PCA Forums

Just looking at how you people make your case mods. I am thinking about measuring out where I can put some 120mm quiet Panflo fans, and some 92mm. I was air and quietness. I may also add a rheobuss, of fanbus, I don't want much, JUST QUIET! LOL. What I am looking at doing is maybe cutting some plastic and metal. It's an SX840, Antec. Pretty solid, metal case. What could I got out and buy to create some holes in here?

Thanks.

Any suggestions are very helpful.

A dremel-type tool is practically essential for any case mod. Lots of nifty little tools and sanders for smooting out metal and cutting plastic. Personally, I use a jig saw for most of my case cutting. You need to make sure that you have a blade that can cut metal, but any hardware store sells them for $2-$3. I also use titanium plated drill bits for the holes. Basically, any bit that says it will cut metal will work. Add a workbench and a clamp of clamps to hold things in place and you are set.

if all U are doign is Blow holes then a Drill with a hole cutter is all U need. and makes it ALOT easier makign a Round hole. got my hold cutters at home depot and were not all that expensive. Hopefully we will se some intreasting Mods in our contest. SPread the word if U can.

Greg

jigsaws are great for 120mm holes, or cutting a hole for a window in your case, that's what i used.

I used a plasma cutter to cut my holes... If you plan on painting your case it would be fine to use... fast and clean cut but it burns the paint around that area. I had our painter at our shop paint my case with car paint... Its nice smooth and shiney, should wax it up and really make it sparkle

PreDatoR - About that plasma cutter... ...my dad still has connections in his machining business to where he could most likely hook me up with getting somebody to cut a design I want with a plasma cutter. Now, as soon as I told him this idea, he said it probably wouldn't work cause it would be so hot it'd scorch the metal (which would be alluminum, by the way [Lian Li PC68]) I was just wondering what your thoughts on this was?

I have a particular design in my head and it would be rather difficult to cut with a dremel--although possible. I'd just like to get a nice clean cut. You said how some of the paint on the edges would be chipped off--well the Lian Li has no paint (all alluminum) so would the edges then be just scorched black because its such a thin guage or? Got any ideas?

Hacksaw blade, file, wire cutters, electrical tape and a BFH.


hehe, actually I use a dremel.

HT with that Lian Li case i'd use a dremel on it... Aluminum is soft anyways and with the right bit in that dremel it would be easy to cut... You could cut it with a plasma cutter but it would probably scorch the edges like your dad said... I've never cut Alu. with one before only sheet metal... For sheet metal they are really nice and leave a clean cut if using a straight edge to guide you or a compass attachment for cutting holes. For that Lian since its alu. i wouldn't use a cuttoff wheel on it. They should make a small round bit about 1/8 inch in diameter with teeth on it that would cut right though it, it will leave a little bit of an edge but a sanding wheel will take care of that. I should go play with the plasma cutter this morning at work and cut some alu. with it but i'm sure we don't have anything as thing as the cases would be. I know Alu don't take near as much heat as metal does so it could possibly work if its turned down low enough and a good amount of air is applied to get through it cleanly...

I used to cut the holes with a dremel like tool (Black&Decker WIZARD) but it took a LOT of time to cut a 120mm hole with it... i now use a JigSaw and it faster ...
i would stick with the Jigsaw for the big cuts and a Dremel for the delicate works like on hte baybus etc...
good luck

I also use a dremal tool to do any cutting. It is by far the least messiest way to do it. It it leaves edges fairly smooth.

Here is a pic of a window kit I installed in a friends PC. He works for streetglow, so we added in some free neon light inside:


Pretty cool huh? We sell cases like this for $130

I went to home depot today, and took a look at what I saw... (umm, yeah ). What I saw were round, circles, and hooked to a drill. Is this what you guys mean by a dremel? (I know this may sound dumb, I just don't tools very often... ) They had a bunch of sizes, all but 80, 92, and 120mm. Are these the same things that are for sale at pcmods.com in those kits?

The easiest way for newbies is to get a hole saw. You can get them in different sizes, and you can get them in metal. Don't use wood blades on metal, it will take longer, and you will butcher the metal since the teeth on the blades are coarser.

I think you were looking at a hole saw. Dremel says Dremel on the package.

I use a scroll saw for my mods.. then again, my case is made out of wood..

Sean, if you are planning on drilling a 120 mm hole you can order the hole cutter on line at http://www.caseetc.com/cgi-bin/caseetc/T-019.html
the only thing to use this how saw, you have to rent a drill driver because it doesnt have a standard 1/4 inch bit it has a 1/2 inch bit , plus if you do plan on using this be extreley carefull, it is a pain in the ass, when i cut my 2 120's using this, i put one of the holes on the very top of my tower and I had to stand on the damn thing and have my buddiehold it steady with his feet, and it still sent us to the ground the first couple of times leaving some nasty scratches in the metal, hehe lucky for me i saw that coming and drilled from the inside out, oh also they have smaller sized hole saws on that page too here
http://www.caseetc.com/cgi-bin/caseetc/ ... d=PAPgZSNK

all 3 sizes that you wanted too well hope that helps some

My dad has a big powerful, handheld drill. Are you saying that the hookup on that hole saw is 1/2 an inch? And to use it, we have to get an extender?

Could someone point me to a dremel, are they pretty expensive? What do you think would be easier, hole saw, dremel?