creating a blowhole

[tterris]

if i want to add an exhaust on the top of my case, but the top of my case is closed and has no mesh opening, am i s.o.l., or is it common practice to completely obliterate a case by cutting out a patch where an exhaust fan or "blowhole" can be placed?

 

[JasonandBecky]

Err thats how blowhole's started. By people modding thier own, then the bog company's started doing it once they saw how popular it became.

You can do it and have it look like a "factory job" easy.

 

[tterris]

would you happen to know some referential links you could post with pictures and the like?

 

[Anubis]

just et a 92mm hole saw and dut through it

get a 92mm fan with a 92mm grill on it and scres through the grill into the fan to mount it, no mesh needed

 

[cryptonomicon]

grilles are evil

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: cryptonomicon
grilles are evil

why?

 

[Thermalrock]

top holes suck so much. i once had a case with and i spilled some coffee and bam. screw that crap never getting one of those again. id rather have 3 extra fans somewhere else than one on top.

 

[tterris]

well i have a small lanboy, so i plan to set it next to the monitor (which is raised above where i type and move my hands around)

 

[Mrvile]

Hmm I was wondering this myself - could you just use a drill bit and drill a bunch of small holes in a circle, then drill 4 screw holes?

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Mrvile
Hmm I was wondering this myself - could you just use a drill bit and drill a bunch of small holes in a circle, then drill 4 screw holes?

yes

and dont be a moron and spill coffee in it

 

[SkyBum]

Aw c'mon! Be MEN and get yerselves a Plasma Cutter!!!

Ta hell with these sissy drills.......you aint havin' FUN till theres molten metal flying all around the room!

 

[erikistired]

Originally posted by: Thermalrock
top holes suck so much. i once had a case with and i spilled some coffee and bam. screw that crap never getting one of those again. id rather have 3 extra fans somewhere else than one on top.

i'm completely speechless...

 

[rcomo]

I did this, and it was quite easy.

First, get the fan you want to install. athe size of the fan will be determined by the amount of space you have between your PSU and your first optical drive. I could only fit a 80mm fan, so depending on your case (I have a raidmax) will determine if you can even do it at all, or if you can fit 92mm or more.

Second, take the fan down to your local hardware store and find a hole saw that is slightly smaller than the diamter of the portion of the fan that spins.

Third, take everything out of your case - absolutely everything, because of the small metal peices that will fall in there - and use painters tape acroos the top of the case so you don't scratch the top. Measure out exactly where the hole is going to go, and prill a small piot hole in the center of your circle for the hole saw. I had to use a corded drill FYI, my cordless didn't have enough power to punch through the case.

Fourth, measure where hte screw holes go by placing the fan on top of the case where the hole is, and drill those in.

Fifth (optional) is take a dremmel and smooth out the rough edges from your drilling, and use the buffer attachment too. Get somehigh gloss metal spraypaint that matches your case color and fix any blemishes/scratches to hide your f/ups.

Last, vacuum out the case, place everthing back in, and enjoy. I suggest getting a nice fan grill and a LED fan so when you turn on your case you can look at your mod with pride

 

[stevennoland]

Originally posted by: Thermalrock
top holes suck so much. i once had a case with and i spilled some coffee and bam. screw that crap never getting one of those again. id rather have 3 extra fans somewhere else than one on top.

Rock, what are you doing with coffee on top of your rig? It's a computer not a coaster.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: tterris
well i have a small lanboy, so i plan to set it next to the monitor (which is raised above where i type and move my hands around)

This one?

If you need a blowhole to keep that cool, you're doing something wrong.

- M4H

 

[tterris]

well, i havent even built my system yet, but i wanted to make it like antartica in there to supplement the blazing oc'ing i plan to do

also i might mention that that is the worst deal for the lanboy ive ever seen. i got mine from securemart for 73 after s/h and tax.

 

[Davegod]

I reckon it'd be a lot easier to get a quality finish by cutting one large hole then drilling loads of little ones. And the drill holes would be more metal than hole so airflow would be much worse.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Several ways to do this neatly . . . I've tried at least a couple . . .

