Contest: What can you do with a $30 case*?

[captaincurran]

i'm doing my progress log on my blog, which allows people to see my thoughts and progress (or currently lack thereof) but keeps it a surprise for the majority of the AOA'ers. But i'm not gonna advertise where my blog is, that's for those who are really bored and interested to hunt it down.

only stalled cuz i have to wait for my pay on friday to get the paints i need. bah. then it's all systems go!

[Azriel]

I think curran's take on it is the best. If you want to post progress, please do it on a blog, and don't link to it from here. I understand that it is hard to keep things quiet. I have never been good at it. Several people porbably remember the pics of my first failed attempt at making a usable mac classic with a PC in it. I shouldn't have posted those while I was working on the next attempt. Everyone at the PCC website that was offened by it used those pics out of context to show what a crappy job I had done. As much as the PC community loved it, the mac people wanted to bash my skull in.


I was thinking about this contest "thing", and I decided, the best way to decide if a contest is a good idea, is to do the next one while the current is running. So, while you guys are modding away, I will be doing 2 or 3 other projects. One of them will be the prize for this contest. I've also decided that the rules for the next contest will consist of a single word. (Well, that teaser is gonna get your brains cooking, ain't it?)

[Daniel ~]

I begining to think we may have found the "Right" guy to to this! ":O}

[Azriel]

Case modding is not all about fan holes and windows. Dig deep.

[ccperf721p]

I'm trying to dig deep, testing the limits of my imagination.... I can give a hint though.. "300SL"

[danrok]

Sounds expensive!

[booman]

Ok, not threads then. I'm about a quarter finished and found a sheet of plexi from my window (to the house) where I added an air conditioner. It about 1/4" thick so I'm having fun cutting it.
I won't spoil it..... sorry

[Azriel]

Cutting thick plexi:

jigsaw with the orbit completely turned down. Orbit will make your cuts wander badly. You need to have the blade fast enough to clear the chips by inertia, but not too fast, so you don't friction melt the plexi. Plexi melts at a lot lower temperature than the polycarbonate I normally use, but it is doable. Coat it with painters tape before you work with it to avoid scratching. If it already has a protective coating it will do fine.

If you have better tools, a scroll saw is ideal for holes, and a table saw with a 60 tooth or higher blade for straight cuts, grooves and bevels. (preferably a 200 tooth because it has splayed teeth, and keeps the body of the blade from rubbing.) Do not use a router with plexi unless it can be run wet. NEVER use a hole saw on plexi thicher than .118/.125.

I am an artist with a dynafile, but you probably shouldn't use one unless you are very skilled with them.

If you have an air compressor, an air gun can keep your blade cooled on tools that are not tolerant of water. A solvent siphon air gun will give you a very fine mist of water that will cool better than flooding the cut, and will not hurt your power tools.

You can use a cheap $40 tile saw with a 7" circle saw blade as a table saw. You will have to clamp on a board for a fence. The big plus here is that this saw is designed to be used with water on the blade.

[booman]

Great Tips Azriel! I've been doing it the old fashioned way, scoring and snapping. Then I use a hand-file to curve edges and smooth out. I was using a drill with drywall hole punch (you know the one with teeth) and after cracking a few sheets I started using less pressure, but it makes a nice round hole for fans. I'll have to keep modding the old fashioned way until I can afford better tools.

Maybe another contest could be modding a computer with only hand tools...

[danrok]

Blades which cut plastics and non-ferrous metals have teeth set at a negative rake angle, unlike wood blades where the teeth are leaning forward. It means that the teeth are kind-of scratching at the plastic, instead of biting in to it, which causes snagging and splitting.

[Azriel]

When drilling it, ALWAYS put a piece of wood under it, and spin the hell out of the drill.

For anything over a quarter inch hole, I recommend using a drill press, still drilling through into wood, but don't drill through under power. Once the bit is completely into the plastic, shut off the drill press, hold down on the quill with light pressure, and turn the chuck by hand. Large bits will crack your plexi otherwise.

[Azriel]

Metal blades should have a neutral rake. I would only recommend a negative rake for glass. Plastics can't take the heat. Some blades are labeled as being suitable for materials they aren't really ideal for. I've been a machinist for 12 years, and experience has taught me well.

Avoid the wavy blades, they will snag in butter.

For the future, you may want to pick up a sample piece of white UHMW Polyethylene plastic from mcmaster. (you'd think I worked for them the way I plug them)
You can cut out the shape of the base of your jigsaw, and screw it on with countersunk flatheads. It will keep you from marring material with the steel jigsaw base. (UHMW means Ultra high molecular weight)

If you are driling holes for case screws, and want them to self-tap:
The coarse case screws are 6-32 and a 1/8" drill is perfect for forming threads with the screw. They require a #27 (.144) clearance hole in the panel. I usually clamp the plastic, drill all the .125 holes, and then open them up to .144 in the case side.

As a general rule thread forming hole dia in plastic is roughly the average of the tap and clearance sizes.

[robbie]

Very cool stuff!! Although I really think there should be a new thread for these tips to go into. That way... they can get stickied.

[Azriel]

I'm working on an article on the subject anyway.

[booman]

Yeah really cool stuff. Apparently there is a science to fabricating plexi-glass. I usually look for any bit that is somewhere near the size of the screw and then drill away. Let us know when your article is out and please show some examples because I only understood half of what you wrote. You know, make it practical

[ccperf721p]

I'm going to have to drop out of the race guys. I had to put my old man in the hospital Sat night. Initial tests show a protien in the blood that would indicate a heart attack, but that seems to be just the tip of the iceberg..

[booman]

Sorry to hear about your Dad, Cliff. Whats his name?
I would like to pray for him...

I hope you can enter the next contest and join us in some modding

[booman]

I'm about half-way finished with my mod. Guess I really had enough time to mod with an hour a day. I spent more time on the weekend but one hour each day seems to be working. I've allready started painting even though the humidity is high. Most of the spray paint cans say below 75% humidity and I'm sure the Arizona desert doesn't get that high. I'm taking loads of pictures and plan to do a wepage work log like usual and will post them in the contest thread after the finish date.

[ccperf721p]

Originally Posted by booman

Sorry to hear about your Dad, Cliff. Whats his name?
I would like to pray for him...

I hope you can enter the next contest and join us in some modding

His name is Cliff also. Aprreciate the prayer..

[Samuknow]

Originally Posted by ccperf721p

His name is Cliff also. Aprreciate the prayer..

I will as well...

Where two or more are gathered together......