Well this is a simple one, what are some good tools to get for someone (me) whom is going to be doing some case modding for the first time?

Well, what hardware stores are near you?

There is a Sears down the road from me so when I start modding I will just go there.

Just check out the local hardware stores.

tool i use the most...screw driver

I have plenty of screwdrives, and common hand tool, but what about for cutting a case. I read something about a tool named a dermal?

Dude, get a nice heavy duty metal file. You will alwasy be filing down those edges that were supposed to be straight or curved. A dremmel is sometims too powerful for fine areas where you want smooth edges.

That is something I do not have. I will be adding that to my list. Thank you.

Definately a dremel I wouldn't mod without one. Also a pencil, if your doing cutting always mark where your going to cut before you cut... it sucks to screw up.

They say a pic is worth a thousand words

And two is ...

Well dont forget the small needle nose pliers and cutters and rat tail file and an extra power supply and.....

Gotta love that setup! if i only had the room or time.

Thanks again everyone, I just saved those pictures, and now I will slowly start building up my tools as I work. Incase anyone has an extra 400 bucks check this out...The all in one kit, or this one is cheaper http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/370c/

Bah don't waste your money on that crap, just go to the store and get them. Personally I use all craftsman tools and of course my trusty dremel and yes you can do fine detail with the dremel and the right bits, make sure you get a variable speed dremel a tube of cutting disks light and heavy duty, get a bunch of sanding drums and the sanding bit, actually you can get a bunch of tips like the cutting wheel tip and the sanding drum tip if you buy a dremel kit, but you'll deffinatlly need extra cutting disks and sanding drums. Plus a good soldering iron a role of solder tip tinner, electrical tape or I use shrink tubing, a good lighter, and whatever else you think your going to need.

The tools I use most are the basics:

Goggles & Mask (Don't wanna be less an eye or have your lungs glow in the dark)
Dremel (Pound for pound this is the best cutting tool for the PC)
Souldering gun/iron (Prefably iron but gun works too)
Tester (Make sure it works before you get it all covered in soulder)
Cutters/Splitters/Plyers (Don't cut wires with a Dremel)
Screwdrivers (Philips, duh. Sometimes flat and torx(9))
Tape (Electric, duct, & masking)

I am making my list and checking it twice. I will be going to a Sears Hardware store asap to get some of this stuff to try out on some of my old cases I have lying around. Thank you all again for the input and taking time to help out a newbie.

GET A NIBBLER!!!!!

THAT IS THE MOST IMPORT TOOL FOR NICE STRAIGHT LINES SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO FILE A LOT.

Is "Nibbler" actually the name of the tool?

ya and there a pain in the ., I had one and threw it in the trash the next day. you can make good cuts with the dremel if you know what your doing.

I agree - a "nibbler" is definitely a waste. Go ahead and invest in a dremmel. You won't regret it. When you go to by cutting wheels, they're about $5 for a 5 pack of the strongest ones (the best to use when cutting through a case panel). Keep your eye out for the cutting wheel kit. You pay about $12 but get like 60 cutting wheels of different types. It is by far the best deal if you plan to do multiple projects.

Good luck with your new hobby. It's lots of fun.

Here's a couple more items
heat shrink tubing is a must and i dont see a day where i dont use those needle nose pliers and you can add to this tie wraps, very useful to tie wires, a big needle for those nasty molex pins loll and that grey thing to mesure OD,ID and depth

Me neither. I even keep a pair in my tackle box.

oh and I forgot to put straight edge on my list of basic items.

man u guys must have got a hand nibbler. I am talking about a pneumatic nibbler. Air powered.

I find that a Dremel is just way more cost effective, its got way more attatchments, and it doesn't need a $200 air compressor.

You couldn't turn a Nibbler into a drill press now can you?

don't need to when i have a 18V dewalt hammer drill. And if you really want to consider the dremel "drill press" attachment to be a real drill press that will drill a freakin 1/8" hole then by all means more power to u. hahaha.

^^ We're trying to stay economical here. You don't go out and get a set of Snap-On socket wrenches when you're still learning about cars and all you know how to do is check the oil. Same thing goes here.

Besides, all you really need for modding is 1/8

ROTF, I have a pneumatic nibbler at work, It's the bomb, I thought you were talking about that stupid . hand nibbler thing. Although i wouldn't use my nibbler to cut a case design out lol.

One tool Plasma Cutter The bomb for anything metal.

ya but they are expensive.

It's like saying use dinamite to make holes for a picket fence no one has a plasma cutter to mod a case

Yeppers... Thats something I would use to cut a hole for an air scoop on my car

ROTF, you guys are silly

i am going to be using a burn a burn table for my case cutting on my next project, perfect lines. and anything you can draw in autocad i will be able to make into the design on my side panel.
i think instead of cutting holes out, putting a fan in and then a fan grill. i am going to just cut the fan grill out of the case. my next modded case is going to be nice (plan on it) with out all the stupid led lights and crap that i see alot of now. i think modding has gotten to be, how many light and biohazzard fan grills can i put in my case. all prebought side windows and crap. not that i have been in to case modding that much. my first mod was cutting my clans name out on my side case along with the cs logo. looked pretty good, i have alot of plans for my next one.

one thing i have learned about modding is, for every hour you spend working you should have spent 3 hours planning, that is when you are going to have the best results.

Frankly I think that modding hasn't gone as far as it can, there is no limit to the endless possibilities. TO be trully honest I don't think enough people put lights and all that in there case, cutting a design or a square window in your case is cool and all but what's the point if you don;t add a million freaky lights and wild looking fan grills and fans, Your imagination is limitless, I'd like to see more lights and more fan grills and MORE FANS WOO WHOOO or water cooling, lol. Besides all that modding is an expression of your inner being, YOUR ZEN BABY, YAAAA!

sorry but I'm no case modder. and the expression of my inner self is form follows function (spend the money on the go part not the show part)

The problem is when you still got money after getting the go part...

Spend it on beaver or inanimate objects that will never love you back... beaver or computer... beaver... .* what time does bigfoot close?