Cutting Out Fan Holes from Exhaust and Front Intake

[us3rnotfound]

Does cutting out the restrictive holes where the fans go have any impact on the rigidity of the computer case? Does it have any bearing on the frame of the case?

Is it worth the trouble?

EDIT:

Text

Cut or Don't?

 

[RallyMaster]

Better cooling FTMFW.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Does cutting out the restrictive holes where the fans go have any impact on the rigidity of the computer case? Does it have any bearing on the frame of the case?

Is it worth the trouble?

i honestly would have to say it would depend on how congested the hole is. If its a big opening, with honey comb style grids, and u can tell air isnt obstructed, then no, its not worth cutting out. However if its off a Cheap case where it looks like someone used massive drill holes, then yea, cutting it makes a hugh difference

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Text

Cut or Don't?

Cut!!!

 

[Zepper]

He11, that fan grill might as well be solid :roll: . CUT!!! Danged thing probably whistles too... You will lose a bit of strength, but you weren't planning to stand on your case anyway - were you? Depending on how you mount your fan, you could get back some strength anyway. If you use the rubber mounting pins to do your fan (best way, IMO), you won't get any strength back.

.bh.

 

[VinDSL]

Heh!

I'll bet those drill holes are blocking flow by 60% or more! I don't know why manufacturers do this.

I guess it's for ppl that DON'T install exhaust fans -- keeps the family cat from crawling inside and getting trapped or whatever...

 

[RallyMaster]

Yep, cut indeed. I'd estimate that fan grill to be less than 50% airflow because that's about the same as the front one in my case before I cut it out. Cut that thing out and you will feel a rush of air as well as cool your hard drives down 5-8 degrees (that's how it was with mine).

 

[us3rnotfound]

Ok, I think the consensus here is to cut it.

Do i HAVE to use a dremel? I have some wire cutters. I was planning on starting the cut by drilling into one of the holes to get enough room to fit the cutters in there.

Is this is a good method?

 

[VinDSL]

Up to you...

Personally, I'd use THIS.

 

[Zepper]

Those wire cutters may not cut anything else afterwards. A nibbling tool is what I use followed by a Dremel sanding wheel touch-up. jab-tech.com carries a nice nibbling tool and you can use regular sanding paper to smooth it out if you don't have a Dremel. You'll also want a small can of Rustoleum primer to protect the bare edges from rust. And a tack-cloth to pick up the small filings. Those holes look small enough to keep cockroaches out too...

Leave it to Vin to buy a $30. tool (plus probably $15 or more for the arbor if you don't already have one) for a one-time job. And don't forget the drill if you don't already have one (at least a 3/8" model though a 1/2" one would probably be better for that size hole) - what the hey, why not just get a drill press... :roll: Oh and don't forget the center punch to start the drill in the right place. Now if you're going into the fan hole cutting biz, that's a different story. You could always check your local tool rental stores to see what they charge for a drill and the hole-saw bit. Or you could have your local sheet-metal or machine shop do it for a pro job.

.bh.

 

[Frintin]

We've got big dust in Northern California and those little holes keep the dust out!

 

[MadScientist]

OP, your case looks like the back of my daughter's Enermax case. I tried to talk her out of buying it but she wanted bling, 2 light bars in front. I used a Dremel cutting wheel to cut it out, then a grinding stone to shape it round, and finished it off with sand paper. Other methods mentioned here will work, but if you ain't got a Dremel, or B & D equivalent, then get one. Money well spent.

 

[herm0016]

hole saw will give the best home done job IMHO. that is what i used for my case, a really cheap all aluminum one.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Zepper
A nibbling tool is what I use followed by a Dremel sanding wheel touch-up.

I use a nibbler, followed by a hand held file (rounded on one side, flat on other). I've never had a case rust, but then again I used to live in the desert and probably didn't keep the cases long enough.

 

[Frintin]

Wire cutters will warp the edges of the metal when cutting. That is really why nibblers are so effective. They take small evenly pressured bites out of the metal. But you are cutting an area that will be covered up etc.

