- Joined
- Jul 5, 2008
- Location
- CFL
Since I didn't see a sticky posted on safety tips and advice before modding I thought I'd make one.
Modding can be dangerous, especially when using power tools! So please follow the tips and advice below. Please add if you have more tips/advice to add. Thanks!
**When modding a case with power tools, saws, etc.**
Tip 1
-Wear safety goggles. Even if you wear glasses, wear goggles that go over them and completely cover the eye area. Trust me, when working with dremels, drills, etc. All kinds of metal pieces fly all over the place. You do not want that in your eye. It can cause minute scratches and can get infected and ultimately you can go blind!
Tip 2
-Wear gloves! When you are going to cut metal you will most likely have to hold down that piece of metal with your hand. There is always the chance that your power tool that is doing the cutting can get stuck or fly out of place all of a sudden and fall where you hand is if you are not careful. Regardless, make sure you wear a heavy/thick glove to minimize the damage and even stop the saw/dremel from penetrating it and going into your skin.
Tip 3
-Work in a clean environment, work in a garage or in a place where there aren't any people close to you. Do not do the modding in a middle of your living room, or dining room table. Set up a proper work area outside. Always work in a non carpeted area because you want to be able to pick up the little metal shards from the cutting you might be doing. Such shards, although tiny can get embedded into bare feet and can even cause infections from cuts it created. Always clean up after you are done.
**Tool Tips**
Almost everyone here knows that a dremel is the best tool you can have, however, there are others out there that are just as effective, more precise, and can make certain jobs much easier. Here are some of them that I know of.
Tip 1
-Hole Saw. This is a tool that attaches to your power drill. There are various sizes out there. This is a great tool for cutting out holes for fans. A 89mm hole saw is used if you are going to attach a 92mm fan to your case. Keep this measurement difference in mind. This tool make the cutting faster, easier, and more precise than using a dremel (which requires a steady hand and lots of time), as well as a power drill with a drill attachment.
Tip 2
-Nibbler. This is like a nail clipper type device. It is a hand powered tool and can be used to cut metal. It is slower, that's why they call it a nibbler because it cuts little rectangular/square pieces. The cut, if done right, is much smoother (no jagged edge like teeth) than using a jigsaw or dremel. This tool is great for small cuts or if you're very patient. It really can't do curved cuts, unless you are skilled with it and do it a certain way.
**Soldering tips**
In extreme modding projects, one might have to do some soldering. Although I won't go over how to solder the right way because it depends on the job. I will go over basic safety tips.
Tip 1
-Wear a breathing mask. You do not want to breathe in the gases emitted by the solder and flux. It is toxic and it stays in your body for years. So, to minimize the exposure, wear a breathing mask, such as a painter's mask or particle dust mask.
Tip 2
-Work in a well ventilated area. Work close to a fan (at low speed) to move the air around and have a window open near you, working outside is even better because you do not want that gas recirculated into your A/C system.
Modding can be dangerous, especially when using power tools! So please follow the tips and advice below. Please add if you have more tips/advice to add. Thanks!
**When modding a case with power tools, saws, etc.**
Tip 1
-Wear safety goggles. Even if you wear glasses, wear goggles that go over them and completely cover the eye area. Trust me, when working with dremels, drills, etc. All kinds of metal pieces fly all over the place. You do not want that in your eye. It can cause minute scratches and can get infected and ultimately you can go blind!
Tip 2
-Wear gloves! When you are going to cut metal you will most likely have to hold down that piece of metal with your hand. There is always the chance that your power tool that is doing the cutting can get stuck or fly out of place all of a sudden and fall where you hand is if you are not careful. Regardless, make sure you wear a heavy/thick glove to minimize the damage and even stop the saw/dremel from penetrating it and going into your skin.
Tip 3
-Work in a clean environment, work in a garage or in a place where there aren't any people close to you. Do not do the modding in a middle of your living room, or dining room table. Set up a proper work area outside. Always work in a non carpeted area because you want to be able to pick up the little metal shards from the cutting you might be doing. Such shards, although tiny can get embedded into bare feet and can even cause infections from cuts it created. Always clean up after you are done.
**Tool Tips**
Almost everyone here knows that a dremel is the best tool you can have, however, there are others out there that are just as effective, more precise, and can make certain jobs much easier. Here are some of them that I know of.
Tip 1
-Hole Saw. This is a tool that attaches to your power drill. There are various sizes out there. This is a great tool for cutting out holes for fans. A 89mm hole saw is used if you are going to attach a 92mm fan to your case. Keep this measurement difference in mind. This tool make the cutting faster, easier, and more precise than using a dremel (which requires a steady hand and lots of time), as well as a power drill with a drill attachment.
Tip 2
-Nibbler. This is like a nail clipper type device. It is a hand powered tool and can be used to cut metal. It is slower, that's why they call it a nibbler because it cuts little rectangular/square pieces. The cut, if done right, is much smoother (no jagged edge like teeth) than using a jigsaw or dremel. This tool is great for small cuts or if you're very patient. It really can't do curved cuts, unless you are skilled with it and do it a certain way.
**Soldering tips**
In extreme modding projects, one might have to do some soldering. Although I won't go over how to solder the right way because it depends on the job. I will go over basic safety tips.
Tip 1
-Wear a breathing mask. You do not want to breathe in the gases emitted by the solder and flux. It is toxic and it stays in your body for years. So, to minimize the exposure, wear a breathing mask, such as a painter's mask or particle dust mask.
Tip 2
-Work in a well ventilated area. Work close to a fan (at low speed) to move the air around and have a window open near you, working outside is even better because you do not want that gas recirculated into your A/C system.
