Cutting rectangle into CM Stacker

[kimochii72]

I've never cut into a case before and need to do it right. I have a simple $20 dremel drill with the standard cutting blades. But are there special blades I should buy? I Plan on cutting the top so that the USB/Power panel can be place flush into the top to free up a drive bay. Is there anything I should be careful of? Thanks

[Radical]

First, visit this (http://www.jesder.com/) site and check out the Dremel guide there. You should wear some safety goggles to protect your eyes, a respirator to protect your lungs (make sure it's rated for what you're doing, I recently used a disposable N95 rated one, but I'm not really sure if it did the job or not), and ear plugs or ear muffs to protect your ears, because you will find that cutting metal with a Dremel is very loud.

Just take your time, and maybe sketch out what you want to cut on the case with a pencil or something. Make sure you plan everything out, because once you cut, you can't put the metal back where it was in the case :). The first time I used a dremel to cut an aluminum case, I used the standard (I don't know the part #) cutting discs, and they were crap. I probably went through 7 discs cutting a small 1x2" hole. That was probably partly my fault, but that's still a lot of discs. The last time, however, I used a fiberglass reinforced wheel, and it was awesome. I only used one disc for a LOT of cutting, and it never broke. Hopefully that helps you a little.

EDIT: Also, when you're done cutting, make sure there are no metal bits or shavings left in the case. You can blow it out with compressed air, or wipe it off with a damp cloth. The metal dust and shavings that cutting leaves behind can destroy pretty much everything in your case. And be careful of the sharp edges that will result from the cutting. Not only can they cut you, but they can cut through wires! You can either cover the sharp edges with electrical tape, or you can cover then with something like this (http://www.mnpctech.com/UChannel.html).

[Captain Slug]

If you do it with a dremel you'll also end up spending hours filing the edges and you have to be extra diligent to keep it from skipping and marring your panel.
You might want to go out and buy a jigsaw ($35 usually) and use a smooth-cut metal specific blade with it. You'll end up spending that much on cutting discs for the dremel anyways.

tape the panel to a piece of plywood, mask off the whole panel, draw where you want to cut, drill a pilot hole, then cut with the jigsaw until you've finished the shape. Only minimal filing will be required to clean the cut edges.

[Phrenetical]

Since i havn't used a jigsaw to cut metal yet im gonna say stick with the dremel.

Just keep a steady hand, and something i find very useful when using the dremel is to

A. Drill a pilot hole then cut from it, it will save you the first cutting blade being completly worn down trying to make the first incision so to speak, and you can just go horizontal from the drill hole.

B. Drill a few guiding holes on the inside of your cutting line maybe 10cm apart, They help you keep a straight cut, because if you start going askew with the dremel its very hard to correct it back on course and if you try it will usually result in your cutting disk exploding in your face as it bends.

C. make sure whatever your cutting is clamped safely, there is nothing worse then seeing people screw up their case mods cause they were to lazy to clamp the metal to something.


Apart from that remeber to use masking tape to pretect your paint and case from scratches.

[kimochii72]

Anyone else willing to advise, please do. I'm not worried about scratching the case as it's a new case going to be painted in an auto body shop. YEah, Pure car paint and clearcoat!

[Captain Slug]

Since i havn't used a jigsaw to cut metal yet im gonna say stick with the dremel.
Having done it several dozen times with steel, aluminum, and plastics I can tell you that it takes less than 1/4th of the time to do this kind of task with a jigsaw when compared to a dremel.

Cutting the side panel with the dremel you'll probably burn through the same amount of money in cutting discs as if you were to simply buy a jigsaw and use that.

[Borgy]

Im with Captian Slug

Use a Jigsaw with a bi-metal 24 tpi blade,all will be fine
I bought Jigsaw from walmart for $16 CAN and a pair of bi-Metal blades for $5 CAN from home depot

**Tip** with any sawing of metel use a small drop of oil on the blade (WD40 will do) , It makes the blade last longer and easyer to cut

[Captain Slug]

Cutting/machining oil also helps prevent shavings from flying all over everywhere.

[jivetrky]

How exactly do you all cut with the dremel? I've used it on a few things and am never ablet o make perfect cuts. Do you use some sort of guide rail or something to keep it straight?


It seems to me that a jigsaw would be much easier and faster. You could even put a straight edge up and run the jigsaws baseplate along that, ensuring a nice straight cut.


Dremels are certainly useful...but if you have a jigsaw and can go buy a $5 smooth metal cutting blade, then that seems like it would be easier and faster.

