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Installing a window.....and etching....

M

Moose777

2[H]4U
Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
2,741
So, I started to mod my case, again. I'm installing a big window that is going to house 2 120mm fans.

Cutting a case open with tin snips is hard work. I didn't feel like breaking out th Dremel so I used a right and left side pair of tin snips. The job went a little quicker than with the Dremel but my damn arm hurts.

I'll get a few pics up in a few minutes.
 
Okies, heres some pics of the case after I cut it out for the massive window. I cut a piece of Acrylic roughly 13" x 14". Oh yeah, I need to touch up the paint on the case, which means the D00M 3 and Unreal sticker have to go.

PICT0006.jpg


And now the plexi-glass itself.

PICT0007.jpg

Plexi-glass is impossible to take good pics of.

The best thing I found to actually cut plexi-glass was a hack saw. I used both a standard hacksaw and a mini-hacksaw to get the full length.

I was using a scoring tool but it was taking forever.

Next I'll attatch the glass to the case, I've got some bolts I'll use and probably put some felpro gasket material in between the metal and plastic to keep it from squeaking.

Then I'll figure out where I want the fans to go, which are more than likely will end up one over the processor and one over the video card. Then I'll drill the holes.

Once allt he holes are in place then I'll take it all apart and do an etching. As soon as I figure out what I want. It's probably going to be something simple because it's going to be my first etching.
 
You need to clean that up a bit, buddy. Good work, but major cleaning is needed. Filing would also help. Teh dremel is your friend, tin snips are not.
 
The plexi wasn't going on until it was cleaned up. I'm already way ahead of ya. ;)

The Dremel is being broken out as we speak.
 
Ok, so for my etching I am thinking either the Irken Military symbol or the Bleeding Female.

Heres the Bleeding Female:

shoulder_symbol.jpg


I still need to work on getting the Irken Military Symbol into jpeg format.
 
that is a little wierd but different strokes for different floks. tin snips are a bad idea for cutting something like that. next time break out the dremel
 
I was referring to cleaning up the metal a bit also. My very noobie dremel cuts look better than that. Not bragging, i just don't want you to have to look at a shoddy piece of work every day you use your computer. Good luck with the etching. Dremels Away!!!!11!!!1
 
OK, lemme clear this up.

I know what I'm doing. I'm used to fabricating things with the Dremel and the tin snips. My skills are not in the learning stage. Although I am learnign how to etch, man it's so much harder than what they make it look like.
I AM NOT DONE!!!

I used the tin snips to speed things up. I WILL USE the Dremel to clean it up. I've still got more to cut from the side of the case. I cut enough of it away with the tin snips so I wasn't killing myself with the Dremel.

I've got enough material to cut with the Dremel so the little bends and stuff from the tin snips will GO AWAY the metal will also be RESANDED and REPAINTED and if needed it will be FILLED.

STOP with the "it looks shoddy" I know. It's still in development. It's not going to be done in one day.

NOW. I did finish my practice etching and I'm almost afraid to show you now. So lets just leave the etching at it looks like crap.

Well, it doesn't look too bad I just think I'm using the incorrect etching bit.
 
Sorry dude, I didn't know that you were a modding gawd ;) I was just trying to be helpful. I guess I'm a bit of a moron at times.
 
No, I'm not a modding Gawd. And you are not a moron.
I wasn't trying to be mean either. I'm sorry if I came off that way. You were the 2nd or 3rd person to tell me it looks like crap. I know it's rough. Even with the Dremel you still get those weird little sticker things and you still have to sand the barbs down. There are just more of them with tins snips.

I know you were trying to help. It's greatly appreciated.

And what I meant by used to fabricating things is I work on cars a lot and have been for the past 6 years so I'm used to making things to fit in cars. I fabricate log style intake manifolds for single over head cam engines on Neons. So, the Dremel and a hack saw and tin snips comes in handy for that.

I do apologize if I sounded mean. I didn't mean for it to sound like I was yelling. Just used the caps to make sure you saw it is all.

I'm sorry. Please. I do need help with this project I just don't need to be told 100x that my window hole in the case looks bad.
 
Ok, so heres my first attempt at etching. And upon closer inspection...it sucks....

PICT0008_001.jpg


So, how big of a bit should I use for this? Cause as you can tell it kept getting caught which made it jump and then it makes the lines all squiggly.

