Case is old enough to drink so I just started slashin'

BudgetBacon · January 27

So, I've been working on retro-modding this 20-year-old Dell dimension 2350 to accommodate a new(er) gaming build. Now I will be first to admit I am trash at metal work, and I performed the majority of this modding in -15F temps in my unheated and quite frankly ill-equipped garage for two days, but I'm generally happy with how it's been coming out. I am also horrible about progress pictures so what I have does not tell the full story but it's probably enough for anyone to get the gist of it. The worst of the cuts were cleaned up as to not kill someone just by handling it. Also, the pics exclude the fact that I had to cut an ever so small hole over the power switch so it would actually function. From the outside someone with not so astute observation skills won't be able to notice it's been modded, well that's my hope anyway, and think that the wife is just running a crappy old Windows XP machine. Questions and criticisms are welcome of course. Thanks for lookin'!

thrasher_565 · January 27

why not cut all the wholes out? is it better then it was ya but why go half ass? and just add the mesh.

BudgetBacon · January 27

So, I realize the pics posted don't show the entirety of the cuts. Enough material was removed to properly allow for the 2 120s to be mounted in the front with unimpeded airflow. The only stock metal left was a few tabs I left to rivet to and the center strip where the OEM button was to be mounted. This is a first metal work project for me so I'm not the best, however I wasn't looking for perfection or prettiness. I just needed to modify enough to allow for some cooling.

thrasher_565 · January 28

20 hours ago, BudgetBacon said:

So, I realize the pics posted don't show the entirety of the cuts. Enough material was removed to properly allow for the 2 120s to be mounted in the front with unimpeded airflow. The only stock metal left was a few tabs I left to rivet to and the center strip where the OEM button was to be mounted. This is a first metal work project for me so I'm not the best, however I wasn't looking for perfection or prettiness. I just needed to modify enough to allow for some cooling.

the front metal thing with holes drilled in it is blocking like attest 50% of the air... i would just cut a whole and you will get 100% but w/e you do w/e you want i was just pointing it out.