Need Drilling Advice

[train22]

I JUST recieved my AOWSOME Antec SX840 and I have to say it has to be the best case money can buy, I usually don't like to advertise for componies but this really deserves it, it is the easiest to work with and very nice, it says it has 4 fan spots yet it has 5! (3 front 2 back) It has the easiest mounting fetures, the front and side come off with a touch of a button and so do the fans, the hd, the cd, the flopy everything and this AOWSOME retail case only cost me 120 bucks. (retail costs 160 actaully but I got it from a reseller that actaully sold it as retail NOT oem) It amazed me, I cryed, lol being used to shi**y 90 buck cases of unknown makers, lol, if you ever get a new case don't make the mistake of going with cheap 90 buck cases, spend the extra 30 bucks for heavens. (it has 400watts as well)

Anyways, back to my problem...by what I just told you, you can obviously see I'm madly in love with this case and drilling a big ugly hole on the side isn't one of the ways to show it, because it would look messy if I can't get an EXACT circle, so I'm asking people if anyone know of a really good way of making the hole so it's really neat?? I am thinking of making a square hole and using one of those laser cut holes within a square to do it, but I don't think I can cut neat squares too. Sorry for the blabing for a 1 line question but you get the effect I have on my case this way. It's like cutting open a new born baby.

Thanx guys.

[The Doors]

First of all many compliments for your new Box, seems to be really a kick A**! :D
Probably isn't the best and cleanest way to go, but I've used my Dremel to open holes into my case, for 120mm fan you can use a cd to track the circle and for 80 and 92mm I suggest a compasses.

I hope it helps you, good luck!

[train22]

any1 else?

That suggestion was good just want more, lol

[The Doors]

What do you think about a ShotGun? :D

[chawken]

Originally posted by train22
any1 else?

That suggestion was good just want more, lol

Sounds like you are totally thrilled with your Antec case. To punch holes - you could take it to a machine shop. But that is no fun.
I bought the Supermicro CS760a case - and was so thrilled with it that I decided to use a dremel to do my own - as Doors suggested. Using reinforced cutters, it wasn't that hard. I bought fan grills for each size fan that I would be mounting, and they were my tracing templates for the holes. The left door of my case I cut (4) 120mm holes. It took some time and patience - but when I was done, I was glad that I didn't take it to a machine shop.
When all was done, I had a total of 8 120mm 105cfm fans, 2 80mm 39.6cfm fans, 1 80mm 60cfm fan, and 2 HD bay coolers. Total air flow 550cfm intake, 500cfm output.

[Crazy Jayhawk]

Originally posted by The Doors
What do you think about a ShotGun? :D Have to watch out for ricochets though. :p

[The Doors]

Another way is to use a strange stuff that I've got some times ago, it's an Hole-Cutter and seems to be like an adjustable compasses that you mount on the drill, is made by PG professional and it cost under 10$.

[train22]

The Doors... can you tell me a bit more about that? I didn't understand what you mean and how well it works?

Any1 who can.. can you take a close-up photo of a hole, I want to see how it looks (mention which meathod you used)

Thanx again for the support guys

[The Doors]

Well, my English isn't good enough to explain you how it's done, and I still haven't a web-cam, I'll try to found a link for you......

[train22]

thank you, web-cam is fine, just take a pic uf your grill hole. I'd be very greatful, any1 else got pics of these holes?

Ps.. doors, your english is excelent!

[Crappy]

You can make the hole with a "HoleSaw" For a 120mm fan you would need a 4 1/2-inch holesaw

http://www.aquastealth.com/assembly1.jpg

Just take your time and drill slow and you will have a nice clean hole.

[train22]

how about 92 mm holes?

Can you show me a case Hole that is done? I want to see how nice it turns out

[The Doors]

Here's the link of the strange adjustable HoleSaw for a blow hole from 20 to 123mm http://www.pgprofessional.it/ehssforal.htm
it's an Italian company but sells all around the worlds ;)

[train22]

any1 have a pic of a well made hole?? I am intersted in how different products output. I want to see if it's better to use the drenel or the tool Doors mentions which look really strange:
http://www.pgprofessional.it/p214.jpg

[The Doors]

I still havn't a WebCam,
but the holes made with this tool are really clean if compared to Dremel, I've tested on my YeongYang Full tower Case :D

[train22]

really?? COOL! I need to find 1 now, do they sell it online casue I don't think they have it in "Home Depo" or any nearby stores, you sure it's only 10 dollars?

[The Doors]

Well, looking on the website I haven't found nothing about online selling :( if interested you can try sending an E-Mail asking for reseller in your area. I've got it for exactly 8.8$

[Crappy]

Originally posted by train22
how about 92 mm holes?

Can you show me a case Hole that is done? I want to see how nice it turns out

92mm hole you would use a 3 1/2" holesaw

[train22]

Originally posted by The Doors
Well, looking on the website I haven't found nothing about online selling :( if interested you can try sending an E-Mail asking for reseller in your area. I've got it for exactly 8.8$

whee do you live?

[The Doors]

It's written under my Nick and Avatar :D
I'm from Naples (Italy).

[fuzzba11]

Don't worry about being non-perfect circles...I used a dremel to cut my holes, and if it's even the slightest bit off you just stick on a sander and sand it down...really easy stuff, and the dremel only cost me $40 plus a few $ for reinforced cutting wheels and extra sanders(they wear down really fast on aluminum)

[train22]

k, thank you all guys for the help, if you want to show off your perfect grill cuts I would still love to see them.

by the way, you can't sand metal really, and 40 bucks for somthign I will use for 30 min to drill 1 hole.