BTW, this is a spare piece of plxi and not the one I'm using for the window.
 
thevampirelord66 said:
i think it will come out good but how r u gonna hide ur wires with such a big window?
Click to expand...
They are already hidden behind the 5 1/4" drive bays above the psu and behind the MoBo, plus I also plan on pulling the psu and making it modular by removing the wires I'm not using at the moment. There are still a few wires out in plain view but I'll probably mod them too.

My case is fairly empty as it is, I've only got a video card and sound card in the case.

Plus I'll have two 120mm fans on the window and if it is still too big I've got some polished aluminum that I can use to block off some of the window.

Now, if I can only get this etching down. I could have the machine back up and running by tomorrow night.
 
the best way to cut plexiglass is with a router. i had to cut a full sheet of 3/8 plexi at work one day and my 3hp Makita plunge router was just the ticket. makes a perfectly smooth cut and leaves a perfect glass like edge. if you get a top bearing bit you can cut a nice pattern in plexiglass with a small router bit.
 
Sweet, thanks.

I just realized that as you replied. I could've used my Dremel to cut it with one of the cutting bits I've got. I do have a router attachment for it.

I'm gonna head out to Lowes again tomorrow and see what other type of bits they've got. Do you think a grout removal bit would work for etching?
 
If you did the cut right the first time, you wouldn't need to clean up so much. For such a simple window, a jigsaw would have been a much better choice than tin snips. As a self-proclaimed fabrication expert, I'm sure you've got one laying around. For the etching, you need an engraving bit (#108 or #106). Move against the cut or the bit will skip around and cause you to lose control.

You shouldn't get so defensive when people are trying to help you out. A lot of us have experience here and do our best to lend a hand. I don't care how long you've been modding or fabricating, there's always something to learn. Most of the time, there's a better way to do something. If you puff up and get defensive every time someone makes a comment, you'll never improve. If you're just posting pictures hoping that someone will blow sunshine up your ass and say you're the best, you're in the wrong forum. There will always be critics, no matter how good you are.

That's my .02
 
OKANG said:
If you did the cut right the first time, you wouldn't need to clean up so much. For such a simple window, a jigsaw would have been a much better choice than tin snips. As a self-proclaimed fabrication expert, I'm sure you've got one laying around. For the etching, you need an engraving bit (#108 or #106). Move against the cut or the bit will skip around and cause you to lose control.

You shouldn't get so defensive when people are trying to help you out. A lot of us have experience here and do our best to lend a hand. I don't care how long you've been modding or fabricating, there's always something to learn. Most of the time, there's a better way to do something. If you puff up and get defensive every time someone makes a comment, you'll never improve. If you're just posting pictures hoping that someone will blow sunshine up your ass and say you're the best, you're in the wrong forum. There will always be critics, no matter how good you are.

That's my .02
Click to expand...
Umm..ok. I never said I was the best. I just said I knew what I was doing. And I'm not here so people can tell me I'm the best. I didn't ever hint at that. I don't want people to say how great something is when it's crappy. But when I've already been informed of the crappyness and informed of how it could've been done better continuing to tell me that is counterproductive. I wasn't getting huffy or defensive. I was only trying to make it clear that I wasn't done and that I knew I could've gone a different route. Feels like I've already explained this, perhaps it's because I did?

And I also knew the Dremel was the best choice to cut the metal. However, I didn't use it because it would've taken forever.

I never said I was an expert. I don't ever claim to be an expert. I am constantly learning. And don't ever claim to know everything. I just don't like to be told the same thing over and over again. I'm not a moron and heard the stement about how crappy the cuts were the first time.

And no, I don't have a jigsaw laying around. I live in a studio apartment and wouldn't have anywhere to put it. Hence the reason for the hand tools.

I don't care if people criticize my work. So long as it's helpful criticizm. As with anyone, people don't like to be made fun of when they do something. I know there will always be critics, it wouldn't be fun if there weren't. As for blowing smoke up my ass. How could that be helpful or useful to me or anyone if someone just lies about something? It wouldn't.

If it sucks tell me it sucks. If it can be improved tell me so and tell me how.

The information I have received from this thread has been very helpful. And tomorrow I will go look for #108 and #106 bits.

Now that that is out of the way.

What do you mean by move against the cut?

Does that mean if the bit is going clockwise I should move the Dremel counter-clockwise?


P.s. I am no expert by any means. Never have and never will. There is just too much information out there and I can only absorb so much of it at a time.
 
