New Folding Rig... Need help with Fan Hole

My new folding/lan mini pc ($37 low profile case & psu @ NewEgg)

It looks like a VCR when layed flat, but I like the way it looks as a tower, so I moved the feet. Anyway- it runs at about 50C while in bios- around 55C in XP, so folding would probably bring it to 65+. Thats way too hot for a 1700+ pally thats not overclocked.

So I need to make a very short duct leading from a fan on the top of the case (left side of case on this pic [not modded yet]) to the HSF. The problem is that I have very limited money after putting this thing together, and very few tools.

I have a couple really nice 19 something volt power drills with 40 settings, and a few typical tools (screw drivers, hammers, etc..).

I want a professional looking 80mm x80mm fan hole with a metal fan grill, but since I have limited tools, I want to ask for suggestions on how to do it the cheap college student way. So whaddya-say? Any non-ghetto ways to cut out a 80mm fan hole on a steel case?

PS: Wal*Mart has a really really cheap massive dremmel set for $60- but I don't have that kind of cash right now (poor college student ), so I will have to wait a few weeks for that.

Once I have some time and money, I hope to make a small window mod which will cut out an even larger area on that side panel, so mistakes won't be a problem.

Comments? Suggestions? Thanks.

~jeff

A couple of suggestions:

First, check Home Depot for a Black and Decker RTX rotary tool kit. This is a variable speed tool with a keyless chuck for $36. including a carrying case and a thirty piece accessory kit. I bought one a couple of months ago and like it better than any Dremel I've ever owned.

I don't know exactly how much space you have to work with, but looking at that case I think it would be tough to run an effective duct system.

My suggestion would be to try creating an airflow path through the case that works with the thermodynamics. I would drill a pattern of intake vent holes on the top panel of your case at the left end. (The bottom in the picture.) You can do patterns with this and it will look really nice if you back it with a different color filter material when you're done. Polishing the edges of the holes looks cool, too.

Then at the top (aka the right side panel if the case is horizontal) I'd mount a pair of 25CFM 80mm fans like the Panaflo L1A's. Instead of drilling an 80mm hole and risk tearing the panel, consider cutting an octangle hole for the blade area with mounting holes drilled at the corners.

I think this might be a better way to go because you're exhausting the hot air from all of the heat generating sources inside the case instead of just putting more intake air on the HSF.




Hope this helped-

BHD

(maybe a pic inside the case so we can see the goods?)

are you willing to butcher the top of the vcr...er case?
a duct on top drilled out by a hole saw would work very well, but there's the problem with the intake. what are the dimensions of the case?

Ok, I went out... and bought a dremmel before reading this. Its a newer better one, and I had bad luck with B&D in the past. Everything I ever owned from them always explode with very large bangs and clunks, signalling their death.

Anyhoo- you want the inards, lemme get out my digicam!

Here is a cheap airflow representation of what I'm expecting to get out of any modding.


Here is what it looks like right now.

The top fan will be primarily to let the HSF breathe, and lower my CPU temps (primary goal).

Then I plan on ripping apart the PSU and replacing the el-cheap-o fan that is in there. It hardly spins, let alone does any cooling.

After that, its time to cut out the low profile ports and put an 80x80 fan in there as well (maybe smaller, 80x80 might not fit).

You probably cant see it in any of these pictures, but there is absolutely no hope for putting any type of fan on the front, no matter what size. There are already pre-drilled holes in the chassis, actually a lot of them. So I think I'm safe there.

I know I will end up with negative pressure in the case, which is not good, but at least it will have 3x the airflow it has now.

And about the ductwork, I probably should have reworded that. I hope to make a shroud of some sort leading to the HSF. Again, this will bring warm air into the case right from the start, but I would prefer moving warm air to burning hot stopped air any day.

Can you put an 80mm fan at the back of the case, pull air through a duct to the processor fan, pulling in cool air. Place an 80mm fan an the bottom of the case, pulling air up.

Then, can you place 2 (one on each panel) small fans on the top, between the PSU and the DVD, pulling the air out. You might have to set you "tower" up a little off the surface it's sitting on, but it will bring in outside air, to help cool, and circulate air in the natural "hot air rises" way, making your fans efficent...???

I see it is tight in there, can you tuck the wires anywhere to help the airflow?

My gettho paint skills
Red lettering says "Second fan on removable panel"

Whats the next standard size down from 80mm?

Because 80 is like a tiny tiny bit too big. There are jumpers on my mobo RIGHT near those expansion slots.

I already started cutting for the intake for the CPU, so its a bit too late for that one.

However, I like your idea about some tiny fans on the side. I might be able to fit one or maybe two of those itty bitty fans in there if I cut it out right.

PS: Anyone ever have a problem when cutting steel with a dremel? Mine gets very very hot after a while- probably because im cutting at 35,000RPM.

~jeff

I think 60mm is next size down. As for the tiny fans, try older 486 fans, or maybe some cheap chipset fans..

You could always mod a window in your case as well..

Here is something else (if you hadn't cut your case already).. get a bunch of those little fans, and place them all over the side panel, some blowing in, some blowing out... maybe the back half (where the processor and PCI slots are) blow in, and toward the drives, pull it out.

You could also do this with the plexy window..... It would be different....

60mm fans are fairly common and come in all types from quiet to make-your-ears-bleed loud.

You could do a window like this..



...with the mini fans (your pattern may vary)

BTW... flip the exaust and intake fans... I messed up

Wow that would look awesome with leds! ::thinks::

EDIT: PS: palee72's avatar is awesome.

Glad I could help. Make sure to post pics...



as for the Avatar, yep, I'm fat.

Ok I got it done (well just the HSF breather hole and fan). A perfect fit. I might just remove my HS fan, and let the 80mm blow on it instead. It would be quieter, but then if I ever wanted to do work on it and needed to take off the panel, my cpu would burn up if i try turning it on .

I will post a complete sequence of pics once they are uploaded...

u can get a few 70mm fans but theres a bigger choice at 60mm or 80mm

(70mms are mostly hsink fans)

First, measure the exact location of the heatsink. Then make some crosshairs to determine the middle of the fans location. Next, pick up something that has the same radius of an 80mm fans radius. I found out that Altoid Candies (orange, lemon, etc) can is exact same size as a 80mm fan. So I used that to draw a circle.

Next, turn the circle into a bunch of straight lines, since dremels cannot cut curves too well (with the disks).







Start cutting. Be careful not to overheat your dremel, as mine got very hot when trying to cut through this thick steel. Also wear safety glasses, and also consider gloves, because there are hot sparks and shards of metal flying everywhere.






The hole, once cut out, is very sharp and jagged.

Let there be light.







I have the edges cut down, all thats left is to smoothen out whatevers left, and to find a fan to fit.






I found an old 175W compaq (liteon) PSU that was on an old Deskpro that I inherited from a friends trash. The fan is very powerful, and was relatively new, so I decided it would work nicely. I unscrewed the fan and the fan grill, cut the wires, and out it came.

Drill the holes (very difficult with a dremel, I suggest a real power tool ). Then I mounted the fan. Tadaa!




I covered some scratches with a black permanent marker. Doesn't look that bad for a first time dremeller.




BEFORE CASE MOD:
CPU Temperature: 58.5C

AFTER CASE MOD:
CPU Temperature: 32.5C

Now its time to get my LAN working (that computer wont be recognized by the not-work), and I'll be all set to fold 24/7!

looks good, I would suggest some airflow out the top or back now.

Thats next. As well as a window mod, led fans, a cold cathode (color suggestions?), and a few other stuff. I got to put that dremel to good use

for the cold cathode: Blue all the way!