Modding my case

[Computernaut]

I am planning to put a window in the side of my case, the thing is, I've never done anything like this before, I'm going to use a jigsaw with a metal-catting blade to cut the hole, I have a piece of glass from a picture frame but I'm not quite sure how to mount it, I don't want to use bolts or anything that will be visible on the outside of the case.

[Varacolaci]

Standard glass may be not very safe to use pal. I woul use tempered or acrilyc instead.

[emosun]

9 minutes ago, Computernaut said:

I'm going to use a jigsaw with a metal-catting blade to cut the hole

lol no

 

use a cutting wheel on an angle grinder. jigsaw will just be slow and dent/bend the crap out of the panel

 

and use double sided automotive trim tape to hold the window in place

[Computernaut]

19 minutes ago, emosun said:

lol no

 

use a cutting wheel on an angle grinder. jigsaw will just be slow and dent/bend the crap out of the panel

 

and use double sided automotive trim tape to hold the window in place

I don't have an angle grinder, I could put an angle grinder disc on a drill...? And I've tested it with a metal piece from an old CD/DVD drive, it cuts okay.

[W-L]

41 minutes ago, Computernaut said:

I am planning to put a window in the side of my case, the thing is, I've never done anything like this before, I'm going to use a jigsaw with a metal-catting blade to cut the hole, I have a piece of glass from a picture frame but I'm not quite sure how to mount it, I don't want to use bolts or anything that will be visible on the outside of the case.

You would be better using a dremel or a fine tooth metal blade on the jig saw your going to have to do a fair bit of filing to straighten and smoothen everything out. 

 

I have a guide here that goes over everything under Window Mod:

 

[Computernaut]

20 minutes ago, W-L said:

You would be better using a dremel or a fine tooth metal blade on the jig saw your going to have to do a fair bit of filing to straighten and smoothen everything out.

 

Yes, I would be using a fine-tooth metal-cutting blade for the jigsaw.

[emosun]

52 minutes ago, Computernaut said:

Yes, I would be using a fine-tooth metal-cutting blade for the jigsaw.

listen , i've tried this before way back in the day before i had a dremel or an angle grinder. I used to cut window holes in side panels with the jigsaw.

jigsaws really suck. they are great for cutting little heart shapes out of a middle school wood shop projects , but thats about it. you better not actually LIKE the case you cut into with it. becuase it's really going to mess it up especially if you've never done it before.

[Computernaut]

22 hours ago, emosun said:

listen , i've tried this before way back in the day before i had a dremel or an angle grinder. I used to cut window holes in side panels with the jigsaw.

jigsaws really suck. they are great for cutting little heart shapes out of a middle school wood shop projects , but thats about it. you better not actually LIKE the case you cut into with it. becuase it's really going to mess it up especially if you've never done it before.

Okay. Seeing as I don't have a dremel or angle-grinder, what should I do?

[W-L]

4 minutes ago, Computernaut said:

Okay. Seeing as I don't have a dremel or angle-grinder, what should I do?

22 hours ago, emosun said:

listen , i've tried this before way back in the day before i had a dremel or an angle grinder. I used to cut window holes in side panels with the jigsaw.

jigsaws really suck. they are great for cutting little heart shapes out of a middle school wood shop projects , but thats about it. you better not actually LIKE the case you cut into with it. becuase it's really going to mess it up especially if you've never done it before.

It can be done with a jigsaw but must be properly supported while cutting and cleaned up afterwards to straighten and smooth out the cut line. the cutting will take maybe 20 mins at most and your'll spend another few hours just on filing and cleanup if you want it to be absolutely perfect. Be sure to cut away from the lines and marked areas and to file towards them afterwards to clean things up.

 

A dremel or rotary tool would be ideal for a job like this since you get much better precision and control. 

[Defyant]

emosun's right , if its thinner metal JS's tend to push/pull as you cut... not the worst thing if your good with a file hammer and dolly and can dress your edges up.

