Screwed up the blowhole....

[Marc9118]

Hello all.

Here's my problem. After reading the hundreds of guides on the internet about cutting a blowhole, I finally was convinced to make one. The situation is that I didn't have a dremel. I got this bright: http://telewizor.eu/parametry.html idea to trace the fan grill and drill the line out. Well now the hole is like completely uneven, and its crooked. Does anyone have any suggestions for fixing this? Or making it look nice? :?

[public_eyesore]

bondo

[crazybillybob]

Fitst though .....A file. Clean up the un round ness with a file.

You can also get a nice fan guard allot of them have a wider boarder this is useful in covering up nasty holes!

What I would do is measure the hole you have now, and find out how unround it is, then you'll know how big of a cover you'll need. Then file everything that can be seen through the gaurd off. No one but you will know that your hole isn't round.

IF you put up a pic, I can give you some other ideas too.


Crazybillybob

[Marc9118]

I'll put up a picture as soon as i get home.. But i'm warning ya.. It's really really bad....:? :eek: http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/images/misc/menu_open.gif (http://schematy.tripod.com)

[crazybillybob]

I'll put up a picture as soon as i get home.. But i'm warning ya.. It's really really bad....:? :eek:


Trust me, It can be fixed!!! Or at least turned into some thing really cool to look at!:D

[DaveW]

What fan hole have you tried to cut? If it's an 80, you could pick up a 120mm fan for like $8 and make it bigger. Let's see how bad it is first.

-Dave

[Marc9118]

Here they are.. :eek: :eek:





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v678/Marc9118/IMG_0028.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v678/Marc9118/IMG_0029.jpg (http://serwistv.w.interia.pl/)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v678/Marc9118/IMG_0032.jpg

[AceX]

I'd have just gotten a larger fan. BTW, it's off center, It's slightly to the right. Next time, you might want to measure it better.

What I use for these is a 3" holesaw. I got it at Home Depot for like $13. Pricey, kinda, but it gets the job done very well, but most impoertantly, it gets it done right.

[crazybillybob]

Well,

You might want to think about putting in a 90mm fan.....File the rough edges and make a custom fan cover.

Also please, please,please tell me that your case was empty when you were drilling and cutting that blowhole!!! Cause if not you need to take everything out of the case and blow it off with canned air (or better yet an air compresser). One little chip of that steel will end your PC's young life!!!:eek:


Tell me what tools you have, and Lets see if we can't come up with a nice neat way to fix this....
next time your @ walmart you'll want to pick up a can of Bondo, and some sand paper....and a can of black spary paint!



Tool:
Obviously a drill (drill bits)
and a utility knife (in the pics)
...
......
.........


Crazybillybob

[DaveW]

I got it at Home Depot for like $13.

Wow, that is pricey. I can get about 8 holesaws going from 120mm through to 40mm from maplin for £5, which is like $9. Pretty sure they're metal hole saws, cos maplin's an electronics store. Not saying they're good quality or anything...


Also please, please,please tell me that your case was empty when you were drilling and cutting that blowhole!!! Cause if not you need to take everything out of the case and blow it off with canned air (or better yet an air compresser). One little chip of that steel will end your PC's young life!!!

I sure as hell hope you did, crazybillybob has a valid point!

I think it's time to get a bigger fan. Although i think you're going to need a 120mm to get it straight. Remember, measure everything twice, wear eye protection, you know the drill. Hope you get that fixed.

-Dave

[Marc9118]

Thanks for all of the replys. I'm going to make a trip over to the hardware store today.... Would it be easier just to get like a piece of metal and cover that blowhole up and make a new one, but this time I will center it. Could someone give me a list of what I all need? I really have no tools besides a screw driver and a wrench.. Thanks for all your help guys.
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/images/misc/menu_open.gif (http://srebrne.w.interia.pl/monety1998.html)
Marc Jacklitch

[AceX]

Ok, what you will need:

3" metal hole saw and "center bit" (The drill bit that goes in the center to guide the hole saw and attach it to the drill)

A set of files. You can get a good set @ Home Depot for like $15.

A tape measure and/or ruler to measure your holes.

[Rankenphile]

...and a roll of masking tape or painter's tape. Tape off the entire area before you start cutting, it will reduce your damage to your paint job immesurably.

[crazybillybob]

Also pick up a sheet of sheet steel (.005 or so) that's big enough to cover the hole you have now. A tube or two of JB Kwik (it's a 2 part epoxy for metal, Lowes and the Home Despot have it), You'll probibly want to get a pair of sheet metal shears (Aircraft shears, tin snips...many names), lowes or home despot carry them ( this is so you can cut that sheetmetal nice and square to fill in your hole). You'll want to cut the sheetmetal about 1/32" or so smaller then the hole in your case. Clean the edge area (about 1"-2" in all the way around) with rubbing alcohol and a paper towel ( the sheet metal has a light film of oils on it to keep it from rusting in the store....JB kwick will not stick to the oil). Then use masking tape to tape the "Patch" into place (put the tape on the inside of the case, so that the jb kwick you'll be puuting on it doesn't run everywhere.
Now on a paper plate or cardboard scrap mix up a bit of the jbkwick (per the directions), don't mix it all this stuff hardens up in 10-15mins. Now use a scrap peice of the sheet metal to spread the jb kwick on, you want to fill the gap and try and keep everything even. Make sure you overlap the case and sheetmetal about 1"-1.5" with the JB. Once your done spreading, wait a few hours then sand it down smooth , apply primer, wait, then aply black [aint and clear coat.

Good luck,
Crazybillybob

[Marc9118]

Ok sounds good. But say that if I just wanted to leave the hole how it was. What would I need to make it look good?
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/images/misc/menu_open.gif (http://usterki.hobby-elektronika.eu/)

[s10man69]

Ok sounds good. But say that if I just wanted to leave the hole how it was. What would I need to make it look good?

