# How to make a blow hole?



## rpg711 (Jul 6, 2006)

Hi, i was wondering how to make a blow hole... im going to buy a thermaltake 120mm case fan from radioshack and wanted to make a blowhole on my case


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## Azn Tr14dZ (Jul 6, 2006)

Not sure about 120mm, but 80mm I know.


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## Alec§taar (Jul 6, 2006)

*Get a "hole saw attachment" for a drill...*

See subject-line/title above!



* IF your case is steel? Making it easier to cut thru is not tough to do either, with a little oil (std. motor oil)... you pour it periodically into the groove while cutting, so the drill motor does not "burn out" & it tends to lessen the heat of the operation as well!

APK


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## BigD6997 (Jul 6, 2006)

take a fan grill, a dremel will realy help...

find out were you want the fan, then take blue mask tape and tape the entire area you want to do it, sketch out with a pencil were you want it... tripple check to make sure the holes are right were you want them...then use a sharpy to draw were you penciled..

get reinforced cutters for the dremal and a grinder... the hole out do it a little inside the circle you drew, then take the grinder and make the circle pritty.

use a drill to drill the screw holes

peel the tape off, get some nice paint and touch up the edges of the circle, or get some of the rubber mold

make sure all of your components are out of the case, and take a vacum and vacume all of the metal dust out of it

thats how i didnt mine

EDIT: and MAKE SURE when cutting with a dremel you cut the oposite way the blade is moving so the blade doesnt jump up and scratch the top of your case


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## Azn Tr14dZ (Jul 6, 2006)

80mm would be easier. Just measure with a fan grill, then use a 3inch hole saw(perfect for 80mm) and drill. Then, drill a hole to where the screws would go for installation. Clean up, and all good.


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## bbriand (Jul 6, 2006)

May sound silly but I used to occasionally use WD40 to lubricate while I was cutting/grinding/dremeling metal - there always seemed to be a can around.  Well I just recently discovered that WD40 is NOT an oil and is more like a solvent (it cleans dirt/rust off of metal).

... and I used to wonder why stuff would smoke like crazy and not seem to lubricate very well.

Just an FYI,
Bill


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## strick94u (Jul 7, 2006)

I took a case out and shot it with a 12 gauge once in the side put red lights in it looked cool as hell. Use an open choke and 00 shell from about 7 feet wear safty glasses


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## KennyT772 (Jul 7, 2006)

yeah the exploded look always looks cool!


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## trt740 (Jul 7, 2006)

Ya an't a man until ya shot a sign where I come from LOL


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## KennyT772 (Jul 7, 2006)

trt740 said:
			
		

> Ya an't a man until ya shot a sign where I come from LOL


why do u think we get a new stop sign every year..?


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## bbriand (Jul 7, 2006)

I thought the passage of rights happens when you take apart some 12 gauge shells, make a bomb (sticking a firecracker fuse in it) and blow up a stop sign...

Then come to find out you can purchase a shell reloading rig and a canister of gun powder at Canadian Tire... Indescriable Elation.

I REALLY like the idea of shooting a case though.  Did you shoot it going into the case or out of the case?  Also did you bother to grind down the edges of the BB holes?

Bill


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## Alec§taar (Jul 13, 2006)

russianboy said:
			
		

> I just by one of those drill bits that makes holes I have one for about 92mm works great.



They do the job, it's how I did mine (using oil, so important imo, as noted last page)



			
				russianboy said:
			
		

> Edit: But I recommend you do that with a drill press. Way easier



Not a bad idea... not @ all, for precision!



* The one I have came with a "chock attachment" (not sure if this is the correct term) that has a centerpiece that acts as a "guide/lock" into the hole you're drilling...

Holds/held it steady for me, simply by putting a solid block of wood under the steel as I drilled it (drill bit part 'bit' right into the wood beneath as I cut, acting as template/guide above & beyond my measurement markings for the job @ hand of course).

APK


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## strick94u (Jul 14, 2006)

Every time I try to make a hole It turns ugly fast well I need one now on a new black case. I have been building pc's since 1993 and considering all I should be able to make a simple hole but as much as every one here say it's about risk so............................
Ill let ya know how it turns out


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## wtf8269 (Jul 14, 2006)

You'll need about a 4 & 3/4" holesaw for a 120mm fan. I never lubricated anything when I drilled mine, but I wasn't using a batter powered one. I was using one you plug in the wall.


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## t_ski (Jul 14, 2006)

How do you make a blowhole?  Tell your old lady to go like this :O  jk 

If you buy a hole saw big enough for a 120mm hole it isgoing to cost you at least $25-30 for a good one.  You don't want a cheap one that uses a standard 1/4" drill for the pilot hole, but an actual mandrel that will center in the blade for the hole.  The cheap one will wobble all over the place and screw up the hole fast (and the new paint job, too).

Here's the hole saw:

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDU...earchResults.jsp&MID=9876&N=2984+3966&pos=n24

And here's the mandrel:

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDU...earchResults.jsp&MID=9876&N=2984+3966&pos=n24

That will set you back about $50 for the pair.  The alternative would be to do as suggested before and buy a dremel for less money and use a cut-off wheel (small 1" discs).


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## strick94u (Jul 14, 2006)

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh my brother in-law just told me he can get it laser cut at his work to fit the fan's perfict YES!!


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## GLD (Jul 14, 2006)

I make sure to use a nice amount of masking tape to fully cover the painted side of the case panel that is to be drilled. That nice paint job can look like pooh real quick without tape protection.


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## randomperson21 (Jul 26, 2006)

so perhaps i'm a bit retarded, but i'm still a bit confused.

so to make a blowhole in the top, you have to cover it with masking tape, draw out the center point, drill with the holesaw, then mount the fan?

doesn't sound too bad. afraid i'm going to mess up and have a real fugly case after that.

anyone know how much dough a 3" holesaw costs?


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## Alec§taar (Jul 26, 2006)

randomperson21 said:
			
		

> so to make a blowhole in the top, you have to cover it with masking tape, draw out the center point, drill with the holesaw, then mount the fan?



I'd pour motor oil into the cut, as you cut, as it makes for less work on the drill motor and less heat during the cutting.

ALSO - important:

Put some wood under the area you are cutting, because the centerpiece guide in the holesaw WILL "bite thru" & having the wood underneath it, gives it a steady guide!



			
				randomperson21 said:
			
		

> doesn't sound too bad. afraid i'm going to mess up and have a real fugly case after that.



It isn't, IF you follow those guidelines, & don't try to do it TOO fast (especially on a pure steel plated case).



			
				randomperson21 said:
			
		

> anyone know how much dough a 3" holesaw costs?



$20 or so U.S. Dollars iirc, & that was 3-4 years ago though... + some more for the one I had, because I did not have the centerpiece the holesaw mounts on (lifetime guarantee on both parts though)...

So, around the $20-$30 mark tops!

APK


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## wtf8269 (Jul 26, 2006)

^Yeah I paid about $30 and some change for my 3" holesaw & mandrel.


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## Alec§taar (Jul 26, 2006)

wtf8269 said:
			
		

> ^Yeah I paid about $30 and some change for my 3" holesaw & mandrel.



Cool, thanks for the reinforcement of my costing estimation (I don't like operating on memory alone, as it fades on details like that one etc.)

APK


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## randomperson21 (Jul 28, 2006)

thanks for the clarifications, guys.

i'm going to skip the hole saw and borrow a friend's dremel. might do some plexi etching while i'm at it.

woot!

tpu rocks!


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