Another good tool to cut plexi, that goes along the same path as a router, would be a RotoZip. You can even free-hand a fan hole, if your hand is steady enough. Just mask the plexi on both sides, and draw out the hole with a sharpie. :)

The only advice I'd give on cutting straight lines with a rotozip or router would be to clamp a guide to the plexi, and let the tool rest against that while cutting the straight line. Otherwise, your hands will likely tend to stray a little, no matter how steady you are, and you'll end up with some waves in your cut.

BTW, are you using the H shape or the U shape molding with your window? Or did you just plan on bolting/riveting the window to the side, without benefit of molding? If you're using molding, it might hide some imperfections in the cut, so you don't have to work so hard to get rid of them. Oh, and don't feel bad about your cut......I did my first modded window (8" x 10") with one of these . Talk about a sore hand when I was done!! :(
 
Nivram said:
Another good tool to cut plexi, that goes along the same path as a router, would be a RotoZip. You can even free-hand a fan hole, if your hand is steady enough. Just mask the plexi on both sides, and draw out the hole with a sharpie. :)

The only advice I'd give on cutting straight lines with a rotozip or router would be to clamp a guide to the plexi, and let the tool rest against that while cutting the straight line. Otherwise, your hands will likely tend to stray a little, no matter how steady you are, and you'll end up with some waves in your cut.

BTW, are you using the H shape or the U shape molding with your window? Or did you just plan on bolting/riveting the window to the side, without benefit of molding? If you're using molding, it might hide some imperfections in the cut, so you don't have to work so hard to get rid of them. Oh, and don't feel bad about your cut......I did my first modded window (8" x 10") with one of these . Talk about a sore hand when I was done!! :(
Click to expand...
No, I'm not using moulding but I do have to go to Lowes again, I'll probably pick up a roll tomorrow. I did clean up the cut pretty good and painted it. But I think moulding would make it look a lot better.

As for the window. I'm not really too happy on the way it came out. I cut the fan holes about 4" but used the router to do it. The holes came outround but they are still too small.

So, I plan on going to Lowes tomorrow to pick up another piece of acrylic to do again. Plus I need more bits for my Dremel.

All in all for my first serious mod it didn't come out too bad. It should be done i n a few hours and tomorrow I'll redo the window and put some moulding on the metal of the case.

That guide thing is a great idea.

I also found that I could've made the window a lot more square if I had scored it with the Dremel with router attatchment instead of the utility knife.

Oh well, live and leard. It didn't come out too terribly bad but it doesn't look the way I want it too.

I didn't even bother etching the plexi because I didn't like how the window itself turned out.

So I'll do that tomorrow with the new window.

Do they sell the roto-zip attatchments to cut things for Dremels too or is that only a roto-zip part?
 
Yeah, and? Don't you have anything constructive to add to the thread?

Worthless. ANYWAY.

I finished the case, didn't etch it because it was getting late and I didn't feel like it. Probably tackle that over the week after I figure out how I"m going to get eh side of the case to fit back onto the tower; I put the bolts right where the 120mm rear fan is and it hits the side of the fan and bulges out. I trimmed the bolts down but it still hits it enough to make it come undone. So, I need to think of a different way to mount the rear fan.

Looks ok. It could be better, so I'll fix it this week. I took some pictures of it but my digital camera sucks and I keep getting shocks everytime I touch things, just random things too.

I keep getting shocks off of memory sticks...beats me.

But I did mess around with etching, I just screwed around with some scrap plastic and I figured out what was meant by move against the cut and the Dremel didn't jump around at all.

I'll get some better pics of it all together tomorrow.
 
afaik Roto Zip is a totally different tool than a dremel. more powerful and able to cut things a dremel can't, kind of a small router.

also if you got static electricity problems you should be VERY careful touching your internal pc parts. a small shock to your ram and it is fried. (sounds like it may be already) :(
 
Hrmm...I'm thinking I should invest in a Roto-Zip next since the Dremel does kind of suck for cutting metal.

No, the computer boots fine. I was actually being shocked on the Hewlitt Packard piece of shit I have on the other side of the AMD beast. I am extremely careful around my AMD, it's my baby and hella expensive too.

I could care less if I kill the HP, it just gives me a new project.
 
Here it is. Done. And might I add...worst project EVAR!!! Cut my knee on the case. Don't ask me how just know that I did.

I had to chop half my rear fan case off to fit the side of the case. Then, once I got it on the exposed fan blades rubbed one of the bolts to the side of the case. So, I broke out the Dremel and shaved the bolt down. Now, it fist.

