to/2yxShyX
5:48
Cheap glue gun: amzn.to/2x2NVyx
2 part epoxy: amzn.to/2I0XiVG
VHB tape: amzn.to/2rNIja1
Mounting tape: amzn.to/2InNepS
6:46
Rivet gun: amzn.to/2k0bkgd
1/8" rivets: amzn.to/2KnRvKQ
7:20
Dremel moto saw (scroll saw): amzn.to/2qhCCPx
8:09
Magic Sculpt epoxy clay: amzn.to/2GI4Krp
----------
My socials! If you want to see updates between videos, this is how
/ dietecmods
/ dietecmods
/ dietecmods
/ dietecmods
www.dietecmods...
Discord chat: / discord
For business inquiries:[e-mail]

[@rottengrudge]

finally a guide on the tools needed.. I couldn't find anything on the internet for months. thanks!

[@DIYTechTube]

These are just the bare minimum, there are a lot more useful tools too as a few people in the comments are pointing out :)

[@nishilbhartiya]

I'm a simple man, I see the R6S logo. I click on the video!

[@abdullahsultan807]

Fat Potato sem here brah xD

[@DaysMonthsYearsHD]

batta big batta boom i ruin my case because i do not have the skills of dietec

[@TheRealBleach]

Same.

[@Dairv2]

Haha i thought i was the only one who did it 🤣

[@bestthreegamers4432]

Right bruh

[@jojococostudio]

Very useful, thanks!!

[@eyalserussi665]

never thought id be into pc modding...

[@IAmYakYakTV]

i build custom PC's and specially modified PC's for clients...this video was actually quite informative. good job Dietec....good job

[@zakariabak9934]

21k how can that be possible u deserve more

[@DIYTechTube]

Haha thanks man

[@kyronconradjunus7119]

cause it's very dirty

[@iamray4702]

@@kyronconradjunus7119 Well make a video on how to do it better and wtf are your videos

[@jokerjonathan123]

That game of thrones one at the end is insane.

[@brianfox340]

I really thought "why tf would you be making a clay mask for a PC??" Then I saw the final result, and that's absolutely awesome.

[@timvanslooten3840]

I love the r6s logo!

[@harima7757]

It’s a really well informed video.

[@ThisOLmaan]

👍🏼❤🤗: Now this is what you Call Real Customing a PC

[@AliYassinToma]

So all i need is a dremel tool and some creativity ... i have all the other stuff

[@codypulliam3993]

Probably one of the best videos I've ever seen. Thanks for all the great tips on recommended tools with actual examples of using them.

[@Alvar333]

3:26 does all glass work ass good, if not what is the difference and is there a better etching cream for normal glass (Btw I'm going to buy a new case and the tempered glass one is 25 dollars more ) please answer or provide a link for a video if yo know

[@ConfusedRaccoon]

You want to use tempered glass as it's some of the toughest glass around that doesn't have polycarbonate and extra stuff layered or coated on it. IMHO if you're getting a nice new case, splash out the extra 25 and get the glass version. Acrylic (although much lighter and cheaper) will scratch and gather marks/dust over a shorter time time unless you're super super careful and look after it. Glass just needs a micro fibre cloth wiped over it once and you're good. The only issue with tempered glass is that it's super weak around the edges so you have to be really careful putting it down. It's to do with all the stress they put into the pane during manufacturing, quite an interesting topic if you care to look into it. You can probably use normal window glass these days, but it wont be as strong and will break into really sharp jagged pieces. Another mark toward tempered IMO as it shatters instead of fractures. Like a car window. Also you may need some holes drilled into the glass which unless you have the right tools isn't worth trying. Or paying someone else to do. It'll be much more than $25 to get one made than to just get the glass case.

[@Alvar333]

Confused Raccoon thank you 😃

[@Sasasala386]

Imagine having a full on fallout mod just to get shitted in the mouth by Bethesda ..oh boy oh boy oh boy

[@rizecekhonzik6188]

At first i though that you'll show mods to modify pc's. Like programs xd

[@sharp615]

Dude, the amount of awesomeness packed into this one video is beyond words. Thanks for making such an amazing guide for a newbie.

