What kinds of screws to use(full acrylic home made PC case)

[gilgameshflood]

Hi, I'm planning on building an acrylic PC case for my PC build when I know enough about building them.
The problem I have is that I don't know what kind of screws to use for fixing different parts of PC on to the(thick) acrylic sheets.
As suggested by a forum member I will use standoff screws to fix the motherboard on to one of the acrylic sheets.
But I don't see how I can fix the: PSU, HDD, DVD drive, intake and exhaust fans to any of the acrylic sheets.

System: 990FX Extreme9 ASrock motherboard. FX8350 with Corsair H100I cooler. Two hard drives.Seasonic S12II 620 watt PSU.

[VioDuskar]

why build one? buy one. please buy one. acrylic hates me, and it might hate you too one day.

my advice, for the love of god, bond the edges and corners as strong as you can on both sides of every seam.

 

also, measure your drives and make the acrylic hug the drives tightly.(no screws needed.) if you're bad at tolerances, make everything slide in vertically. (snug still helps. )

[RedSphyxis]

@gilgameshflood GL with that. That's something that even professionals have a hard time with.

[Likwid]

Something like this? those are brass anchors, don't buy those which expand when you screw in bolt

[ManWithBeard1990]

Just glue them in.

[W-L]

Hi, I'm planning on building an acrylic PC case for my PC build when I know enough about building them.

The problem I have is that I don't know what kind of screws to use for fixing different parts of PC on to the(thick) acrylic sheets.

As suggested by a forum member I will use standoff screws to fix the motherboard on to one of the acrylic sheets.

But I don't see how I can fix the: PSU, HDD, DVD drive, intake and exhaust fans to any of the acrylic sheets.

System: 990FX Extreme9 ASrock motherboard. FX8350 with Corsair H100I cooler. Two hard drives.Seasonic S12II 620 watt PSU.

 

Most screws in the system are 6-32 thread screws with HDD and SSD's mounting with M3 screws, for mounting in acrylic you can thread the acrylic but you have to becareful not to crack it or add in threaded inserts as LikWid said. 

 

For the case itself you can do something like what Parvum does with their mounting cubes:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CM-000-PS

[gilgameshflood]

Something like this? those are brass anchors, don't buy those which expand when you screw in bolt

Thanks. Do these type of screws come in longer length? Any other kind of screws that may be useful for an acrylic build?

[Likwid]

Thanks. Do these type of screws come in longer length? Any other kind of screws that may be useful for an acrylic build?

I would suggest getting used acrylic case and using it for week of two , then you will know which places should be reinforced and making mb tray will be much easier.

[Likwid]

I would suggest getting used acrylic case and using it for week of two , then you will know which places should be reinforced and making mb tray will be much easier.

Tmorrow I will have more time , then I will send pictures and sizes of screws you need.

[Scheer]

Thanks. Do these type of screws come in longer length? Any other kind of screws that may be useful for an acrylic build?

 

It is simply a brass tube that is internally threaded, and externally knurled. The knurling is for better grip in a press fit or when epoxied in.

 

You can get them in nearly any thread size and length imaginable.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=brass+insert&espv=2&biw=2560&bih=1339&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jtoWVZrYDIneoAS14IHgCA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg#tbm=isch&q=knurled+brass+insert

 

There are also externally threaded inserts, which are primarily used for wood so you can have more contact surface when using small screws so they are less likely to pull out. You don't want these since you would then need to tap the acrylic which can be tricky and make it likely to strip. Also, like said above, avoid the ones with slots cut in them, they will expand when the screw is tightened, and may crack the acrylic.

 

DO NOT USE:

 

DO USE:

[gilgameshflood]

So I can use:
Standoffs: For fixing the motherboard on to the acrylic.
6-32 thread screws, M3 screws: For HDD, And SSD
Brass anchors: For fixing all sides of acrylic together?
What about screwing in PSU? I will need a long M3 screw?

[W-L]

So I can use:

Standoffs: For fixing the motherboard on to the acrylic.

6-32 thread screws, M3 screws: For HDD, And SSD

Brass anchors: For fixing all sides of acrylic together?

What about screwing in PSU? I will need a long M3 screw?