I still plan on doing the window. Because the metal is a little rough cause I couldn't get all teh imperfections out. And I'd love to use the moulding but I've got enough problems just getting the side of the case back on without rubbing the fan blades. So, I'll deal with the imperfections until I can make the acrylic door.

PICT0013.jpg

Yes, I know I need better wire management. Once the door is done, the wires will be the next thing to be fixed. Modular PSU mod here I come. This is with the tubes off.

PICT0014.jpg

This is to show the fan controller on the front. The far right dip switch is for the cathode tubes. You can see one of the tubes in the very bottom of the case. The other one is at the very top. The tunes are still off.

PICT0015.jpg

Better pic of the tube in the bottom of the case. It's still off as if you didn't already know. And a really good pic of the top of my case, yes, that's a 120mm fan up there.

All the above pics were taken with the lights in the room off and the flash on the camera on.

PICT0017.jpg

Flash off and tubes on. Looks badass. I did mess up the top fan hole on the side. I bought a 3" hole saw thinking that would be big enough but I was wrong. Then as I was making the hole bigger with the Dremel it caught and dug in. I did buy a 108mm hole saw (4 1/8") for when I do the door this weekend.

I didn't etch the window because I figured I'm going to put an acrylic door on there so I don't have to keep unscrewing th eback of it so I thought it wouldn't be a waste if I didn't do it. I do it on the door.

All in all, this is the very first computer I've built so I don't think it came out too bad. At least I've learned a lot and the next PC I build I'll have the knowledge, I kind of went in blind on this one.
 
looks good :) some molding and better cable management and you will be all set!
 
Thanks.

I plan on redoing the window possibly this weekend. I want to put a door on.

Alsthough I did go to a computer store today and saw a nice Antec case that is a lot wider than the one I have so I might break down and buy a new case.

The thing I didn't like about the Antec case was teh 60mm fans everywhere.
 
since when do smaller fans concern a [H] modder?
When in doubt, dremel. :D
I second the moulding idea. That or rolling the metal or filing it down to a straight even line.

Nice work. Way to keep it real with all the updates and a reminder that
case modding is dangerous. When u stare at some professionals work for a while, u think that the only thing dangerous is the pool of lava they made for the bottom of the case. I think it's nice someone showed a case that they worked on that wasn't perfect. And yes, there is always room for improvement.
IMHO, part of the challenge of modding is using the tools at hand to produce professional results. I don't have a dremel or a jigsaw here, but I seek other cheaper solutions. Scoring and cracking acrylic between two boxes of bawls works nicely. And filing it down with the right sandpaper and files still produces a nice smooth edge. Or a lighter. :)
I'll have to look at a router and a Roto-zip. I'm always interested in how to mod and cut cases/raw materials without power tools. Although, having the right tool for the job helps a lot.

Also, did you measure out and space the window before you cut? Most people I know woulda taken out the fan instead of cut it. Interesting idea. You know that old adage....measure twice, cut once. Piss Poor Preparation makes for Piss Poor Performance.

Well good job and keep at it. Always keep a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a box of bandaides around :D
 
Yes, I did measure I however forgot to factor in the spot where the rear fan is wasn't designed for a 120mm fan but an 80mm fan so it sticks out a bit. And, removing the fan was not an option for me. I'm a stubborn german.

And the smaller fans in the wider Antec case mean nothing to me. I just bought new cutting wheels and grinding stones for the Dremel. Along with some new brushes because I'm sure after this last project it needs them.

I'll be using the moulding when I replace the window with a door. Theres just no room for it with the window. I've got fitment issues as it is. Once I get eh door fabricated I'll replace the 120mm fan with a fan that ahsn't been butchered.
 
Nice job for 1st time and was nice to follow your progress as u updated.Good luck on any new/further case mods.Post your progress as you did this time.It might give me the courage to try LOL. :D
 
Good job bro! Sorry I doubted you... It looks good.. if that was what i wanted to do.

Do you ever stick you fingers into those fanholes? ;)
 
apHytHiaTe said:
Good job bro! Sorry I doubted you... It looks good.. if that was what i wanted to do.

Do you ever stick you fingers into those fanholes? ;)
Click to expand...
Thanks. Don't worry about it. I'm sure I sounded like a moron at times.

And as for the fan holes. No. I did once on the front fan but then I made that AMD grill.

120mm grills are hard to find. Although I have since been given a link to 120mm fan grills.
 
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