I remember the first hole I ever cut (steel Inwin case I believe) and the resulting melted hole saw blade! I ended up using a jigsaw and a deburring tool to finish up the job.

Was going to recommend to those of you that do use a Dremel and need to smooth an edge...get yourself a deburring tool. They are very handy and work quite well at cleaning up a sharp edge!

 

[Bull Dog]

Originally posted by: VinDSL

Originally posted by: us3rnotfound
Text

Cut or Don't?

Cut!!!

Cut! Cut! Cut! Not enough strength loss to make a difference.

 

[Eos]

My dad and I cut a hole in the side of a case for intake using a 1/2 inch right angle drill and hole saw.

It worked well.

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: MadScientist
OP, your case looks like the back of my daughter's Enermax case. I tried to talk her out of buying it but she wanted bling, 2 light bars in front. I used a Dremel cutting wheel to cut it out, then a grinding stone to shape it round, and finished it off with sand paper. Other methods mentioned here will work, but if you ain't got a Dremel, or B & D equivalent, then get one. Money well spent.

I just want to say that you must be an awesome dad.

 

[f4phantom2500]

I did this once to my X-Dreamer II, no solid plan or research and totally fvcked up that part of the case. I used wire cutters mainly, and ended up banana peeling the hole open. The metal "peels" are still there to this day. It bent the side of the case so that the side panel doesn't fit on anymore; when I was last using the case (have since bought a Centurion 5), the side panel would occasionally fall off. I wouldn't even bother trying to put it back on, I just leaned it against the case. However it helped the airflow for that 120mm fan immensely. Since I didn't care about the case being a POS, and cared more about the airflow to that fan, it was totally worth it. I wanted a new case anyway, I guess this just gave me a reason lol.

 

[Pyrokinetic]

Yes, cut it. The nibblers will work, but they are slow and a pain to use. A hole punch is the best method (I am lucky to have family who are electricians and keep multiple sets) but barring those (which are expensive) a Dremel is really not all that hard to use.

 

[Tiamat]

I would cut those. Some people may say it worsens EMI.

 

[paydirt]

I used a Dremel once, got halfway done with it and noticed I had some SMALL pruning scissors. They took more muscle power than the Dremel, but were SAFER, LESS NOISY, and I didn't have to worry about metal filings. The scissors are probably less than 2 inches long on the blade... good for the tight space of cutting out the grill and better for that muscle power. I'm 4 cases and counting with this pair of pruning scissors.

If you use a Dremel, use it to sharpen the scissors

 

[bigpow]

DO NOT USE the nibbler!
PIA

 

[herbiehancock]

Originally posted by: Zepper

Leave it to Vin to buy a $30. tool (plus probably $15 or more for the arbor if you don't already have one) for a one-time job. And don't forget the drill if you don't already have one (at least a 3/8" model though a 1/2" one would probably be better for that size hole) - what the hey, why not just get a drill press... :roll: Oh and don't forget the center punch to start the drill in the right place. Now if you're going into the fan hole cutting biz, that's a different story. You could always check your local tool rental stores to see what they charge for a drill and the hole-saw bit. Or you could have your local sheet-metal or machine shop do it for a pro job.

.bh.

That 4 1/2" hole saw price is more like $35 w/the arbor, not $45. And what MAN is without a drill, anyway?

Let's face it...that hole saw is going to give a MUCH cleaner cut than any dremel ever could. No if's, and's or but's.

And even if the hole is on the back of the case and no one will see it, I'll know how bad it looks and that is unacceptable. Use the proper tool for the job....anything else will just do a half-assed job that you'll regret later. Hard to get rid of a case that is chopped up looking, no matter the story of how you were too cheap to spend $35 for the right tool.

Besides, if you've got to buy a nibbler or dremel, spend the money and buy the saw. And a nice, small Craftsman philips head screwdriver makes for a decent punch, too. And you can get the driver replaced if you damage it using it as a punch, which Sears sort of expects to happen. Never been turned down on a tool exchange at Sears no matter how I damaged the tool.