Securing Glass/Plexi Side window

[Woofly94]

Can anyone recommend some idea how to secure Glass or Plexiglass to side of my case? I can't use sillicone or glue because I want to be able to remove the side window when working inside the case (which is pretty frequently)

 

I was thinking of drilling holes in the glass/plexiglass and using some type of pinch pins I forgot what they are called (if someone could tell me what they are called would be great) but you push 2 ends together and push into the hole and they expand locking in place, and simple pull out with pliers.

The other option was thumb screws but can anyone recommend how I would create a thread on the case for thumb screws to work?

 

Case is H440

any other recommendations appreciated.

 

 

[W-L]

1 hour ago, Woofly94 said:

Can anyone recommend some idea how to secure Glass or Plexiglass to side of my case? I can't use sillicone or glue because I want to be able to remove the side window when working inside the case (which is pretty frequently)

 

I was thinking of drilling holes in the glass/plexiglass and using some type of pinch pins I forgot what they are called (if someone could tell me what they are called would be great) but you push 2 ends together and push into the hole and they expand locking in place, and simple pull out with pliers.

The other option was thumb screws but can anyone recommend how I would create a thread on the case for thumb screws to work?

 

Case is H440

any other recommendations appreciated.

Thumb screws would probably be the easiest to setup, you can drill and tap thread into the frame of the case for the screws to bolt into place. 

[Woofly94]

3 hours ago, W-L said:

Thumb screws would probably be the easiest to setup, you can drill and tap thread into the frame of the case for the screws to bolt into place. 

Thanks for reply, do you know what those pins that you push together and inset into the hole and then they expand to stop it moving are called?

 

Edit: I don't fancy wasting money on a tap set and doing labour, when I can just drill a hole in case and glass and insert the pin that will hold it, I've seen them on tempered glass cases before.

 

Sorry for double post

 

[W-L]

21 minutes ago, Woofly94 said:

Thanks for reply, do you know what those pins that you push together and inset into the hole and then they expand to stop it moving are called?

 

Edit: I don't fancy wasting money on a tap set and doing labour, when I can just drill a hole in case and glass and insert the pin that will hold it, I've seen them on tempered glass cases before.

 

Sorry for double post

 

Do you have a photo of that mechanism I think I might know what your talking about but not exactly sure. I'm assuming something like on the bitfenix pandora where they use a push latch with metal latch and sockets?

[Woofly94]

11 minutes ago, W-L said:

Do you have a photo of that mechanism I think I might know what your talking about but not exactly sure. I'm assuming something like on the bitfenix pandora where they use a push latch with metal latch and sockets?

I can not find a picture otherwise I would have known what it was, I'll try draw it out on paint if it helps

 

Edit: They're like the pins on the caliper, but instead of bending the end, you push the 2 pins together and insert and then they bounce back to open while holding the glass on, thats a really bad drawing they come in different designs

[Woofly94]

Anyone?

 

[W-L]

7 hours ago, Woofly94 said:

Anyone?

 

That's a cotter pin that you insert and bend over the ends not exactly the best application for a side panel. 

[jonnylaw13]

 these things

[jonnylaw13]

1 minute ago, jonnylaw13 said:

 these things

these are for automotive use idk where youd find them, the size youd want, i hate these things though, personally id go with screws of some sort, ive found fan screws work well, if the hole and the screws are the same size you wont need a tap the screws will "mate" to the metal and grab just fine, or put the plexi on the inside of the metal and the screws will mate to that just like on case fans

[Woofly94]

5 hours ago, W-L said:

That's a cotter pin that you insert and bend over the ends not exactly the best application for a side panel. 

No you dont have to bend them, you push the 2 ends together push into the hole and the pins bounce back locking in place, you dont have to do anything on the other side, you just push in and it locks

[Woofly94]

2 hours ago, jonnylaw13 said:

these are for automotive use idk where youd find them, the size youd want, i hate these things though, personally id go with screws of some sort, ive found fan screws work well, if the hole and the screws are the same size you wont need a tap the screws will "mate" to the metal and grab just fine, or put the plexi on the inside of the metal and the screws will mate to that just like on case fans

Those aren't what I was looking for but thanks, I dont think fan screws will work I'm using 3mm glass, I could just put a thin "frame" around the glass and attach the frame to the case as normal with thumb screws.

[W-L]

1 hour ago, Woofly94 said:

No you dont have to bend them, you push the 2 ends together push into the hole and the pins bounce back locking in place, you dont have to do anything on the other side, you just push in and it locks

Yes those would be latching push pins, as the bitfenix Pandora had or similar design. those can work but you will need to build a mounting system for the latch and hook(ball) that is attached tot he glass side panel in a way that it's secure if you don't want to bolt it though. 

[Woofly94]

3 minutes ago, W-L said:

Yes those would be latching push pins, as the bitfenix Pandora had or similar design. those can work but you will need to build a mounting system for the latch and hook(ball) that is attached tot he glass side panel in a way that it's secure if you don't want to bolt it though. 

Those still aren't what I was talking about but those could work, how would I attach them?

 

[W-L]

12 minutes ago, Woofly94 said:

Those still aren't what I was talking about but those could work, how would I attach them?

Yes I know which one your talking about where it's a stud with a slot in the middle and flanged top to capture the part, but they wouldn't be very easy to remove and put the side panel on.

 

For theses they are a push latch and unlatch, the latch side you would just need to make a bracket to mount it, but for the glass side the best would be to drill and bolt through to ensure it doesn't come loose, but if you can put that ball stud on a plate and adhere it to the glass that can work. 