[@realhusky]

Well done. We've come along way from using nibblers to make 80mm fan holes and cathode tubes.

[@steelixion]

I have dell optiplex 980 desktop not tower can i trasfer all its stuff including motherboard psu and all other stuff in a tower case or in this case CaseCom VS93 Buster Value Series Mid Tower Case

[@VelocityVSL]

Steelixion yes it’s hard to take apart and you will need some parts such as ram motherboard and gpu

[@RexxReviews]

I noticed you changed out the IN WIN Vinyl, the one you ended up using looked fresh off a Vinyl cutter and nothing like the hand drawn one you were cutting out with the razer.

[@DIYTechTube]

Yeah the razor one sucked, just to show that it was doable but I wanted to use a nicer one in reality :p

[@TheTechAct]

Really love your channel learned a lot about modding and gonna start doing some of it for my PC, one question though is there a cheap way to print vinyl designs?

[@DIYTechTube]

Nope! Vinyl cutter is the best way, I actually have a review of the one I use on my channel too. But yeah, cutting them out by hand is really tedious and the cutter is the best way to go

[@TheTechAct]

Dietec alright thanks a lot for your help

[@aleksiesko885]

if you want you can order custom vinyl designs from china for example. its not really expensive if you are only going to mod your own case and not order a lot of them

[@TheCriticizer811]

Thank you for the etch glass tip!! Ohhh boy the possibility's just opened up so much more!

[@itsruf1]

You are welcome in my shop. . . . a full Sign Shop with mega tools i.e. a wood shop next door. Amazing to see the amount of "insider tips" given from a seemingly newbie.

[@jasonburkett3101]

This was a great video. Very informative. I'm new to the case modding scene and this is definitely a "must watch" for the necessary tools to get started. Thanks for this upload. Will be watching more of your videos.

[@anthonyr4179]

Awesome video thank you for putting it together; especially the cheaper options like armor etching the glass!!

[@tonyc.8004]

Good job on the video. I've used all of these items except for the clay. It IS important for inexperienced modder to realize they need to completely remove their computer components prior to drilling. Even if you have to drill only one hole the small metal pieces could damage your components and may even get into a component fan or two. It's a lot of work but it is even more work and expense if you damage a computer part(s). Also, when you solder it is easier to add a small amount of flux. This makes a world of difference to help you when you solder. A lot of solder claims to not need flux, but I've found out that by adding just a touch makes a world of a difference in helping to achieve a good solder connection as well as improving the looks. Remember to clean the leftover flux after you finish. When you buy rivets, pay attention to not only the diameter of the rivet but also the length. The really long rivets can make the case look messy and in some instances may not do as good a job to connect the pieces together. We all need to see more videos like this that are not only informative but are explained rather well. Praise The Lord and Godspeed to you all - 2 Peter 3:9!!

[@arjsama3661]

Damn Some ACTUALLY Useful Good Video!Very Nice! Thanks For Sharing Your Experience0_0! This Video is Really useful For pc Modding0_0!

[@Defyant123]

Brilliant guide :) you have indeed come a long way in a short time , still one of my fav yt modders !

[@oliversmink2410]

How does he do it with such little materials

[@EURIPODES]

Creativity. It's the one tool he didn't mention.

[@SVTsupercharged]

Ingenuity

[@TheGodEmperorOfMankind_]

Basically get someone else to do it for you if it's a one time thing

[@5tarman724]

Thanks for yet another useful video on modding. I bought my Dremel saw after watching you work with yours. Even though I’m an artist I think that manually cutting vinyl is pretty difficult so I think that my next purchase will be a a vinyl cutter such as the Silhoutte.

[@oscargolf8826]

5tarman 7 how much does the sillouette cost

[@DIYTechTube]

Don't remember. Google it, silhouette portrait :p

[@5tarman724]

OscarGolf I’ve seen it on Amazon for about £170.