 

What's the name and model of the case? if it's a thicker metal type you could be ok.

 

Like the other guys say tape it up good what ever way you go.

Do you have a router or trimmer?  i'll cut first with a dremel then tape a straight edge down and use a router with a standard cheap ass carbide blade to get that perfect edge.

Even the cleanest dremel cuts look half @ssed.

 

If you don't have any of these........Do you have a Drill?

 

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

43 minutes ago, Defyant said:

Even the cleanest dremel cuts look half @ssed.

Not if you know what you are doing.

[Defyant]

1 hour ago, Lady Fitzgerald said:

Not if you know what you are doing.

ROFLMAO

 

Ive never used a dremel or modded so i'm just assuming 

 

[Computernaut]

On 5/13/2018 at 2:04 AM, Defyant said:

emosun's right , if its thinner metal JS's tend to push/pull as you cut... not the worst thing if your good with a file hammer and dolly and can dress your edges up.

 

What's the name and model of the case? if it's a thicker metal type you could be ok.

 

Like the other guys say tape it up good what ever way you go.

Do you have a router or trimmer?  i'll cut first with a dremel then tape a straight edge down and use a router with a standard cheap ass carbide blade to get that perfect edge.

Even the cleanest dremel cuts look half @ssed.

 

If you don't have any of these........Do you have a Drill?

 

 

The case is from an HP Compaq 6000 pro microtower, and yes I have a drill.

[Defyant]

I just finished modding one of these my self   Good o'l fashion real metal case.....

 

Those panels just might be thick enuf to get away with using a jig saw.

 

A trick i seen used in indo a while back was to use a grinder disc ,thinnest you can find with a bolt thru the middle hole locked off at the back with nut.

 

The bolt was secured into the drill...... with some care full slow time taken you can get a clean cut.  i was very surprised just how well this worked.

 

Necessity is the mother of all inventions ( can i say this now)? but really it is.

 

Honestly i think with that case being thicker type metal you should be ok using your JS.

 

But just in case........ i put a few piccys up so you can see what i was talking about.

 

 

Remember your saftey gogs and gloves to man.....   while your at it steel capped boots and a hat.....

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Computernaut]

5 hours ago, Defyant said:

I just finished modding one of these my self   Good o'l fashion real metal case.....

 

Those panels just might be thick enuf to get away with using a jig saw.

 

A trick i seen used in indo a while back was to use a grinder disc ,thinnest you can find with a bolt thru the middle hole locked off at the back with nut.

 

The bolt was secured into the drill...... with some care full slow time taken you can get a clean cut.  i was very surprised just how well this worked.

 

Necessity is the mother of all inventions ( can i say this now)? but really it is.

 

Honestly i think with that case being thicker type metal you should be ok using your JS.

 

But just in case........ i put a few piccys up so you can see what i was talking about.

 

 

Remember your saftey gogs and gloves to man.....   while your at it steel capped boots and a hat.....

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks, I was considering that, I'll try it.

[TekRed]

Just replace the whole side panel with some 3mm acrylic no need for a cut off wheel or anything this was an old NZXT case I had laying around and decided to make an infinity case out of it

[Computernaut]

I tried putting a dremel disk on my drill and it was a complete fail, it was very hard to get the disk to go all the way through the metal and even when it did it was at an angle, then when I tried to continue the cut the disk jumped and made a gash across the panel. So I gave up on that and tried the jigsaw, it worked perfectly, it cut straighter and faster and didn't bend the metal at all.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

3 hours ago, Computernaut said:

I tried putting a dremel disk on my drill and it was a complete fail, it was very hard to get the disk to go all the way through the metal and even when it did it was at an angle, then when I tried to continue the cut the disk jumped and made a gash across the panel. So I gave up on that and tried the jigsaw, it worked perfectly, it cut straighter and faster and didn't bend the metal at all.

A drill is much too slow to use a Dremel cut off wheel.