[Marshall82]

Ok so I just got my new ThermalTake Tsunami case in today and I was thinks of turning the 90mm side intake fan into a 120mm intake to provide more cool outside air to my Big Typhoon. Has anyone ever done this and what should I use, I have plenty of tools I was thinking of making a jig out of wood and using a jigsaw to remove the bulk and use a dremal around the jig to finish it off. I have linked below the case, what do you guys think?

Case

 

[busa]

Best way is a 4 1/2" holesaw if you have one. Cut a jig out of wood, drill the 4.5 hole in the wood...clamp it to the plexi where you want it with another piece of wood behind it and drill away. Major advantage to this is perfect round hole with almost no cleaning up after. A file or some sandpaper and your good. It also lets you move the center of the hole.
If you have access to a drill press thats the best way.
If you have a 3.5 and 4.5 holesaw, you can put the smaller inside the larger and use it as a pilot bit and drill it that way.
It is pretty tough to get a nice round hole by hand with a jigsaw/router/dremel. It will work but takes much longer.

 

[Marshall82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by busa Best way is a 4 1/2" holesaw if you have one. Cut a jig out of wood, drill the 4.5 hole in the wood...clamp it to the plexi where you want it with another piece of wood behind it and drill away. Major advantage to this is perfect round hole with almost no cleaning up after. A file or some sandpaper and your good. It also lets you move the center of the hole. If you have access to a drill press thats the best way. If you have a 3.5 and 4.5 holesaw, you can put the smaller inside the larger and use it as a pilot bit and drill it that way. It is pretty tough to get a nice round hole by hand with a jigsaw/router/dremel. It will work but takes much longer.

Yeah I figured a wood jig would help keep the hole a nice clean circle, all those years of watching new yankee workshop lol, but is it true that you need to use masking tape on the plexi when you drill or cut it?

 

[busa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshall82 Yeah I figured a wood jig would help keep the hole a nice clean circle, all those years of watching new yankee workshop lol, but is it true that you need to use masking tape on the plexi when you drill or cut it?

Not if you use a jig and support it from behind also. Make sure the plexi cant shift or bend before starting.

 

[satansmurf]

Biggest help I have had with plexi...

Drill *slowly*.. Blasting through causes tearing on the backside...

Edit:
Also, have something solid under it (do not drill suspended..)

Like, put it on a piece of plywood you can drill into. Plexi tends to flex with the downforce, so having solid backing under it decreases the chance of bad things happeneing. This will also give you pilot drill grab to decrease lateral motion once you get started.

And if you case about this particular piece - use a new bit

 

[busa]

That goes for anything bigger than a 1/4" high speed drill bit...