But I haven't gone the route of getting a 92mm diameter drill-bit hole-cutter.

First way -- get some gloves because you're going to make your hands sore and even pinch them occasionally with blood-blisters -- Radio Shack sells a "nibbler" tool for $10 or less. You drill a 3/8" hole, and then nibble out little 1/8" X 1/4" rectangles of metal. Takes a little practice to follow your circular score-line, but you can smooth off the edges with a file. If your case is aluminum, the nibbler will be much easier to work with and last a lot longer. With steel cases, I've had to throw away a nibbler tool after four or five such holes: the spring-loaded "works" and scissor-handles tend to bend after a while under the stress.

Second way, the dremel cutter-wheels. Try not to break them through impatience. Also, it is a little tedious trying to make the dremel cut a circular line. I make an octagon instead, then cut off smaller pieces between the seven corners. In fact, if you buy a black-vinyl blow-hole duct at FrozenCPU.com, you can leave the octagon alone because the circular flange on the duct covers the shape. If you are going to install a fan, you will not be using a duct, however . . .

And rcomo is certainly correct -- take everything out of the case first. The nibbler makes the waste-management a little easier, but you want neither nibbles nor aluminum/steel dust contaminating any circuit-boards . . . .

 

[Jeff7]

Read up at Google - maybe try case mod blowhole.
More information than you'll ever need.

I personally use the Dremel with fiberglass reinforced cutting wheels. And for drilling the mounting holes in the steel, titatium drill bits are really good. They're expensive, but they won't go dull quickly like a steel bit will.
Link for fan cutout templates

And do listen to the advice about emptying the case - everything, including the power supply. Conductive metallic dust will cause problems in a computer.

 

[Rodney Anonymous]

Originally posted by: Anubis
just et a 92mm hole saw and dut through it

get a 92mm fan with a 92mm grill on it and scres through the grill into the fan to mount it, no mesh needed

Now that's a good idea. I did it with a Dremel, and it burned through four cutting tips and a good half hour to cut the complete hole. And it was far from a clean, even cut.

 

[Zucarita9000]

Originally posted by: SkyBum
Aw c'mon! Be MEN and get yerselves a Plasma Cutter!!!

Ta hell with these sissy drills.......you aint havin' FUN till theres molten metal flying all around the room!

Haha!!... Actually, I did try to open up a hole on a side panel a few years ago with an industrial plasma cutter. Granted, the thing cut trough the panel like butter, but it wasn't very pretty:

Pic #1
Pic #2

 

[SkyBum]

Most plasma cutters have an attatchment that goes over the tip which will allow you to use a template of any shape for a guide. You simply stick the template where you want the hole and then run the plasma tip around the edge of it. Makes for a nearly perfect cut every time.....

 

[Zucarita9000]

Originally posted by: SkyBum
Most plasma cutters have an attatchment that goes over the tip which will allow you to use a template of any shape for a guide. You simply stick the template where you want the hole and then run the plasma tip around the edge of it. Makes for a nearly perfect cut every time.....

At the time, the guy working with the plasma cutter had it set to cut a 1/2" steel plate, and I'm sure I didn't set it down when I borrowed it, that's why the side panel got burned on the edges. Oh well.

 

[IEC]

Originally posted by: cryptonomicon
grilles are evil

Grilles are good when you're running a 7000RPM+ Everflow fan...

 

[xbassman]

Originally posted by: Rodney Anonymous

Originally posted by: Anubis
just et a 92mm hole saw and dut through it

get a 92mm fan with a 92mm grill on it and scres through the grill into the fan to mount it, no mesh needed

Now that's a good idea. I did it with a Dremel, and it burned through four cutting tips and a good half hour to cut the complete hole. And it was far from a clean, even cut.

I learned this the hard way also..... after doing many with a Dremel with varying results and a lot of time and cutting wheels, I bought a hole saw.
You can cut a perfect blow-hole every time and it takes a couple of minutes. I use a template I made by drilling a hole in a 2x4. I clamp it to the case and use it as a guide. (without a guide or the use of a drill press your drill will walk on you.)