[matt2364]

I am about to install a water cooling system into my antec case, the case has 4 5 1/4 and 6 internal 3 1/2 drive bays. and the 3 1/2 bays are grouped in threes. the box that these are in is removeable, but there is still a thin metal piece that sticks out, this is facened by somesort of bolt, the front of the bolt is flat and the back is like a round circular thing that goes around it like a nut, or bolt, but there is one problem the circular thing cannot be undone by any tools that i can find, because the opening is round, it is almost like the ones that have like 5 differant sides, but this one has none, does anyone know of any way to get these off, bc i need the extra space for the water cooling sysem.

[Über~PhLuBB]

It's just a simple rivet. Get a drill with a 3/16" or 1/4" bit, and drill the head out. Then you can push the rest of the rivet out with a screwdriver or something.

There are three of 'em that hold that little tray on. Check it out, these 3 rivets (drill from THIS side, BTW):

[matt2364]

can drill these out with all of my components still in the case?

[Über~PhLuBB]

Originally posted by matt2364
can drill these out with all of my components still in the case?

I wouldn't reccomend it, but I understand how much effort it takes to disassemble a machine then reassemble it just for a little mod.

If you were CUTTING something, then I'd say absolutely you'd have to dissasemble it. But since this is just 3 rivets, on the OUTSIDE of the case, I'd say you should be fine if you get a wet paper towel, fold it up and hold it under the rivet you're drilling, so when you drill it, no stray pieces of waste metal go flying, or hit the table and bounce around. The actual rivet body that you push out the other side isn't a problem, because there will be only 3 of them, and they are plenty big to spot.

[turd]

I dont think anyone would recommend that because of the conductive scrap that would throw off. If you must you could duct tape over the back of the rivet and duct tape a zip lock baggie around the front rivit and go in through the baggie top. But drilling rivets is sometimes a drill through pain job. Sometimes you can just drill off the front and pop through with a screwdriver.



EDIT: Your just faster then me

[Über~PhLuBB]

Originally posted by turd
I dont think anyone would recommend that because of the conductive scrap that would throw off. If you must you could duct tape over the back of the rivet and duct tape a zip lock baggie around the front rivit and go in through the baggie top. But drilling rivets is sometimes a drill through pain job. Sometimes you can just drill off the front and pop through with a screwdriver.

lol I just said that.

[ArBiTaL 24]

I don't understand this- Why can't they just use screws, or, even better, thumbscrews? Why rivits? lol

[Über~PhLuBB]

Originally posted by ArBiTaL 24
I don't understand this- Why can't they just use screws, or, even better, thumbscrews? Why rivits? lol

Because they're 10 times cheaper and 30 times quicker to install. Think about it, one guy with a riveter can pop in a rivet in less than a second. Compared to screws, there's just no contest, they lower production costs considerably.

In addition to that, a rivet won't ever work itself loose like a screw, AND, you can put a rivet in thinner material than you can a screw, a rivet needs no threads to hold itself in.

[diggingforgold]

Do what I did. Get a pair of tin snips and hack away at it.

I did this with all my components in the case (minus 1 hard drive), and didn't hurt a thing, but I don't advise you do the same.

Removing the front plastic cover on my case to drill it takes time and patience, and I didn't have any.

[Über~PhLuBB]

Originally posted by diggingforgold
Do what I did. Get a pair of tin snips and hack away at it.

I did this with all my components in the case (minus 1 hard drive), and didn't hurt a thing, but I don't advise you do the same.

Removing the front plastic cover on my case to drill it takes time and patience, and I didn't have any.

You cannot cut Antec cases with tin snips, the steel is too thick. There's no need for that in this case anyway, the rack he's talking about (as I pictured) is just held on by 3 rivets. It's as simple as that.