[jivetrky]

Oh, and I would still recommend taping the whole area. Yeah, you are going to paint it...but this work will most likely scratch things...and those scrathes will then need to be sanded out. Just seems like a smart idea to tape it first, to avoid the hassle.

[Phrenetical]

Iv never had an isssue with making straight cuts with a dremel, not to mention the reason i have one is for the sole purpose of not needing 14 power tools to do one thing.

dremels drill, sand, cut, polish, screw and all at strange angles also if you need it, ever since i bought it iv never once pulled out my drill or needed any other power tool to accomplish mods.


But your probably right about the time factor, definently does take some time to cut large sections out. though the dremel disks i get are like 2$ for 50 and they cut steel very well so i don't think the cost is to much of a factor

and you can sand using the dremel, not by hand :) thats how i do it and it takes about 5 seconds.


i <3 my dremel ^_^

[jivetrky]

well i know that it will do all those things (excep screw, how does that work?)

But there are other tools out there that will do these things better. So if you have those other tools, it's just smarter to use them. but if you don't...then use a dremel :)

[Phrenetical]

put it on lowest setting speed, mine goes down far enough to use it like a power drill with low rotation, though most cheap dremeles probably don't do that.

:<

[jivetrky]

eh, I guess it would work...but again it kinda seems to me like there's other tools that will do the job much better. (what kind of torque can these things have? Can they drill a 3 inch screw into a 2x4?

[Captain Slug]

Iv never had an isssue with making straight cuts with a dremel, not to mention the reason i have one is for the sole purpose of not needing 14 power tools to do one thing.
I'm guessing you haven't tried 14 other power tools. I too started with a dremel but after moving on to other tools the dremel got used less and less because everything I did with it require more time and effort to produce results that weren't as good as what I could do predictably and reliably with the other tools.

[eobard]

Hand nibblers are great. They won't run away from you the way a power tool can and will let you take measured cuts when you feel everything is lined up but you gotta have strong hands to use them.

[Phrenetical]

i used to have lots of power tools, but got rid of most of them because the dremel did everything they did, maybe not 100% as well but no power tool makes you an expert, its all in how you use it.

anyway...............

ghetto dremel modding ftw imo.

:beer: :beer:

[jpersinger]

A few years back I made a robot from steel erector set pieces and what must have been about 1/8 inch steel sheet. The only power tool we had was a dremel and while it got the job done, I suggest you invest in better equipment. Also, while we never implemented any sort of protection I suggest you listen to Radical. When the cutting wheel has had it it will shatter and pieces will fly everywhere. There are still chunks of the disks we used stuck in the ceiling of the classroom we built this thing in!

[kimochii72]

Ok, I went out and paid $4 at Radio Shack for their Nibbler. I tested it an a piece of scrap from the case. It did cut nice clean lines, but the cut ended up making a radius, not a straight line. I tried it on both scrap case metal and a cd. It did the same thing on both.

Regarding the Jigsaw. It looks like I might have to use a Jigsaw. But, the rectangle I want to cut is for the USB/power panel on the CM stacker measureing 1.5 inches width by 6 inches length. Is this too small for a Jigsaw cut??

I already found a 36 teeth / inch jigsaw blade at ACE. They also have a 21 / inch too. Would it be better to use the 36? Won't a jigsaw warp the surrounding case metal from the violent moving?

[jivetrky]

I'd say go for the finest blade you can get. that way you get a smoother cut. And I would think that if the blade is good and sharp, it should be cutting through the metal fine and not warping it.

Oh and for the size...that should be just fine with a jigsaw....just take your time and do nice straight cuts. And come at each corner from both sides, to be sure you get a nice corner.

Then finish everything up with a file and you should be good.

and if it was me, I'd find a way to clamp down a straight edge to be sure the cuts are perfect.

[kimochii72]

Straight edge, Great idea! I can use small C-clamps to clamp down a steel ruler and adjust as needed.

Edit:

I can use a small metal 90 degree angle and clamp each end to the extreme corners of the cut to get the C-clamps out of the way. I think I'm going to get that 36 teeth per inch blade. I'm trying to make my first time cut painless as I'm getting my computer custom painted this auto color by a body shop with Sikkens paint for $150:
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i304/scwam/large_3_ex-1.jpg

[jivetrky]

I'd really recommend using some masking tape on the surface also. It'll just save work in finishing it. Because that jigsaw will certainly scuff/scratch it. Which can't just be painted over, it'll have to be sanded/buffed first.

Everyone seems to use that Blue masking tape. I think because it releases pretty easy. It should also make it easier to see your marks for the cut.