[@5tarman724]

Dietec Thanks. That would make a great video! How to use the Silhouette Portrait 😉

[@oscargolf8826]

You could check your local library or office store and see if you can use theirs for a small fee

[@LadderFromMGS3]

I really wanna make a Metal Gear Solid themed case, this helps a lot! I'm gonna paint a cardboard box onto my case. 😏

[@2dark_4fortnite88]

Use real box instead!!!

[@maeijbnn]

What about clamps 🗜 I saw you use them quite a bit in the video

[@DIYTechTube]

Hmm. Yes, those are important too lol

[@chinwardarles9071]

who else though he was making a thanos face

[@180doman]

Instead of Dremel jigsaw you can buy Proxxon STS/E or STS 12/E hand jigsaw. I think they are more versatile and you can make some stationery tool from it if you make a proper table and mount them underneath it. Also i think angle grinder is also very handfull tool. Especially when avoid buying those popular 125/115mm disks which are somewhat heavy and clunky, but you look for less popular 76mm disks angle grinders like Bosh GWS 12V-76 and its copies from cheaper manufacturers. Also driller stand is very, i mean, VERY usefull helper when you want to drill holes exactly in the spot. It is not easy, especially on the metal plates, even if you mark them with some pointer. But good ones are not cheap. Google for WF5027000 and if you cant buy it in your neighbourhood look for something similar with stable standing and tight and firm mechanism.

[@tugatek]

Best modding video ever

[@Hawokki]

Holy shit this guide is compact! I never realized it's this "simple", but yeah I know it must take some practice to get such results. Maybe some day

[@muhammadal-hiyari5239]

thank you I already have all those tools (except for the saw and the clay) so I'll start modding right away by the way I recommend using a 3D printer as that will give you the ability to make great shapes.

[@OlmanAlski]

Hey man. Appreciate you sharing this info to us. Gotta hand it to you, you've got me inspired to mod my pc. Liked most of your videos, not ready to subscribe yet hah. Someday I will.... Awesome stuff. Keep up the good work!! 👍

[@Gabrulo_knifemaking]

Really amazing works! Finally someone in the pc world that knows how to use tools XD and wow!!! That face sculpture was awesome!!!

[@rudolphbritz5898]

Give me plenty of ideas. Thank you for your help. The only thing that will make my life easier is that my wife has a laser cutting machine.

[@johnnygallardo76]

how fast does the liquid acrylic cement set?

[@jad3415]

Damn! That case mod with the face sculpture @ 8:45 blew my mind! I never saw anything like that before.

[@DieSpeckBohne]

Is the Armour Etch also suitable for acrylic glass?

[@DIYTechTube]

No, but you can just use sandpaper

[@steelixion]

Will u please do a dell optiplex 980 desktop case mod plzzzz reply and acept my request and its desktop not tower

[@finessepc4709]

Dietec your vids are very helpful. I have started doing small mods to my pcs after watching your videos!

[@leaf2690]

a year later and still relevant I need to cut a small hole for attaching a pcie riser to a rear m.2 port. I just ordered a rotary tool after watching this.

[@xignanuz210]

Exactly what I need to know, thanks.

[@Alpha-ms9nj]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise. You do some fabulous awesome work. I ran into this video looking up how to properly paint a PC case and glad that I did. I have 6 HP 800 G1 machines that I'm thinking of modifying and your channel is loaded with ideas. Thank you and keep up the great work.

[@JOHN_WICK_IS_SICK]

Less focused on cosmetic tools: Multimeter, infrared thermometer, basic electrician tools like Klein multi bit screwdrivers, flush cuts, strippers, magnetic pickup tool.

[@AncientGameplays]

Indeed an artist!

