SG05 Side Window

[byalexandr]

So a while back I had a modified reference cooler in my SG05, but the tubing made the card 3-4 slots wide. To fix this I cut out the ventilation on the side of my SG05, and it looked a bit like this:

 

Not very pleasant to the eye despite how cool the card ran, so I traded for another reference cooler (thanks again @afyeung for the PowerColor cooler ). I was also worried about the tubing snagging on something while I carried it around so I had switched back very quickly. Well now that I have a stock cooler again, there is a gaping hole where the mesh used to be. It keeps the card cooler but also makes the build look unfinished, so I decided to give it a ventilated window to finish it off. Here is how it looks currently:

 

 

So to start I enlarged the hole, a little bit too much but it looks okay (wow we can upload up to 30MB now, enjoy the 41MP photo):

 

And scored and snapped the acrylic I will be using (it still has the protective film on it right now, and it is 5mm bigger all around so I can epoxy it on the outside of the panel). I would post a picture but my OneDrive is being retarded.

 

So, based on the current aesthetic of the case, how should I do the ventilation on the acrylic window? Slots? Holes? Let me know in the poll or down below in a reply. Thanks!

 

Oh, the choices in the poll. The holes I will be putting will only be at the front of the acrylic where the blower fan is. Not the entire acrylic sheet. Just thought I should point that out. I'll still make it symmetrical and all, but only about a third or a fourth of the panel will have ventilation in it towards the front.

 

 

 

 

 

[byalexandr]

I was also thinking of just a single vertical slot that was pretty big (like 1/2"-3/4" wide) at the very front. Not sure if that would be to restrictive for my 290 though.

[thekeemo]

mesh?

also the 290x pulls air from the right side of the card

[byalexandr]

mesh?

also the 290x pulls air from the right side of the card

I can't glue mesh on the acrylic, that would look pretty jank. And it take in air from the blower fan, the little front vents are for aesthetic, they don't actually have passage to the blower fan. I can take the shroud off and show you if you don't believe me or get what I'm saying. If it did do that, I would just glue on the acrylic already since the front panel would be doing the ventilation for me.

 

Edit: It's a 290 btw. Wish I could unlock the extra shaders but I can't

[byalexandr]

And I see that the staggered small holes are winning so far, but keep in mind it's a big risk as the acrylic can crack and it will also take a long time. I plan on having this done by the end of the day.

[byalexandr]

Yay I have over 5,000 posts now!

[thekeemo]

I can't glue mesh on the acrylic, that would look pretty jank. And it take in air from the blower fan, the little front vents are for aesthetic, they don't actually have passage to the blower fan. I can take the shroud off and show you if you don't believe me or get what I'm saying. If it did do that, I would just glue on the acrylic already since the front panel would be doing the ventilation for me.

 

Edit: It's a 290 btw. Wish I could unlock the extra shaders but I can't

whaaaaaa

[byalexandr]

whaaaaaa

Oh boy. Give me a few minutes.

[afyeung]

Oh boy. Give me a few minutes.

Wouldn't really help too much though. And apparently, a lot of the unlockable 290's had power leakages and whatnot which is why the cores were disabled. Better to have a stable card than 7% more performance lol.

[byalexandr]

Wouldn't really help too much though. And apparently, a lot of the unlockable 290's had power leakages and whatnot which is why the cores were disabled. Better to have a stable card than 7% more performance lol.

No I think he was talking about the blower, he thinks the fan gets air from the front of the card, not from the side.

 

@thekeemo

 

 

 

Dank PS skillz

[thekeemo]

hmmm

if you can make it solid semi transparent acrylic with a hole just for the fan hmm

[byalexandr]

hmmm

if you can make it solid semi transparent acrylic with a hole just for the fan hmm

I am... I'm just curious as to how I should make the vent look. I think I'm going to do a single vertical slot, I think it would look the cleanest. Be back in a bit with an update. You'll see what I mean.

[thekeemo]

I am... I'm just curious as to how I should make the vent look. I think I'm going to do a single vertical slot, I think it would look the cleanest. Be back in a bit with an update. You'll see what I mean.

I meant using a boring bit or something (probably wrecking it)

[afyeung]

No I think he was talking about the blower, he thinks the fan gets air from the front of the card, not from the side.

Thought he was commenting on the locked shaders. My bad.

[byalexandr]

I meant using a boring bit or something (probably wrecking it)

I just did some testing with my router and it seemed to work fine. I'll use that and do one or two slots instead of holes.

[byalexandr]

@thekeemo

@afyeung

 

Just have to epoxy it on. I got some clear epoxy that doesn't dry to a yellow-ish tint so if I can make an even layer of epoxy it should spread around nice and look okay once it's dry. Good thing my experience with thermal paste should help

 

 

The router did a nice job, it even cleaned up all of the melted excess and made it nice and finished.

 

Wish I had a syringe so I could put on the epoxy evenly...

[thekeemo]

aww no circle

[byalexandr]

aww no circle

Nah. I think this way looks better. Plus my 290's blower isn't like centered where the acrylic is so an offset hole would look pretty weird. I'll show you once it's all back together.

[byalexandr]

Wow it looks awful.

 

Yep, starting over.

[W-L]

Wow it looks awful.

Yep, starting over.

 

If that was because of the epoxy can I suggest something else as an alternative, silicone works really well for sealing and gluing it into place with no gap between the metal panel and acrylic.

[byalexandr]

If that was because of the epoxy can I suggest something else as an alternative, silicone works really well for sealing and gluing it into place with no gap between the metal panel and acrylic.

No I just smeared it around too much. I cut out all of that crap so now the hole is much bigger. I'm going to pick up some more acrylic and make another little window, I've already repainted the entire panel to fix all that mess.