Don’t want to walk on broken glass

[Daston]

Hi all,

I have just moved my HP computer into a bigger case couldn’t fit a 500W PSU in. Any way I was thinking of putting a side window in the case but I’m not sure on what materials to use. I was thinking of cutting the desired shape out with a jigsaw (was thinking of a square with flat corners). I was then going to use clear thick (about 5mm) put this on the outside with screw in each corner then file down the edges so it looks as if it has risen from the case rather than just a step.

Well sorry for my rambling my quest is what material to use. I know that glass will not drill well and weigh more but I’m not sure what it will do to the temp. Where as plastic will drill and be lighter. Has anyone tried this???

Thanks

Dave

[Gizmo]

Ceramics of any type are notoriously difficult to drill without shattering. It shouldn't affect your temps one way or the other.

Myself, I'd use some kind of plastic. Just a lot less headache.

[danrok]

Your best bet would be to go to a glazier and get them to supply the glass and cut/drill/grind it for you.

[RussianMissile1]

actually, i have had a very good experience drilling acrylic/plexiglass -- as long as you do not push harder than at most double the weight of the drill.

you could also try LEXAN. this material is bulletproof and my hardware store that carried it also had a lifetime warranty on it, so if you broke it, they would replace it for free

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by RussianMissile1

you could also try LEXAN. this material is bulletproof and my hardware store that carried it also had a lifetime warranty on it, so if you broke it, they would replace it for free

Lexan is GOOD stuff, but it is also fairly expensive (about twice the cost of plexi IIRC).

BTW, it is only bulletproof in fairly thick (like 1/2") sheets......

[danrok]

Lexan is a brand name owned by GE, the material's real name is polycarbonate. It is impact resistant and is quite expensive. There's no real point to using it as a side window.

[cadaveca]

i have a lexan piece
as well as acrylite FF
i use acrylite for my windows..it meets building codes for window replacement. acrylite is a thermo-plastic...meaning it has really high temperature tolerances. Manufactured by k-mac and others ( i get it from k-mac)
tolerances:

Baseball Steel-tipped dart 0.6 lb, 1/2 in. rad. tip

.118 3.0 24 (47 mph) 5

.236 6.0 84 (84 mph) 6

.354 9.0 113 (105 mph) 27

.472 12.0 224 (147 mph) 40

.708 18.0 390 (104 mph) 53

.944 24.0 505 (220 mph) 68

first is thickness, then square feet, then speed....