I need to cut an approx 4" x 4" hole out of the side of my brand new pc case side panel. The fan I purchased is about 1/8" too tall for the cover to slip back on. I have no idea how to go about cutting metal and if anybody can help by either doing it while I help or loan me tools with a touch instruction I'd be happy to give you a twenty spot for the trouble. This is the case, I have no idea what kind of metal it's made out of or how to go about this. Yes I suppose I could get a different fan but I've already pasted it and attached it to the mobo and I'd just as soon leave everything alone and cut a hole in the side.

If it is a fairly thin piece you can just use a drill with a hole cutter easily. If you want to bring it over to the house and I can do it for you, that way if it is too thick, I can use the TIG or oxy/acetylene.

Elizabeth

519-6828

A girl with tools... gotta love it.

In addition to what she said...

I have a jigsaw, a sawzall, a dremel tool and a very nice variety of hammers. You want something worked on... we'll work on it.

Bring it on...

I suspect a jigsaw will do the trick and the dremel tool will make it perty.

I didn't realize a dremel tool is supposed to cut through metal, I guess they're not just for model rockets. I have one and I'm gonna try it tonight. I guess the "blade" I want on it is the "rusty" colored disc, I'm just kinda surprised that being as brittle as it is (if you push it in the center it breaks in half) that it's gonna be strong enough to cut through steel. If I can't get it myself I will take you up on your offer to help, thanks for the advice.

I'm a little confused. At first I thought you were talking about a case fan and wondered why you didn't want to just replace it. Then I noticed you said something about pasting. I assume you are talking about the fan on the heat sink for the CPU, right?

So you're going to cut an intake hole into the side panel, correct? This may prove a bit tricky. You probably have to cut an oversized hole to allow the panel to slide into place. Additionally, if you are going to have a side vent in your machine, you want to channel it somehow so that the air goes directly to the fan (i.e. There is little or no room around the hole for air to flow back out of the case). Intel and AMD both recommend that airflow through your computer case should be basically front to back, in particular exiting the back. Venting your CPU fan isn't bad, but don't over vent it so that air can escape that way too. Try to make it all flow out the back.

Hanley

PS: Which case on that link is yours?

If I didn't have a jig saw or a sawsall, I would attempt it with a dremel tool, but being that I do have a jigsaw, I would probably use the jigsaw to cut the hole and the dremel tool to smooth out the cut.

I usually wear safety glasses, gloves and try to cover all exposed skin to protect from flying parts of dremel tool bits or metal.

Pay attention to what Hanley is asking/suggesting.

Hanley its the THERMALTAKE wingrs 101 VG8000BNS. The proc fan I bought is a coolermaster and I couldn't have imagined the size of the thing, didn't even dream it'd be as big (tall) as it was. Only after I mounted everything on the mobo and then mounted the mobo in the case did I realize the top of the processor cooling thing (fan, fins and pipes) was sticking 1/8" out of the side of the box. So that's where I'm at. That's why I plan on cutting two ovalish holes in the side of the case (there's already like a "grill" in the particular spot, so I think airflow for the box will be comparable). I understand the dremel tool is capable of cutting steel so that's what we'll try tonight. Yes I will wear safety glasses. I hadn't thought about the gloves and other exposed skins so those were good suggestions. I'm wondering if I should use higher rpms or lower for the disc on metal violence?

Yeah, really good cases often have a tunnel attached to that side vent to shunt air directly to the processor. Thing about that though, the manufacturers of cool looking after-market cases and the manufacturers of CPU's differ on their ideas of how a case should be ventilated.

Ultimately I think what you're doing will be fine as long as the main exit point for air is out the back. Hence, try to fix it so air is not cycling back out around the edges of your new hole. Best airflow is across the entire motherboard, front to back.

Hanley

Project done. Drill press + dremel (lots of sparks) did the trick. Wound up cutting oval slots for the heat sink tips to stick out of. As always, thanks for the advice.