 

The PSU uses the 6-32 screws also, since you will be fastening it through acrylic you'll need to get slightly longer ones to go through the acrylic and fasten to the PSU.

 

Theses are the screws that are regularly used:

[gilgameshflood]

Thanks. I was looking for a dremel to do the cutouts on the acrylic sheets for USB headers, DVD drive etc. I am looking towards getting this dremel 7700:
http://www.flipkart.com/bosch-dremel-7700-series-f013-770-0ja-rotary-tool/p/itmeyfpsqwssbazy?pid=ROTDTXYMMYPFGHMZ&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=dremel&al=VDKe2osXi%2BESltb6OhwhjK%2BNOUWICVGZILGN28Rlml38TCi7oN1VF4aLq2lx4bRfFLwHQxVDMNU%3D&ref=04a94a6f-16ab-47bc-8dcf-afd13ffd7bc9
Or maybe this if battery ones are bad: http://www.flipkart.com/bosch-dremel-3000-series-f013-300-0py-rotary-tool/p/itmeyfpamaghhcqr?pid=ROTDTXYMGFFVH7PZ&otracker=from-search&srno=t_2&query=dremel&al=VDKe2osXi%2BFxNF2ROw4Ssoz0MLc28CWevNGhG1IBjH2dDCJdugss34aLq2lx4bRfFLwHQxVDMNU%3D&ref=8b95c3fb-7a41-4838-9c8f-8a32ff3cfb00
Will it be good for cutting acrylic? 
Question 2: Do I need a drill for cutting out the holes for screws or a dremel can do that too?

 

[W-L]

-SNIP-

I would suggest using a table saw or jigsaw with a plexi blade to cut it since dremel doesn't exactly have a plexi cut off wheel it tends to gum up. However it can be done but will need to be cleared every it and done slowly so it doesn't melt the plexi.

Also for drilling I recommend using stepped drill bits or Christmas tree drill bits with a sacrafical piece of wood on the back to help prevent tearout or cracking.

[Scheer]

Thanks. I was looking for a dremel to do the cutouts on the acrylic sheets for USB headers, DVD drive etc. I am looking towards getting this dremel 7700:

http://www.flipkart.com/bosch-dremel-7700-series-f013-770-0ja-rotary-tool/p/itmeyfpsqwssbazy?pid=ROTDTXYMMYPFGHMZ&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=dremel&al=VDKe2osXi%2BESltb6OhwhjK%2BNOUWICVGZILGN28Rlml38TCi7oN1VF4aLq2lx4bRfFLwHQxVDMNU%3D&ref=04a94a6f-16ab-47bc-8dcf-afd13ffd7bc9

Or maybe this if battery ones are bad: http://www.flipkart.com/bosch-dremel-3000-series-f013-300-0py-rotary-tool/p/itmeyfpamaghhcqr?pid=ROTDTXYMGFFVH7PZ&otracker=from-search&srno=t_2&query=dremel&al=VDKe2osXi%2BFxNF2ROw4Ssoz0MLc28CWevNGhG1IBjH2dDCJdugss34aLq2lx4bRfFLwHQxVDMNU%3D&ref=8b95c3fb-7a41-4838-9c8f-8a32ff3cfb00

Will it be good for cutting acrylic? 

Question 2: Do I need a drill for cutting out the holes for screws or a dremel can do that too?

 

 

As W-L said, Dremel's aren't a very good option for acrylic.

 

If you do end up getting a dremel I'd avoid the battery powered ones. They have a lot less power and the battery life isn't very good. I would also stay away from the 4200, the quick change system was really nice at first, but when it starts to fail it becomes a hassle, sometimes bits fly out of it and sometimes they are stuck in there and take a lot of force to remove. I also had the brushes melt to the armature on mine... I'm pretty hard on my dremels, but my 3000 is much older and used just as hard and never had the problems I've had with the 4200. I'd go with the 3000.

 

To cut small square holes in acrylic I would drill the shape out with several small holes and then clean up with a file. Larger holes you can use a jigsaw, or simply use a metal blade by hand, just wrap a rag around one end and tape it up good. They also make handles for sawzall blades, but those blades are typically thicker and "taller", so it isn't as easy to control.