 

This here right, this took longer than I thought to find:

Edited February 17, 2017 by W-L

[Woofly94]

7 minutes ago, W-L said:

Yes I know which one your talking about where it's a stud with a slot in the middle and flanged top to capture the part, but they wouldn't be very easy to remove and put the side panel on.

 

For theses they are a push latch and unlatch, the latch side you would just need to make a bracket to mount it, but for the glass side the best would be to drill and bolt through to ensure it doesn't come loose, but if you can put that ball stud on a plate and adhere it to the glass that can work. 

 

This here right, this took longer than I thought to find:

Appreciate you looking, still isn't what I was looking for, I guess I'll never find it, wouldn't the push & latch be too aggressive kinda, like wouldn't it run the risk of breaking the glass to get the ball out the latch? is there another way of attaching the glass?

[W-L]

1 minute ago, Woofly94 said:

Appreciate you looking, still isn't what I was looking for, I guess I'll never find it, wouldn't the push & latch be too aggressive kinda, like wouldn't it run the risk of breaking the glass to get the ball out the latch? is there another way of attaching the glass?

The push latch method no, that's why it's called a push latch where you push forward a very small amount for it to release the ball end. There are ones that don't require a push and you pull to take the side panel off like from Caselabs but most of their stuff is hinged as they are huge cases, and correction the Bitfenix uses that method of just pulling to take the side panel off. 

 

Another way as you mentioned is using aluminum channels and putting the glass into that to then secure to the case either with bolts or another method. 

 

For acrylic (plexiglass) you can drill through for the ball and socket method very easily or just using thumb nuts. 

[Woofly94]

8 minutes ago, W-L said:

The push latch method no, that's why it's called a push latch where you push forward a very small amount for it to release the ball end. There are ones that don't require a push and you pull to take the side panel off like from Caselabs but most of their stuff is hinged as they are huge cases, and correction the Bitfenix uses that method of just pulling to take the side panel off. 

 

Another way as you mentioned is using aluminum channels and putting the glass into that to then secure to the case either with bolts or another method. 

 

For acrylic (plexiglass) you can drill through for the ball and socket method very easily or just using thumb nuts. 

Problem with push & latch is finding them small enough in UK must come from Amazon though, could I ask your opinion on what you think would look best?

 

Which you think looks best?

[W-L]

1 minute ago, Woofly94 said:

Problem with push & latch is finding them small enough in UK must come from Amazon though, could I ask your opinion on what you think would look best?

Going from a simplicity standpoint drill holes and tapping for thumb screws in the frame would be the easiest way and most common, other than using something like velcro or 3M dual lock. 

 

For the cleanest look with no bolts or screws, you could do something fancy like a rail or channel that captures the clear panel and you just slide it into the case. 

[Woofly94]

3 minutes ago, W-L said:

Going from a simplicity standpoint drill holes and tapping for thumb screws in the frame would be the easiest way and most common, other than using something like velcro or 3M dual lock. 

 

For the cleanest look with no bolts or screws, you could do something fancy like a rail or channel that captures the clear panel and you just slide it into the case. 

Mhmm the rail sounds like a good idea, but seems alot of work, I could just attach thin alu to the sides of the glass and attach it via thumbscrews on the back, I'm still unsure what I want to do yet, which do you think looks better? 

 

 

[W-L]

2 minutes ago, Woofly94 said:

Mhmm the rail sounds like a good idea, but seems alot of work, I could just attach thin alu to the sides of the glass and attach it via thumbscrews on the back, I'm still unsure what I want to do yet, which do you think looks better? 

Between those two personally I like the full clear panel. An option could be to make a very slim like frame from the orginal that will cover just a bit of the frame and such but make the rest clear. 

 

The rail method would work well but time consuming to implement into the case well, and not something added on after the fact. 

[Woofly94]

2 minutes ago, W-L said:

Between those two personally I like the full clear panel. An option could be to make a very slim like frame from the orginal that will cover just a bit of the frame and such but make the rest clear. 

 

The rail method would work well but time consuming to implement into the case well, and not something added on after the fact. 

Yea thats the idea, but I don't wanna do that then not like it, you say between those 2, do you have a better design? you'd do?

[W-L]

5 minutes ago, Woofly94 said:

Yea thats the idea, but I don't wanna do that then not like it, you say between those 2, do you have a better design? you'd do?

Well it would just be using thumb screws but I like how Lian Li has their's done, fairly slick with just the thin but large diameter thumb screws.

[Woofly94]

2 minutes ago, W-L said:

Well it would just be using thumb screws but I like how Lian Li has their's done, fairly slick with just the thin but large diameter thumb screws.

Do you have any other ideas I could do? Not securing glass, but just designs to the side panel in general.

 

[W-L]

5 minutes ago, Woofly94 said:

Do you have any other ideas I could do? Not securing glass, but just designs to the side panel in general.

Other than cutting shapes into the side panel not too much. One thing that is really out there is using an LCD panel for your side panel. iBuypower did this into one of their cases recently.

http://hackaday.com/2013/12/31/case-modder-builds-lcd-window-causes-lsd-flashbacks/

 

http://www.pcgamer.com/ibuypowers-transparent-lcd-side-panel-looks-awesome/

[Woofly94]

4 minutes ago, W-L said:

Other than cutting shapes into the side panel not too much. One thing that is really out there is using an LCD panel for your side panel. iBuypower did this into one of their cases recently.

http://hackaday.com/2013/12/31/case-modder-builds-lcd-window-causes-lsd-flashbacks/

 

http://www.pcgamer.com/ibuypowers-transparent-lcd-side-panel-looks-awesome/

Mhm, so you prefer the glass panel?, I might do what Lian Li has done, but just put 4 square alu channels on each corner and thumbscrew