[The Doors]

I hope to show you and all the other guys my case mods as soon as possible, probably next week ;)

[train22]

can't wait to see ur masterpiece, :cool: ;)

[The Doors]

I understand, you wanna start to play with your Box :)
Thanks, but my case isn't a masterpiece, is my first case mod but is nice, I like it, the next step is a new color coz I don't like this standard lamer color!

[train22]

yeah after a month or 2 this will get boring so I will probably paint it either light blue or orange, what do you think? the only problem is painting the CD tray and the acual inside? would you use spray paint what kind?

Would71, I know you know cause I've seen ur case about 102 times, lol it's practicly ur sig :p, could you shed some light on this, what kind of spray paint was that you usedr.

[The Doors]

I wanna paint my case dark/blue or dark/violet so i wanna leave the original color to my Cd, Fd, and Removable Hd for a stronger contrast, and is also more simple :p

[train22]

Originally posted by Would71
Well yea, those pics are crappy, but they're good enough to show what I'm talking about when I mention certain things to people, so I use them. I used metallic black Rust-Oleum spray paint, and Krylon chrome paint for the drive bay covers and the CD-ROM faceplate. If you do it lightly and evenly, you can easily paint the CD-ROM faceplate. You just have to be careful when removing it. It's something you have to look over your CD-ROM to get a feel for how to remove. Mine had like three push-in clips holding the main faceplate, and the tray face came off after I pulled a couple small lock-tabs past the bottom lip of the tray. Shot about 3 coats of chrome paint on them lightly, waited for them to dry, and put them back on. (you DO want to wait awhile for them to dry, otherwise they will smudge up when only tack-dry or whatever)

damn 3 coats, lol, too much work for now, I want to start with o/cing BUT I CNA"T GET MY MOBO OR CPU cause the dumb resellers RAN OUT and are holding my by my neck. My chassis is also to new to mess with, its going to go throough 1 only mod now which is the intake blowhole once I get my tool but I can see my killer box in a sweet orange color or light blue, damn this is sweet, I only spent around 850 bucks on it, I know people who spent over 1500 on a system premade and got **** indise and **** on teh outside, and **** on the screen

Pardon my lang.


oh and by the way, I never said those pics are crappy :)

[train22]

here is a little estimate of my case in blue. I'd paint it brighter a bit, orange is coming in a min


ps. I don't have photoshop so this is just in MSpaint

[train22]

nah I don't like that at all, it's yuck, maybe dark green on darker green?

[CrystalMethod]

Could you guys move this thread over to "Alternative Modding" where it belongs?

[wildbilly2k]

could somebody post the inches for the certain mm holes i need cause i think i know somebody that has hole saw and I could just use that too cut holes in my new antec case i just got.

[train22]

>CrystalMethod
Relax, you won't die from reading a little bit more than you wanted to, and if you do fall ill, I can assure you your parents will install an extra fan or even watercooling in your room! But seriously this is a nice friendly enviormental post that has to do a lot with cooling. (look at the first 80% of the posts, not only the last 2)

[phungilax]

i would go for the traditional dremel tool. i just recently used it on an old computer case i had lying around and it cuts great. just have a file handy cause the dremel does leave some jagged metal edges. after that just mount your fan and grill.

[Crappy]

Originally posted by wildbilly2k
could somebody post the inches for the certain mm holes i need cause i think i know somebody that has hole saw and I could just use that too cut holes in my new antec case i just got.

FAN Holesaw
--------------------
60mm 2"
80mm 3"
92mm 3 1/2"
120mm 4 1/2"

[Owenator]

Check this hole cutter out. It's from www.grizzly.com. They sell online for $9.95, part number G8964, Adjustable Circle Cutter. I don't have one I bought the hole saws but I am buying on eof these if I have to cut any more! Grizzly also sells all sorts of metal working tools if you are so inclined. I am a garage machinist wanna-be myself!

O

[Crappy]

I have one of those hole cutter, but it's best used in a drill press. Remember the cutting blade is only on one side and if you use it in a hand drill you risk hurting yourself or your case.

If you don't hold it just right you will bash the cutting blade into whatever you are cutting over and over again.

Thats why I like the holesaw better you can hold it flat on the case and get a nice clean hole.

[train22]

Originally posted by Crappy
I have one of those hole cutter, but it's best used in a drill press. Remember the cutting blade is only on one side and if you use it in a hand drill you risk hurting yourself or your case.

If you don't hold it just right you will bash the cutting blade into whatever you are cutting over and over again.

Thats why I like the holesaw better you can hold it flat on the case and get a nice clean hole.

I hear ya, in fact I was just about to buy one of thise grizzly bears but read your post and inherited your logic, anyways, now I think I'll stick with the holesaw, do you know which one will be PERFECT for a 92mm grill?

Thanx

[Crappy]

3 1/2" holesaw for a 92mm hole.

[Owenator]

Sometimes I forget that not everybody is into lots of tools like me! I have a 1/2" drill and a couple 3/8" drills. I also have a drill press and an air tool coolection as well. I did buy a cheap and usefull holesaw kit from Harbor Freight (www.harborfreight.com) and I think Grizzly has them too. good to know about that hole cutter because if it's possible to wobble and be dangerous I need to know that, thanks!

As far as justifying tool purchases I have a house and I use my $50 Black and Decker 1/2" drill to stir paint in 5-gallon buckets and of course drill big holes. A 3/8" drill won't hold the larger "paint paddles" that can be used to mix in a 5-gal bucket. The 1/2" drill press was $50 and a x-y travel cross vise was $35 both from Harbor Freight. Once you get a drill press you'll wonder what you did before you had one :) But then again I an a bit of a shade-tree mechanic and machinist.

Sorry to drone on!

O