Dremeling Fan Hole

[996GT2]

I am going to Dremel a second 80mm exhaust fan hole in the side panel of my Wave Master, at about the same height as the rear fan. Question is, how should I go about this? I have cut-off wheels as well as the Dremel 561 multipurpose cutting bit, and I was thinking that I could make some kind of attachment to make it cut in a circle with the 561 bit. Does anyone have suggestions as to how I should go about this?

Also, for those with experience in using a Dremel to cut fan holes, what tips do you guys have for getting the best results?

Lastly, should I cut a circular hole or a more octagonal hole? The plans on many fan makers' websites call for an octagonal exhaust hole shape, and I think it will be easier to cut.

EDIT: I'm going to be cutting through Aluminum

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Also:

The 80mm fan that I would like to add to the side as an exhaust close to the CPU is going to be around 25CFM. Doing this will give me quite a bit of negative pressure, as the Wave Master has dual intake fans at around 27CFM each. There is a 27CFM in the back, and the PSU that I will be using has a 120mm fan (Fortron AX-400PN) which will pull at least 30CFM. This, in conjunction with the side exhaust, gives me at least 25CFM more exhaust than intake. Is this actually going to cool better than the stock Wave Master Setup?

I've read that a lot of negative pressure or a lot of positive pressure does not cool as well as relatively equal pressure from the intake/exhaust

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: 996GT2
I am going to Dremel a second 80mm exhaust fan hole in the side panel of my Wave Master, at about the same height as the rear fan. Question is, how should I go about this? I have cut-off wheels as well as the Dremel 561 multipurpose cutting bit, and I was thinking that I could make some kind of attachment to make it cut in a circle with the 561 bit. Does anyone have suggestions as to how I should go about this?

Also, for those with experience in using a Dremel to cut fan holes, what tips do you guys have for getting the best results?

Lastly, should I cut a circular hole or a more octagonal hole? The plans on many fan makers' websites call for an octagonal exhaust hole shape, and I think it will be easier to cut.

The easiest way ive done a custom hole is, before you even start, tape the entire section with painters tape. This is the give the plexiglass or metal some reinforcement from warping, or the plexigass from shattering. To get a fan grill and draw a line around the circle. This is going to be your marker.

Now this is where the problem beings. If you dont have a 4.5inch circle bore, then your going to have to do it a messy way, unless someone knows of a easier process. If its metal, your going to be S*** Out of Luck because its really hard to make a metal hole look clean without a circle bore. If its plexiglass, your going to have to be very careful and take time. Use a drill and drill holes around the inside line of the marker. Try to connect the holes so you can litterally just drill holes and make the inside circle pop out. Now with the dremel, use a grinder and grind the sharp edges down smothly. Since u drilled the inside of the line, you now have the smooth the drill edges with the grinder. This is where it takes the most time.

Some advice - use WD40 on your grinder bit because if u have too much friction, the glass will shatter. Take breaks in 5 min increments because if your bit gets too hot, you'll melt the plexigass. Whatever you do, make sure absolutely sure u tape the plexigass or metal first b4 u cut, otherwise the plexigass WILL SHATTER. Trust me its a pain in the butt having to recut the right shape to replace the plexiglass.

I hope this helps.

oops i used 4.5 inch bore because i usually do 120mm blowholes. 80mm conversion would be 25.3mm to 1 inch so aprox 3 inch.

 

[RallyMaster]

I don't know if this would work, but drill a huge hole in the middle of the area that you want cut out then use the tin snips. Go slowly and make it as accurate as possible. Then get some of this: http://www.mnpctech.com/UChannel.html and fill up the hole to make it look nice and clean.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: RallyMaster
I don't know if this would work, but drill a huge hole in the middle of the area that you want cut out then use the tin snips. Go slowly and make it as accurate as possible. Then get some of this: http://www.mnpctech.com/UChannel.html and fill up the hole to make it look nice and clean.

bleh i tried to use a nibbler/tin snips to cut holes in metal. There is no nice way to do it other then using a bore. :\ unless u want a square hole, just go out and get a 3 inch hole bore. Personally i got tired of square 120mm holes so i went out and got my 4 1/2. But ive added probably 15 120mm holes on many different cases, the price has made up for itself.

