What does one need to cut out fan 'grills'?

[zer0nix]

^topic

is there a particular method or drill attachment i need? my old man has a few that he uses to cut through wood but i have no experience working with this stuff :eh?:

[SolidxSnake]

you can get a bi-metal holesaw (attaches to a drill) for clean cuts, or tinsnips, dremel and jigsaw/sabersaws work well.

[jjv687]

Most people use a dremel, but if you have no experience using one then I suggest doing a lot of practice on some old scrap metal before cutting into your case. My friend cut of his cases with his dremel and the first ones he did were...not good... But now the holes hes been cutting look pretty good. Also, you have to sand A LOT unless you dont mind sharp jagged edges.

[SolidxSnake]

Most people use a dremel, but if you have no experience using one then I suggest doing a lot of practice on some old scrap metal before cutting into your case. My friend cut of his cases with his dremel and the first ones he did were...not good... But now the holes hes been cutting look pretty good. Also, you have to sand A LOT unless you dont mind sharp jagged edges.


sharp jagged edges = not good.

Makes the fan louder and causes more turbulence for the fan yo pull.

make SURE you file it down (40grit metal file, then up to around 120g file)

[zer0nix]

you can get a bi-metal holesaw

gotta be 'bi-metal' then?


EDIT: how do i hold this thing down/in place without accidentally bending it or otherwise fubarring the operation?

[MVC]

gotta be 'bi-metal' then?


EDIT: how do i hold this thing down/in place without accidentally bending it or otherwise fubarring the operation?
Yeah, you're cutting metal so you need a saw that wont dull in the first minute of use. As for holding down the material, what exactly are you cutting? If it's a side panel, just clamp it to some scrap wood so you have a backing you can cut into. Oh, and drill a pilot hole smaller than the arbor bit before you start--the 1/4" arbor bit likes to travel, or at least the ones I've used have.

Edit: and if posible, drill (cut) from the back part, not the visible part. If you make a mistake and the saw "travels" you've got a much better chance of hiding it that way.

[zer0nix]

actually i'm trying to cut out a hole behind a lower front fan behind a plexiglas faceplate with large square holes (if all goes well, maybe another hole at the top of the case and another at the back)... i guess i'm gonna have to mount the whole case down somehow :/

bah... i was hoping this would be an easier operation, seeing as how common this mod is :/

[MVC]

An acrylic faceplate on a metal case? Can we have a couple pics? I've never used a hole saw with the case clamped to something secure but I have used a jig saw. As long as you go slow it should work just fine. But, put masking tape over the finish just in case.

[zer0nix]

An acrylic faceplate on a metal case? Can we have a couple pics?

sorry, no access to a digital camera at the moment... i'll check the model name and share it once i get home... the acrylic is mounted over silver/glitter grey plastic... looks alright, if a bit bland imho...



put masking tape over the finish just in case.

er? :eh?:

[MVC]

er? :eh?:
Put masking tape over the parts you aren't going to cut and around the parts you are going to cut so that you don't harm the current finish on them. You don't want "scuff" marks when you're done.

[Electron Chaser]

While I have every tool described here and a whole lot more if you are looking for an easy way to do it on budget and still get great results I recommend you use this (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=64-2960) for cutting out the metal fan guards.

They work great and are easy to use and you can buy one at Radio Shack for a little over 10 bucks.

While you can use a pair of snips they leave some jagged edges which you have to either file or dremel down. Or a dremel or a jig saw. A hole saw would be a lot more difficult to attempt. I personally don't see it as being the right tool for the job in this instace since you don't have a true center reference to use due to the grill.

However this little tool will easily nibble out the guard and leave you with very little filing to do afterwards. I keep 2 on hand since they are so handy to have when modding.

[Eric1285]

Nothing wrong with a good old dremel...I didn't find mine difficult to use at all...just take your time and try to keep a steady hand.