Drilling for more stand-offs

[DeadlyAura]

Is there any way to do this?

I have an old case that I was trying to bring back to the future, but my motherboard doesn't line up with the stand-offs in this case. I need to know if there is a way to drill threaded holes or something so that I can mount my motherboard in this case.

This is my first project and I was really excited about it, I hope I can get this to work.

Some pics of the case to show the enormity of it.

^^^ That's my 13 year old brother.

 

[Diablo2K]

I dont know about making threaded holes but you could always just drill a hole and place the stand off thru it and attach it with a nut. I dont know how they make those holes, they must use some sort of 2 piece Die and a press then tap them out.

Damn, that is a big case!

 

[Nivram]

Depends on the thickness of the material you're working with. I've done a case mod where I used a 1/8" thick piece of aluminum for the mobo tray, and just drilled & tapped a hole for a 6-32 sheet metal screw (since that's what I determined the standoffs I had were threaded to). Worked like a charm, and I just had to make certain I didn't get any drill bit drift while starting the hole (center punch works to take care of that).

If you're dealing with thinner material, I'm not sure that you'd get enough thread engagement to make the standoffs really stable. You could, of course, try backing them up, on the back side of the mobo tray, with nuts, like Diablo2K suggested. I think the way they do it with case mobo trays is that they punch through the sheet metal, which makes the material seem thicker, then tap the hole.

Another idea I've used is to just use a sheet metal screw & nut, with something acting as an insulator between the mobo and the tray. You can make your own plastic washers (use an old optical drive bay cover from another case), by just drilling a center hole the size you need, then cutting out around it (or, if you're really patient with trimming excess material, just use the smallest hole saw you can lay your hands on......the saw cuts the outside diameter, and the pilot drill cuts the center hole!).

Good luck to ya!

 

[Susquehannock]

Good post Nivram. Pretty much what I was going to say verbatim.

 

[DeadlyAura]

Depends on the thickness of the material you're working with. I've done a case mod where I used a 1/8" thick piece of aluminum for the mobo tray, and just drilled & tapped a hole for a 6-32 sheet metal screw (since that's what I determined the standoffs I had were threaded to). Worked like a charm, and I just had to make certain I didn't get any drill bit drift while starting the hole (center punch works to take care of that).

If you're dealing with thinner material, I'm not sure that you'd get enough thread engagement to make the standoffs really stable. You could, of course, try backing them up, on the back side of the mobo tray, with nuts, like Diablo2K suggested. I think the way they do it with case mobo trays is that they punch through the sheet metal, which makes the material seem thicker, then tap the hole.

Another idea I've used is to just use a sheet metal screw & nut, with something acting as an insulator between the mobo and the tray. You can make your own plastic washers (use an old optical drive bay cover from another case), by just drilling a center hole the size you need, then cutting out around it (or, if you're really patient with trimming excess material, just use the smallest hole saw you can lay your hands on......the saw cuts the outside diameter, and the pilot drill cuts the center hole!).

Good luck to ya!

Thanks for the info. I think I'll try to thread them and reinforce them with some nuts. What can I put on there that is PC friendly so the nuts don't loosen up?

Thanks for all the info though, I appreciate it.

 

[Nivram]

Thanks for the info. I think I'll try to thread them and reinforce them with some nuts. What can I put on there that is PC friendly so the nuts don't loosen up?

Thanks for all the info though, I appreciate it.

Well, since I assume the nuts are going on the backside of the mobo tray, you should just be able to get some thread-lock (automotive stores should carry it), that will be sufficient to keep any nut from vibrating off the backside of the standoff screws.

 

[OkumaCaptain]

ok this is really simple. You need to order 3 things from mcmaster.

Drill
Tap
Tap Wrench. or use a socket but its much harder

to figure out what kind of tap you need you have to know the threads of the standoffs you are using. they are probably 4-40. Just try a nut on it at home depo to figure that out

Subtract the thread pitch (40) from the diameter (.112) and then that result is the drill size, of course you drill smaller than you tap. So anyway you drill the holes. then you tap them by screwing the tap into the hole like you would a screw. Be sure to get the tap straight and back off every turn you go 1/4 turn to break the chip off. Use wd-40 on the tap to lube it up and clean the chips off every time. If you dont have standoffs i think mcmaster sells those too. then you know for sure what threads are on them.

Anyway good luck! PM me with questions

 

[Susquehannock]

#4-40 thread sounds a bit small to me. Aren't brass & steel mobo standoffs usually #6-32 or M3? All mine are 6-32.

This page should come in handy.

~ Tap drill size chart ~
http://www.efunda.com/designstandards/screws/tapdrill.cfm

 

[DeadlyAura]

ok this is really simple. You need to order 3 things from mcmaster.

Drill
Tap
Tap Wrench. or use a socket but its much harder

to figure out what kind of tap you need you have to know the threads of the standoffs you are using. they are probably 4-40. Just try a nut on it at home depo to figure that out

Subtract the thread pitch (40) from the diameter (.112) and then that result is the drill size, of course you drill smaller than you tap. So anyway you drill the holes. then you tap them by screwing the tap into the hole like you would a screw. Be sure to get the tap straight and back off every turn you go 1/4 turn to break the chip off. Use wd-40 on the tap to lube it up and clean the chips off every time. If you dont have standoffs i think mcmaster sells those too. then you know for sure what threads are on them.

Anyway good luck! PM me with questions

Great, thanks for the extensive info on that. I have a bunch of taps, I need ot see if I have any small enough for this though. Depending on the cost of this I now have 2 options.

1) take the motherboard tray out of another PC I have and Heli-Arc weld that tray on top of the one in this case. That would require precision so that it ends up in the right place and I would have alot of cleaning up and sanding to do after it was welded. Also, Heli-Arc is expensive as hell.

2) Tap it out. If I have a drill and tap that will work, this will be the best option. If I DON'T have ones that fit, I will have to compare price between teh Heli-Arc and the new taps. I have the machine, I just need the equipment to do it.

 

[filthysanchez]

that kid looks familiar.
are you in texas?

 

[digital_exhaust]

What can I put on there that is PC friendly so the nuts don't loosen up?

A little automotive grade silicone gasket sealer works great, and makes dis-assembly easier than thread locker.