 

[pkme2]

I cut my two 120mm holes atop my PC-60s with a RotoZip. I used a plywood template and tape around the cutting bit to adjust my depth and cushion the cut around the circle of template. The drill/cutter/grinding bit helped immensely and since I can adjust the depth cut on my RotoZip, the rest was easy.
I tried my dremel on my PC-7 and found the RotoZip was much easier.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

as stated above, a whole saw or whole bore as he called it is by far and away the easiest way to cut a very round hole in any kind of metal. If it were plexi or lexan I would say use your dremel and a cutting bit but, it's not.

 

[shuan24]

I used a dremel for my case, using the heavy duty cut-off wheels. Each hole probably ate 2-3 wheels. Check my sig for pics.

 

[Slickone]

"whole saw or whole bore"? LOL

How do you use cut off wheels to make a round hole? Seems like that would be hard.

What is a circle bore?

 

[JasonSix78]

Here's some fan templates to help you out. Scroll down the page a bit.

-Jason

 

[shuan24]

Originally posted by: Slickone
"whole saw or whole bore"? LOL

How do you use cut off wheels to make a round hole? Seems like that would be hard.

What is a circle bore?

This is what my fan holes look like using cut off wheels:
fan holes

Its easier than you would think.

 

[pkme2]

Originally posted by: JasonSix78
Here's some fan templates to help you out. Scroll down the page a bit.

-Jason

Really great stuff! Thanks.

 

[Operandi]

Originally posted by: Slickone
"whole saw or whole bore"? LOL

How do you use cut off wheels to make a round hole? Seems like that would be hard.

What is a circle bore?

This is a 3" (76mm) holesaw. I used one to add a 2nd exhaust fan on the on back panel of my Lian Li. It was very easy, and with some filling and sanding it looked like it was there stock.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: Operandi

Originally posted by: Slickone
"whole saw or whole bore"? LOL

How do you use cut off wheels to make a round hole? Seems like that would be hard.

What is a circle bore?

This is a 3" (76mm) holesaw. I used one to add a 2nd exhaust fan on the on back panel of my Lian Li. It was very easy, and with some filling and sanding it looked like it was there stock.

heh, i learned then as hole bore because they have a drill in the middle to help you maintain the circle. Well thats what my uncle calls them, i guess there called hole saws. i use a 4.5inch for a 120mm hole.

Just to note shaun thats a nice mod in how you were able to get the NVSilencer to fit on a shuttle. Great job!

 

[Slickone]

Originally posted by: aigomorla

Originally posted by: Operandi

Originally posted by: Slickone
"whole saw or whole bore"? LOL

How do you use cut off wheels to make a round hole? Seems like that would be hard.

What is a circle bore?

This is a 3" (76mm) holesaw. I used one to add a 2nd exhaust fan on the on back panel of my Lian Li. It was very easy, and with some filling and sanding it looked like it was there stock.

heh, i learned then as hole bore because they have a drill in the middle to help you maintain the circle. Well thats what my uncle calls them, i guess there called hole saws. i use a 4.5inch for a 120mm hole.

Just to note shaun thats a nice mod in how you were able to get the NVSilencer to fit on a shuttle. Great job!

Yeah actually you said "circle bore", which, not knowing what that was, is what I searched for and couldn't find. Sounded like some sort of guide thing.
I actually have a hole saw.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: Slickone

Originally posted by: aigomorla

Originally posted by: Operandi

Originally posted by: Slickone
"whole saw or whole bore"? LOL

How do you use cut off wheels to make a round hole? Seems like that would be hard.

What is a circle bore?

This is a 3" (76mm) holesaw. I used one to add a 2nd exhaust fan on the on back panel of my Lian Li. It was very easy, and with some filling and sanding it looked like it was there stock.

heh, i learned then as hole bore because they have a drill in the middle to help you maintain the circle. Well thats what my uncle calls them, i guess there called hole saws. i use a 4.5inch for a 120mm hole.

