Grilles! (Part 1)
Here I am, after having had a few problems with the front grille, solved a couple of days ago.
Here's the work on the back grilles, first the 160mm one for the two 80mm fans.
And here comes the first problem, the original mounting holes have a raised edge:
Solution:
Now the corners corresponding to the holes need to be removed, or the screws won't fit through.
One is done!
Now it's time for the PSU, I start by measuring it:
And here's the socked and switch hole.
The final position:
Testing it on the PSU to mark where the screw holes are:
And it's done!
For the upmost fan, the process is the same. Measure, cut, holes test.
Here's the completed back!
The front grille has been tougher to make, as the front plastic is both flat and curved.
First thing to do, measuring and cutting a piece of mesh. Luckily, the mesh squares match perfectly with the internal dimensions, considering it will be bent.
Room for the supports created.
Perfect. Now onwards with the bending!
The first side is flat, so I make a bend helping with a wooden plank.
To curve the other part, I used a specialized grille-bending instrument: an ambience antiodorant.
- - - Updated - - -
After carefully adjusting the curve, here's the result.
To smoothen the sharp edges, i used this creature:
If you're interested, here are the instructions:
Sander / grinder from an old hard disk
Now, how to fix it in place? After a lot of thinking, discarding various alternatives, I chose the simplest and better looking (to me, at least) solution. It also matches the front aluminium panel I previously created.
A lot of screws and nuts! These have been scavenged as well, they were contacts of a box full of electric terminals. I unscrewed enough to fill six bottles.
I laid the nuts down to get an idea of where to drill.
The final number will be lower, this is just a test.
Once I decided where to put them, on with the drill-press*!
*piece of junk with a drill strapped onto it.
First with a small bit...
...then the right one.
Mounting test.
Not being fully satisfied with the gaps along the sides and at the bottom, I put more screws.
Now the distribution is more even!
Once the plastic will be painted and the screw heads polished, they will shine in all their (brassy?) magnificence.
Also, here's the other lion's close-up!
