Thread: Case mods for fans?

  1. #1
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    Case mods for fans?

    How would I go about modifying my computer tower's casing to mount 2 120mm case fans to it?

    I pressume it's some hole cutting, drilling and screwing, then maybe a grill cover to place over the fans, but how would you recommend I achieve this?

    I'm going to put an intake on the side-paneling section which you open up to have easy access to the internal compnents, then an exhaust on the top of the tower(grill would be highly needed in this area for when you might set something on top of your computer's tower when it's not in use).

    These fans are nice(fans), and create quite the breeze on my face, but are unfortunately too big for the 3 provided fan mounts inside my case. This is good however because I can place 3 fans there that are the correct size.

    Anyhow, I need to do some modding, any suggestions from experience?
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  2. #2
    Registered User TravisS's Avatar
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    A good hole cutting drill bit would be a good place to start. They generally have a drill bit in the middle that digs in first to ensure an even and round hole, and then of course the hold cutting bit itself.

    You're going to want to cut the side first, after all, the side panel can be replaced if you mess up... the top most likely would mean replacing the entire case.

    Biggest thing is just to ensure you have the right size hold cutter. Make sure it's only as round as the fan blades, and not the entire fan, after all you need to be able to attach it as well

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    Yeah, there is a fitted groove on the fan itself so it can rest nicely to wherever you mount it. I'll cut something easy(cardboard) to that shape and size, then use that as a stencil to trace the hole on the pc case.
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  4. #4
    Much older and wiser Fountain's Avatar
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    Originally posted by TravisS
    A good hole cutting drill bit would be a good place to start. They generally have a drill bit in the middle that digs in first to ensure an even and round hole, and then of course the hold cutting bit itself.


    Ummm are you sure that is not for wood?

    Metal hole cutters are just big jagged circles (look a bit like saw blades)-with nothing in the middle.

    Wood circle cutters have the centre guide.

    Just saying like............
    Such is life.

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    Question:
    With the fans bit...would putting too many fans on one power supply overload it or work it too hard? Would it be safer to run the 400w(MAX) PSU I have for my computer's hardware and then use a smaller(say like my 250w) psu just to use fans?(Yes, use 2 power supplys).

    Or would using the IDE PSU Plug adapters that allow you to plug fans into them be fine enough on the same psu that's powernig the computer?

    If need be, one IDE PSU plug might be jumping 3 fans whereas a different IDE PSU plug would jump 2.

    My tower's psu usage currently:
    motherboard, which gets the cpu fan plugged into it
    video card, which plugs into the mobo and has a self-powered fan
    hard drive & cd rom

    Now, I have the 2 previously mentioned 120mm case fans
    I also have about 3/4 other fans that I'll mount into the case.
    All of these fans use IDE PSU Plug adapters.

    You plug the apater onto the end of an IDE PSU plug, and this adapter allows you to plug in the fan and then also provides a regular IDE PSU plug so you don't waste the one you just used. I'd use 3 of these maybe.

    PSU IDE Power Plug Series 1
    PSU -> psu adapter & fan -> psu adapter & fan -> psu adapter & fan

    PSU IDE Power Plug Series 2
    PSU -> psu adapter & fan -> psu adapter & fan

    (5 total stand-alone fans)

    Sound good?

    One power supply, or 2? ...or maybe a totally different way?
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  6. #6
    Registered User TravisS's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Fountain
    Ummm are you sure that is not for wood?

    Metal hole cutters are just big jagged circles (look a bit like saw blades)-with nothing in the middle.

    Wood circle cutters have the centre guide.

    Just saying like............

    I haven't actually looked, but I think you can buy metal hole saws with a center guide. If there's no guide, it shure would be hard to make it look pretty. I have used a non-guided hole bit, but I used it in an area where I didn't care all that much if I messed up...

    And Shadow, with those two fans only running at about 1500 RPM they shouldn't be much more of a load that what you already have. I at one time had 2 case fans, CPU fan (volcano 7), GPU fan, mobo/CPU/RAM/etc..., 2 CD-ROMs, and 2 hard drives all running on a 135 Watt (yes, 135 ) Gateway PSU with no problems.

    Unless you have lots of other little toys such as neon, like 15 fans, power sucking Athlon 2800+, or something pretty massive like that I wouldn't worry too much. 400W is more than enough to do what you're doing, with the addition of my new case to me computer family my system has gotten a bump up to a 300W Antec PSU and as of yet I still have had no problems.

  7. #7
    Patent Pending GSLR's Avatar
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    You are going to have to use a jig saw or a set of tin snips if the metal allows
    biggest hole saw ive seen is 100mm and thats no fun in a drilling machine as there is a lot of torque,
    best bet is a jig saw.
    And To All Those Opposed, WELL !!!
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    I'm looking for a hole in the dead center of a piece of metal. Starting the cut from the outside won't work(if that's what you're thinking).
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  9. #9
    Patent Pending GSLR's Avatar
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    Hope this helps
    And To All Those Opposed, WELL !!!
    >Deleted< " Looks like a serial no."

  10. #10
    Pursuing knowledge confuted's Avatar
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    if you can find a big enough hole saw, you could stick it in a drill press, which can produce a lot more torque than anything hand powered. Also, I've heard that Dremel tools are great for cutting holes in cases.
    Away.

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    I'll figure it out.

    My initial intentions were to find out if there was any special way from experience on how you would actually impliment the physical modifcaiton(cutting, etc.), but it looks like I had it pretty well planned out anyhow.

    Thanks for the tips.
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  12. #12
    Redundantly Redundant RoD's Avatar
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    I did the extra mods on my case with a dremel.

  13. #13
    Much older and wiser Fountain's Avatar
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    If that is the way you might want to do it, then stuff Dremel, borrow a ROTOZIP.....they whizz round at up to 30,000 RPM. Wow.

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