Just to note shaun thats a nice mod in how you were able to get the NVSilencer to fit on a shuttle. Great job!

Yeah actually you said "circle bore", which, not knowing what that was, is what I searched for and couldn't find. Sounded like some sort of guide thing.
I actually have a hole saw.

not a whole saw?

 

[Rinaun]

 

[tzgq2m1]

 

[tzgq2m1]

I wouldn't even bother with all the extra work for a measly 80mm fan... the cfm is terrible and the high rpms makes them terribly loud. At a minimum use a 120mm fan for this project. It's roughly 3x effective as a single 80mm. If this is a side intake... I'd seriously consider a 172mm which is roughly 13x as effective.

Here's how I do my cuts. Use some masking tape to cover the approximate area you will be cutting. As for the actual cut, I would make a paper template 120mm circle, and trace the outline of it onto panel. Now either buy a 120mm hole saw if you own a drill press, or grab some reinforced cut off wheels for your dremmel. It's about $10 for a 20 pack.

Once you get the hang of it, a single wheel will last a while. In the mean time be prepared to break a few. Let the dremmel do the work, if you don't press down like a mad man, you won't snap any cut off wheels.

If you've got a drill press, make sure you buy a hole saw that cuts through metal. Even if you do own a drill press, a precise job of dremmeling can be the cleanest cut, keep that in mind, but either way should work.

Lastly, get some black rubber U tubing to press on around the cut hole, it will clean up any mistakes you make, an insure that no one cuts themselve on sharp aluminum.

 

[Slickone]

Originally posted by: DerwenArtos12

Originally posted by: Slickone

Originally posted by: aigomorla

Originally posted by: Operandi

Originally posted by: Slickone
"whole saw or whole bore"? LOL

How do you use cut off wheels to make a round hole? Seems like that would be hard.

What is a circle bore?

This is a 3" (76mm) holesaw. I used one to add a 2nd exhaust fan on the on back panel of my Lian Li. It was very easy, and with some filling and sanding it looked like it was there stock.

heh, i learned then as hole bore because they have a drill in the middle to help you maintain the circle. Well thats what my uncle calls them, i guess there called hole saws. i use a 4.5inch for a 120mm hole.

Just to note shaun thats a nice mod in how you were able to get the NVSilencer to fit on a shuttle. Great job!

Yeah actually you said "circle bore", which, not knowing what that was, is what I searched for and couldn't find. Sounded like some sort of guide thing.
I actually have a hole saw.

not a whole saw?

I do have a whole hole saw.

 

[fireontheway]

Originally posted by: Operandi

Originally posted by: Slickone
"whole saw or whole bore"? LOL

How do you use cut off wheels to make a round hole? Seems like that would be hard.

What is a circle bore?

This is a 3" (76mm) holesaw. I used one to add a 2nd exhaust fan on the on back panel of my Lian Li. It was very easy, and with some filling and sanding it looked like it was there stock.

Is the pilot bit sold seperately for the one you have linked? I also have a 3" hole saw but it comes with a fixed pilot bit so im wondering how this one is attached to the drill.

 

[Operandi]

Originally posted by: fireontheway

Originally posted by: Operandi

Originally posted by: Slickone
"whole saw or whole bore"? LOL

How do you use cut off wheels to make a round hole? Seems like that would be hard.

What is a circle bore?

This is a 3" (76mm) holesaw. I used one to add a 2nd exhaust fan on the on back panel of my Lian Li. It was very easy, and with some filling and sanding it looked like it was there stock.

Is the pilot bit sold seperately for the one you have linked? I also have a 3" hole saw but it comes with a fixed pilot bit so im wondering how this one is attached to the drill.

I was looking at that too and couldn't come to a conclusion. I bought mine locally for roughly the same price so that?s what I would recommend.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

dewlt does have a separate interchangable center section that allows for very quick changing between different sizes using the same center bit.