[@MartynDerg]

Hey, listen, is your mouth tiny and small? Then why don't you come down to 'Little Bits?' Where the food is tiny... it looks like regular food, but really tiny. You put it in your mouth and eat it. Nothing gets stuck in your lips. It's just tiny and fits right in! I'm so sorry- I love this video, keep being awesome

[@FlockofSmeagles]

Oh boy, youtube. I subscribed to you back when you were working out of your dads garage. I'm glad that I found your channel again. Because, I've always thought that you did some good work.

[@lowendgamer8402]

Good video

[@tarkovsoljah557]

*Went out and purchased every tool and supply off of Amazon. 😁👍🏽💯 Thanks brother!

[@iBLACKMORAL]

6:47 minion

[@ShadowLancer128]

For my PC all I wanna do is make some motherboard armor for my B550M Mortar and I'm also going to be sending my glass panels from my lian li case to a custom laser engraving service to get my favorite twitch streamer's icon and signature on the glass. Summit1G has a custom laser engraving deal with cyberpowerpc, so what I've done is I've copied and saved the images from those decals onto my PC, and I'm gonna give those icons to the laser engraving people, and I think it's gonna turn out great. I just hope nobody cares about the copyright! hahaha.

[@swtheferryguy]

When i find ur channel it was only 6k. Now, you understand. BEST MAN ON KZbin!

[@luiytheninja3655]

What drill bit should I use, if I want to make my case support an ATX board. I have a cube case, really nice, case, but I got a x470 pro board, and it's ATX. Case has plenty of room for it if I could just mount it sideways. 😂

[@brianfox340]

Damn. I'm just waffling on cutting a hole in my PSU shroud to mount a temp indicating panel. You do some seriously cool stuff.

[@LeonSteelpaw]

Nice list, pretty sure I can acquire most of that in town

[@RB-83]

Would PC modding be something to look in to for a first PC build, if so are there specific kinds of cases I should look out for? (I don't want to spend over $100 AUS on a case, i am okay with it being over that if I buy the stuff i need, acrylic, knives etc etc)

[@1tzelG_]

this guy keeps uploading content? was a very nice video. this makes my heart turn into fire again. PC love.

[@anonyninja7737]

Does your PSU not have a fan on the side? only on the back? Most PSUs i've seen/used have two fans... one that faces out of the back side of your PC case and one that points up or down depending on if it gets mounted on top or on the bottom. Also..... what the hell is up with this latest trend of cases having you put your PSU on the bottom??? It doesn't make sense to me, HEAT RISES. I don't want heat rising up to where my components and CPU are.... I'd much rather have it on top. I just finished building this computer a few days ago, and when i was shopping for a case, i made absolutely sure that the case had the PSU hole on the top.... especially since I know the CPU I chose tends to run a bit hot anyway.

[@IsaacCallison]

HOW can anyone dislike this video?? Amazing stuff.

[@boostaddict_]

The only thing I'd say about this is that acrylic us brittle. Lexan is stronger. Not as affordable but usually worth it. It's up to personal preference though. Welp time to start coming up with ideas for a case mod since I have some old cases and I'm cheap.

[@Jordan-ns6hq]

Great video for some inspiration to some cool stuff to do to my upcoming build! Thanks for taking the time to share!

[@liviu445]

I want to mod a acer orion 3000(rtx3070-i7 10700k) I want a new fan, what is the best fan could I use?.

[@wftx.aaiden]

an alternative for the clay would be a 3d printer although you need a slightly expensive machine

[@michaelthompson9798]

Absolutely awesome video!!! Great to see this and giving me some great ideas. Excellent!

[@tebla2074]

possibly stupid question: If your hobby is doing case mods what do you do with all the cases? Like are you selling them or do you just have a ton of pc cases?!

[@boss5120]

Hey can you mod me a nasa case. My sister is turning 16 in June 2020 and she loves nasa. I don’t have the skill to do this nor the time but I would be willing to pay you. I already have all the parts outside of the case. Also I would love to see a black ice r6 case mod if you want video ideas

[@shooterbornptatoe-5763]

OMG dude. Blew my mind compared to these other channels popping about spray painting and a pop funko

[@LoveMyKleeKai]

I love you thank you for this. BTW can you tell me where to get metal to make new back panel for tower 900 for cutouts?

