cutting a blowhhole in a window

[Malabooboo]

anyone know of any good tutorials for cutting a blowhhole in a window?

i skimped on my cheiftec case and got the plain window without the fan blowhole.

any recommendations would be great! :thumb:

[Wiggo]

Well I just did mine with a holesaw in a rechargable drill on very low speed and then just drilled the fan mountin' holes but remember a very slow speed as it will melt and weld to anything. ;)
<center>:cheers:</center>

[Malabooboo]

hmmmm...i can probably find someone who has a hole saw

scary though--don't want to mess up because it's a custom door and window. I don't want to have to order another. the reason I didn't get the panel with the blowhole in the window was because it was another $20! I thoguht I could probably do it myself...

i'm also thinking about putting a blowhole at the top of my case, like many of you, and I read this...

"Blowholes don't work (very well)! Blowholes tend to disturb the air-path, not remove more heat. The only time a blowhole is recommended is if it is placed directly above the HD's/CD's to remove heat from the DD';s (Digital Disks). It is usually better if the airflow runs from the bottom front, up behind the HD's, then across to the CPU and out the out-blowing fans. Heat rising from the CPU and video card are going to either go out the fans above the CPU or the PSU, the only thing that the blowhole does is to disturb the air traveling from the front intake fans.......which is bad. If there were a blowhole in the top of the case without a fan, in may be effective in cases where there is ample intake and heat is still gathering, but still not as effective as a good airflow path."

at the bottom of this article (the article itself was kind of unorthodox, but it's the quote at the bottom I'm talking about )

http://www.icrontic.com/?action=article&id=289

[Wiggo]

I would like to see his proof on the matter there as I seen the opposite far too many times now. :devil:
<center>:cheers:</center>

[Malabooboo]

yeah that's what I thought.

[Wiggo]

That's not to mention all the heat that will get trapped in that case of his above the intake of that duct. :eek:
<center>:cheers:</center>

[Wordbiker]

OK, here's one I'm qualified to help answer....:D
As a carpenter, I've had a lot of experience with holesaws, and as Wiggo said, low speed is key. I'd also like to recommend that you use some kind of protection for the window, whether that's plastic protective film, or just plain tape. Use as much tape as it takes, or that you want to be removing after, both front and back. A holesaw has a pilot bit, usually 1/4", and if that pilot wanders or starts "hogging out", the outside hole will wander as well and be inaccurate. If you have access to a drillpress, that will give you the better result, but whether you do it by hand or by press, make sure you back up your hole with something. A block of wood or plywood works well. This will prevent the plexi from "blowing out" when the bit exits the back. Keep the tape on til you finish the fan mounting holes. I haven't done it yet, but I've read that if you sand the inside of the hole pretty smooth and carefully apply a torch to it, it will return to clear again. Good luck! :thumb:

[Wordbiker]

Addendum: Another trick you can use to keep the bit from wandering is to drill a hole first in a piece of plywood or a block. THEN align that block with the hole you want to drill in the plexi and then clamp it. Do all the steps I described before, and then the holesaw CAN'T wander as the plywood holds it from escaping. I'd try drilling the blowhole AND the fan screw holes in the block first. You can test it for fit, and if it comes out good, save it as a template for the NEXT blowhole...
:cheers:

[Wiggo]

Yep I don't think that ya left out any of the finer details out like I did. :thumb:

But one thing I do do is to use a very small drill bit (1/16"-3/32") in a manual hand drill to sink my pilot holes. ;)
<center>:cheers:</center>

[Malabooboo]

wow thanks for really detailed directions! I'll see if I can get my hands on a hole saw and follow your guys' advice, and document the occassion for you! :thumb:

[Wiggo]

Just remember that ya workin' with plastic and speed developes heat and that will start it meltin' so just go it slow. ;)
<center>:cheers:</center>

[Wordbiker]

Yep, slow speed is key. Even an inexpensive benchtop-type drillpress is adjustable for speed usually. It may take a bit of swapping belts, etc to turn down the speed, but it's worth it if it doesn't wreck your pretty window ;)