Well, there is this, It's for a 92mm fan, I dont know what size you have in there, but I have to chrome one, and will be putting it in soon...
http://www.mnpctech.com/mnpctechblowhole.html

THey have chrome and black

[crazybillybob]

Ok sounds good. But say that if I just wanted to leave the hole how it was. What would I need to make it look good?


You'll need a Bigger fan. Then File the Edges to the size of the new fan. Then put a nice fan grill on it, Or THe mother of all fan Grills.

Never seen one with the edges that big that wasn't custome made.


Crazybillybob

[OvRiDe]

Ok sounds good. But say that if I just wanted to leave the hole how it was. What would I need to make it look good?

You might be able to do something like rajjinator did in THIS (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1857) thread. With some creative thinking it could be salvaged.

Good luck..

[qoou]

Hello all.

Here's my problem. After reading the hundreds of guides on the internet about cutting a blowhole, I finally was convinced to make one. The situation is that I didn't have a dremel. I got this bright idea to trace the fan grill and drill the line out. Well now the hole is like completely uneven, and its crooked. Does anyone have any suggestions for fixing this? Or making it look nice? :?

no offense but that was probably the dumbest thing ive ever heard someone do.

you should buy a file and work at it for a couple of hours and you should be straight.

[crazybillybob]

Qoou,

I don't agree with you. Marc had the guts to stop looking at the case and just went for it, he did the best he could with what he had. Everyone here Make Mistakes....I've pulled many out of my R2 case, and I have most of it drawn up in CAD software.

If this were the first time I read a somewhat rude post from you I'd blow it off. But as this is not I'm going to remind you a few things.

This forum is about helpiing each other out, learning, teaching and insperation. I've made constructive comment that were not positive before, but I've always tried to give the builder Ideas on how to improve their project, You have not. Please attempt to be more helpful and less Rude in the future.


CrazyBillybob

[OvRiDe]

I agree with CBB .. qoou please refer to THIS (http://thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14) thread, its posted at the top of all the forums.

First sentence in the General Rules..
While debating and discussion is fine, we will not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks or purposeless inflammatory posts. Our decision is final in these matters.

We all have made a mistake, Marc9118 knew he did and was seeking help and advice. Where as you did offer a suggestion it was rude and insulting in how you stated it.

The main reason I was drawn to this board is the fact that there are many talented individuals that were willing to take the time to help anyone that asked for help. They did it in an inspiring and encouraging way. Lets try to keep it that way.

[Rankenphile]

Hooray for people defending civility!

Ten points all around.

[DaveW]

I was going to suggest getting started with a coping saw might make things slower, if you're taking things slower you might find it easier as well. A coping saw costs about $5.

Not everyone likes coping saws, not everyone likes dremels-everyone finds tools that are right for them, so scout your options before splashing out your money. Ignore quoo and just keep going till you got it right, that is the point when you're happy with it.

-Dave

[pure_rock_fury]

I don't really have any more advice to throw in that hasn't been covered by the other (more experienced) guys in here. I just wanted to toss in that it is really cool of everyone to help out. I has turned parts of my first mod (2-year itch) into hamburger and am in the process of cleaning it up. Keep it up Marc9118, it may look not so good right now, but when you're finished I am sure that you can turn it into a really nice feature.

As for the rest of you guys, I have to second what Rankenphile said. "Ten points all around."

[Marc9118]

Guys, I want to thank all of you for your wonderful help. Well we made a trip over to the hardware (http://poradnik.telewizor.eu/naprawa-laptopa.html) store yesterday. We bought the .005 sheet metal, some metal bonder ( which we didn't use ) Well we cut the second hole out with a 2 and an eighth inch hole saw.. Well, I somehow cut the hole to big. :? But that's ok.. Problems can be fixed. I then just cut the center piece of out both of the holes and mounted a fan duct to the case. Its hard to describe. I'm at school right now, but when I get home I will post some pics. Then I just got some more of the sheet metal and put it around the fan. I actually hot glued the metal down, but today I am planning on actually bonding it. Then I guess all I have to do is sand it down... To be honest with you, I actually think that got a little creative last night.. It's my first time, but I think that when I am all done with everything, it will look good. If not, then I think that it is time for a new case. LOL. I really appreciate all of your guys help. It means a lot to me. Now just one last question, then I should be finished. What are the steps for sanding that new piece of metal down on the top of my case? Also, what kind of paint will I need. I want to make the case look nice and smooth as it did when I first got the case.

Once again thank you all for all of your great help. I think that this mod actually helped me. This way, next time that I try to mod a case, it will be better. I learned from my mistakes.

Also, I remembered this time to take everything out of my pc before I started. So hey! I'm getting Better!
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/images/misc/menu_open.gif (http://schem.elektroda.net)
Oh, and the most important thing I learned is to not mess with that JB BOND stuff with your hands!!! It's still on my hands!! ( Even after scrubbing up in the shower last night for two hours..!!! ) LOL !! :D

[DaveW]

If you bought the metal fresh, then you probably won't need to sand it down too much. People only really bother with that to get rid of the orange-peel texture that most cases allready come with. If you're sanding it smooth, use a light glass paper and simply sand away till it's nice and smooth.

You might want to prime the metal, but it's not always necessary. I'll assume your spray painting, so just get a tin of whatever colour you want, clean the metal, spray a light coat, leave for 30 mins or whatver it says on the tin, come back, repeat until it's smooth. Then, let it dry and clear coat it-the clear coat finish will help to protect it from scratches and give it that nice smooth finish you were talking about ;

I'm not the painting pro, so someone else could elaborate, but that's the jist of it i think.

-Dave