[@memelife9448]

Power color rx 5600 xt red dragon spray painted with rust oleum spa blue? Step by step?

[@jorge7317]

Man, a lot of good tips, really appreciate your video, im going to add it to my favourites for a future :) ,thanks!

[@christopherjob5332]

Thank you so much for creating this video. I was interested in building a pc case from scratch and you inspired me to do something much more.

[@alvaroaugustomeridio]

When I started this video I thought It would be the tipical kid that fucks up a pc case... Well What to say... You have a new subscriber haha

[@bdk1488]

Wow dude, this is awesome. I'll definitely use this video if I will be modding a computer somewhere in the future

[@iheartmysquid]

Nice no bullshit list, 2 other cheap tools I find come in handy, small chisel (for those rivets i can't get a drill to chisel the back of them off) and a paint scraper/ filling blade they are nice and thin for prying things apart.

[@Yami_Industries]

can you please do a tutorial on how to mod smaller cases like the silverstone raven rvz02, silverstone ml08 or to make the cover for the fractal design 202 out of acrylic?

[@Hippieinthewoods]

How easy is it to take a mb tray out of a case & replace it with another??? I would love a 2 slot Element q or MI 006 (oh what is that other 1?) & make it where it has 2 slots...

[@IIBLANKII]

Tip 4:40 when your drilling get some spare wood you don’t care about, and put it behind what you are drilling. When you drill into it will prevent tear out in the metal, making a cleaner hole:

[@theillskoominati9991]

Another cheap transfer tape option is Glad press and seal. Very cheap, sticks just enough to do your transfers and it's clear.

[@yveskone5638]

Hello Dietec Thank you for your very helpful videos I need your help to do some modification on a PC Tower case. i m ready to pay you for the pc case and also pay for your labor fee. will contact you via twiter or facebook

[@muhtah9970]

oh man your projects looks awesome. So I want to extend my sidepanel ( 5-10 cm) and i dont have any clue how to do it. Can you help me some how or make a video on that?

[@aarynhale]

i know this video is 4 years old and this wont get seen, but can anybody tell me what kind of vinyl he was using for glass etching? im surprised at how many different vinyls they are and im not sure what is the correct one

[@chanceatwood3919]

Please keep doing this forever. You have done so many things that I have thought about but couldn't afford to try or find info on. Watching your videos will save me months and months of trial and error experiments on projects. Thanks!

[@JustSynxy]

I am interested in this but I was also wondering if there are shops or people I can find to do advanced modding. If so how could I find them?

[@cheappc7623]

cooooool

[@mjyanimations1062]

Can I use electrical tape instead of vinyl? I am having trouble buying it on eBay

[@alixinitalics]

y'all are out here casually making artistic masterpeices, agh i love it

[@MrHyeqarl]

Im a simple man, I see Skadoodle Cloud9, I click on the video! *hol up*

[@GTistheman94]

how did you make the acrylic that foggy/milky color? ive been trying to find something to mod my pc case and i nothing comes to my liking

[@kevingames363]

Subscribed for the etching. That is an awesome trick!!

[@madffx1986]

Thanks man I was going to mod my thermaltake case by opening a hole in the front panel acrylic and cover it with some cheap mesh, this helped me with what I need cheers.

[@ChristopherJones16]

He actually sounds and kinda looks like Bighead from Silicon valley

[@XetryOp]

You are awesome man!

[@AntoineFinch]

Thank the only video thats gives useful information showing whats needed in details! all the others hint at tools needed, guess they don't want to lose sells LOL

[@lmk4199]

Hi, Am thinking about modding my pc a bit but some parts of it is made out of some plastic material. If i start too drill and cut in that plastic or metal/aluminium isn't there a possiblity that harmful chemicals starts to leak out into the air? or is there away to counter it ?

[@dkrowx5307]

I know it's a stupid question but I would like to know how I could make money as a PC modder?