Twitter
Facebook
***image1***So, you’re a gamer, a computer-gadget junkie and a person with an
affinity for everything tools. Lay your blinking eyes on this: a
fully-loaded Craftsman PC, specially made to wheel in your X-Box and
all the hardware you need for a gaming soiree.
Designed and built by Ramstein’s Tech. Sgt. Michael Minkler, 86th
Operations Support Squadron, this tricked-out case so impressed the
judges at the nationally-published Maximum PC magazine that they
awarded Sergeant Minkler a $500 gift certificate and featured his rig
in the July issue, which is on stands now.
“I found an old magazine and it said, ‘you think you have a creation, submit
it,’ ” Sergeant Minkler said. So, he did.
Minkler, 33, has always been around computers. And he loves gaming –
NASCAR, Halo, Halo 2, you name it. Back when he was stationed in Korea,
lots of guys put acrylic cases on their X-Box games, jazzing it up and
calling it customized.
“That just wasn’t that big of a modification,” Sergeant Minkler said.
***image2***That’s when he encased his X-Box in a metal Craftsman hand toolbox – a
kind of Tim the Tool Man meets hard-core gamer design. Easy to tote
with its toolbox handle, all the game controllers fit nicely in the top
tray while the X-Box fit snugly in the lower part of the toolbox.
Later, Sergeant Minkler bought the bigger, red mobile Craftsman tool
cabinet and installed the entire motherboard. There was a lot of
cutting and drilling to get it just so. He wanted a clear window to
show off yellow ultraviolet reactive cables. And he added the Air Force
insignia as the side panel fan grills.
“It gives it a distinct look,” he said.
Right now he’s using his Craftsman PC for gaming, but he can connect
the PC to the Internet and has software for video editing. And, hold
on, this custom made case may not be complete.
“I may use that gift certificate for a dual monitor,” he said.