[Borgy]

The 36 TPI is better for case modding
just clamp your panal down and mask off your panal all will be ok
just take it stedy dont rush

[kimochii72]

I can't clamp the panel because I simply cant remove it from the rest of the body. It's riveted down. I really don't want to take the chance of trying to remove them and have to buy a rivot gun to reinstall them. I bought the 36 and 21 TPI blades and a new jigsaw that has variable speed. My question is what is thhe best speed. It goes from 800 to 3200 rpm. Also it has an 'Orbital' function which I can not understand what that does, the instructions are vague. I bought blue 3m painters tape to tape off the cutting area and a 90 degree metal angle ruler to clamp down to the cutting area as a guide for the blade. I'll line the ruler at the cutting line.

[telexen]

I've never seen a Stacker...but a lot of times you can replace rivets you've drilled out with screws - I have on my Chieftec Dragon.

[four4875]

if funds allow, the rivet gun would be a nice investment. if not, you could put in screws that just barely fit with some negotiation, so they cut their own threads and hold tight.

or if you can clamp some wood to the backside of it with the case still fully in tact, that'd work too. youll want to have the straight edge positioned where you can use the edge of the thingy on the bottom ofthe saw flat against it to hold straight, or if the saw came with oen, a rip fence would work too, on the edge of the case.

[jivetrky]

hmmm I've got 2 rivet runs :) I don't know how much they cost...but they don't look like they could cost more than $15-$20 or so. Then get a small pack of rivets and you're set.

[kimochii72]

I looked at the rivets, it looks like they are a pain in the ass to take out. I don't really understand this 'wooden block' method/use. If I decide not to take off the top panel where I'm cutting then are you saying that the jigsaw could possibly warp the surrounding metal, even if I'm cutting with a fine 36 TPI blade? I know nothing of DYI projects...this is really not my skill.

[telexen]

Use a small drill bit and drill directly into the center of them ... they'll come right out ;)

[Borgy]

The slowest speed should be fast enough ... you dont want to melt the plastic ...

drill a hole just big enough for the blade on the waste side about in the middle of your lines (your need 4 ) .... ill do a Bitmap..




i hope this helps

The 'Orbital' function is for sawing curves


edit

the text should read (i guess this is what you get for rushing a reply at work LOL)


Stop at the end and turn the jigsaw around and saw to the other end.

Of course im sure you understand your meant to stop the saw and remove it from the cut then turn the jigsaw around 90' and reinsert the blade into the straight cut then cut to the other end :)

Borgy

[kimochii72]

Thanks much. I'm however cutting into 1mm SECC Steel, no plastic. Should I run it at medium speed for the steel?

[Borgy]

There is a formula for working out speed and feed for cutting
but to be honest its like changing gear in a car ... you know when to change gear by the sound of the engine.

I my was a tool-maker for 16 year i never really used the formula
I just went by colour and size of the chipping and the sound of the tool


So for you with your jig saw,the speed will depend on the feed rate
(how fast you push)
slower you push the slower the blade needs to move
so start of with a slow speed use a drop of oil on the blade
and start cutting nice and slow ...

take your time maybe have a practice on a tin or something ?
oh and enjoy .. it's ment to be fun too

Happy modding

Borgy

[kimochii72]

I'm marking my dimensions on the top of the case now but have another question. What is this about using Painter's (Blue 3M Tape) tape to mark over the whole area I'm cutting? I mean, am I supposed to completely tape over both sides of the metal with overtape, so that when I cut I'm actually cutting the metal sandwiched between the tape? I thought I read something that cutting the tape with the metal helps make sawing a straight line easier in case I sway off from the line. Plus I thought I read somewhere that the tape helps to provide a smoother cut? Or am I misunderstanding this and it's supposed to be cut using only the tape as a guidline where I don't actually cut the tape at all but against the boarders of the tape?

[Borgy]

Its so you dont scratch your paint
this might help

http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=18223&pageIndex=4

[kimochii72]

Its so you dont scratch your paint
this might help

http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=18223&pageIndex=4


Oh, that's all? I getting the case repainted after I cut anyhow, So the tape doesn't help guide the drill better or provide a less jagged cut?

[Borgy]

nope, but it well help against deep scratch that paint will not fix
if a metal chipping gets under the foot of the jigsaw also fro making out on to the tape
Im going to be adding a 120mm fan to my old CRT Projector at the weekend.
I can do a how to if you like ? photo's and a write up

[kimochii72]

I got the point, you answered my question, I shouldn't need a writeup, thanks though. Hopefully I'm going to get this drilled tonight.