Few Questions

[Stammer]

Hey everyone, I recently decided that I want to venture into the world of case modding, and for my first attempt I wanted to drill of a blowhole for my 120mm fan on the side door of my case. From what I've read its easy but I'm un-easy about this entire thing.

I'm currently modding an Antec case, the case is made of a really sturdy metal, I'm pretty sure it's aluminum but its very strong, the tool I'm using is a dremel and the bits tend to get red hot and erode away very very quickly during the cuts. Another thing is the aluminum dust and paint dust, is this toxic in anyway? Also I'm cutting this at the highest speed because anything slower just removes the paint and doesn't actually cut thru.

I just want to make sure I'm doing this right because I don't want the cutters to shatter sending shrapnel all over the place, nor do I want to expose myself to any metallic toxins, and most of all I don't want to have a poopy looking case mod.

PS: This my case, I have no idea what model it is.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b23/Stammering/STA72586.jpg

The help is greatly appreciated. [H] rocks!

 

[indokyne]

coupla things.

IF you have to use a dremel, make a few passes as opposed to trying to cut through at once. So basically dremel an outline, then make another pass to make that groove deeper, then make another to cut through.
there's a great dremel hole cut out guide here:
http://www.mnpctech.com/DremelCircle.html

stencils here:
http://www.mnpctech.com/Fan_Grill_Templates.html

now - having said that, I'd HIGHLY recommend using a 4.5 or 4.25 inch hole saw instead of dremeling. You end up w/ a very consistent hole with little effort and shorter time. Basically just let the holesaw bit do all the work.

also, make sure you use masking tape for either method. and you might consider using a u-channel moulding depending on the cleanliness of your hole.

another thing to keep in mind is that if you have a 120mm fan on your side panel, you've got to have wiring that's long enough to reach that fan AND have enough slack for when you open / remove the side panel.

hope this helps.

 

[indokyne]

oh yea - definitely wear safety glasses (especially for the dremel since those discs can come flying off) and it wouldn't hurt to wear a mask but that's optional.

 

[Negative Decibel]

kind of off topic, but where can I find some u-channel moulding??

 

[MrNiceguy]

oh yea - definitely wear safety glasses (especially for the dremel since those discs can come flying off) and it wouldn't hurt to wear a mask but that's optional.

I'd second the glasses and the mask (unless you like black snot). In my experience, it's best not to cut at the highest speed - you're much more likely to break cut-off wheels.

Like stormshadow said, you want to just grind an outline for the cut the first time. Take it slow and don't press too hard. Let the tool do the work. If you get a huge stream of sparks flying out you're probably pressing too hard or have the dremel set too fast.

Use a grinding stone and then a hand file to smooth the edges once you're done. The hardware gods do not require a blood sacrifice. I guarantee the process is going to take longer than you think it's going to.

 

[Fps_Rory]

kind of off topic, but where can I find some u-channel moulding??

Well It might be less expensive if you hunt it down from a hardware store but you can get it here- www.frozencpu.com. You can also get whole windows pre cut with the molding included. I just ordered a 12" by 12" one myself. I will let you know how good they work when I get mine.

 

[JackSchmittUSA]

I've used door edge molding from auto parts stores before as trim on a fan hole. Chech the flexability of the various brands they offer, as some do not bend well to a tight radius.

 

[kill4killin]

I personally have no experience cutting fan holes in places were there was not one to begin with, however, i can tell you that I have screwed up a few existing fan holes pretty well by trying to cut out the fan grill that is there from the stock case and i can tell you that automotive window molding usually works great for correcting messed up hole edges if you happen to screw up badly.

As for those pre-made window kits, i have seen a few of them and they look like they would work rather well, The only thing i would worry about would be A: the quality of the lexan or what have you that they give you for the actual window, and how easily does it scratch, and B: how well is it held in by that molding, personally if you dont have to use adhesive, i wouldnt think it would stay terribly well.