How to Make a Fan Filter - The Pob way

[Pob255]

This has all come about because the Casecom 6788 doesn't come with a filter for the PSU, I've tried to find one but I've had no luck.

So Let's make one.

Here's the bottom of the case so you can see what I'm on about


Now with a bottom mounted psu, sucking in air from below I want a filter on there so it doesn't suck up dust and there's already mounting slots for it.

Now on to the materials



One empty box and some fine nylon mesh, you could use a pair of tights, I just don't have any tights handy but I have got this mesh.

Tool needed



Cutting board, knife, glue (UHU All Purpose, not the solvent free one*), ruler and a pen (not in shot)
I've already cut off one of the ends of the Asus box, however as the cardboard is a bit too thick I'm also cutting up a Yate-Loon fan box.


How you do this:
Measure out the size of the filter you want, for the 6788 PSU filter it's 125mm by 98mm.
Draw a rectangle to the correct size on the card board and cut it out.
Mark out an inner rectangle and cut that out, to form a simple frame.
I used 10mm as a good frame thickness.
Now repeat so you have two matching frames.

Cut out 2 rectangles of mesh, make the larger than the frame, you can cut off the excess at the end.

Glue it all together.
Run the glue around the 1st frame
Lay on a sheet of mesh
Press the mesh down makeing sure it stays flat.
Run the glue around the edge again
2nd sheet of mesh
Press down
3rd layer of glue
Finally carefully position the 2nd frame on top and press down.



There's the final artical all glued up.
However before we can do any thing with it the gule need to dry, we need to keep this flat and the mesh tight while the glue drys.
So stick it under a pile of books and leave it over night.



I've also sandwiched the filter between two left over bits of the Asus box, so if the glue does leak I'm not going to end up with a filter stuck to the floor or to a book.

Come back tomorrow to see how it goes.


*The solvent based UHU is great stuff, the solvent free stuff is just PVA glue, you could use that instead but it's just not the same.

[razer121]

im watching, very intrested to see how well it works..............

[megah0]

Alternatively you could use the age old method of a square of tights material and a rubber band to secure it.

[Pob255]

Part 2 - the next day

I took it out from under the books, glue is dry and it's still nice an flat.

With a pair of scissors I trimmed the edges, removing excess mesh and neatening it up.



I've stuck it on a napkin so you can see the mesh clearly the rules gives a bit of scale.

Here's a close up of the mesh



Slots stright in and fits like a charm.



If I really wanted to be fancy I could then carefully paint it black or carefully cover it with black electrical tape.
The tape may be better as painting would get the cardboard wet which could cause it to expand and deform.

Although I'll probably just keep it as is, flip it over so it's blue side down with Yate Loon on it








But wait do I hear you cry,

- "Pob, what if I just want to cover a normal fan vent?"

Easy, same methord, but you just need to make a template from a fan.

- "How?"

Easy, like this



I took a 120mm fan, put it on the cardboard and drew around it inside and out.
Just traceing around the out side of a fan will leave your template roughly 2mm wider than the actual fan.
Then measure and mark off the center of the screw holes, remember to add 1mm due to the template size difference, the center point for the screw holes were 9mm in from the edges of the template.
This also lets you find the center point easily if you wish to add a cross strut to make the final resault a bit more ridged.

The inner circle never goes right in, if you hold the pencil vertically the circle will be about the same diameter as the blades of the fan, not the size of the hole in the frame.

Now I could use the center point and a compass to enlarge the hole slightly, however as cutting out a neat circle with a kinfe can be a bit tricky I've done my standard Octogon hole.

Simply Draw a 45degree line at each corner where the circle crosses the diagonal bisections, then draw the edges parallel to the edges of the template just touching the outter edges of the circle.
This template also make a great Octagonal blow hole template if you want to add an extra fan to a case and can only cut stright lines

Now cut it out.




One 120mm fan filter frame, now just follow my first set of instructions to turn it into a filter.
Yes it is square over the fan, just my camera angle isn't.

For the advanced user.

Cardboard to lowly for you? Doesn't match you nice case? A bit too flimsy for your liking?

Then use the same basic methord but replace the cardboard (or one of the sheets of cardboard) with one of these.
Metal - Got an old cheap case floating about? it's panels will be a great source for sheet metal you can cut up for these sort of things.
Purspex/acrylic - Got some left over form that window you made? well here's a handy use for it.
Wood/mdf - It might be a bit thick for this but it'll work, I only replace on bit of cardboard with this, got any scrap laminate flooring lying about? That should be a good thickness.


Any more questions?

[scaryjim]

Any more questions?

Yeah, how much would you charge to make one of these filters for me?

[The_Wheelhouse]

Nice this might come in useful + can't wait for you to finish the casecom review

[Pob255]

Yeah, how much would you charge to make one of these filters for me?

What? the grand total cost is a pair of tights or a meter of tulle (£1 on fleabay) or an old pair of net curtains.
The cardboard boxes I just happened to have laying about.

Yes you're not the first person to ask.

[scaryjim]

What? the grand total cost is a pair of tights or a meter of tulle (£1 on fleabay) or an old pair of net curtains.

Oh, I know the materials don't cost much, I just can't be A'd to do it myself Looks like a good design though - I might mention to the friend I'm building the computer for that he should consider making himself one...

[Pob255]

Well get off you're lazy bottom then it took me about 30min not including glue drying time.

heck for normal sized fan filters you can buy them for a few quid each.
http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/...ing=fan+filter

My methord, is partly for the fun and partly for non standard filters, you can use this to totally filter a case.

[Fortune117]

Pob what are the measurements LxW for the casecom PSU filter? Going to make one but dont want to turn my computer off to measure it xD

[Fortune117]

Never mind, found it

[Fortune117]

By con117, shot with SONY ERICSSON W960i at 2010-01-28

Well this was my attempt. Not as good as Pob's like but it does the job

[Pob255]

Nice

Made from tights?

Can you try to get a better shot?, try a bit of white paper behind it, in day light or at least a strong light (eg desk lamp)
(ps all mine are taken with a Samsung Digimax i6, it's no LSR but it does good close ups and it's better than a camera phone )

The trick for neat cutting is a sharp scalpel/craft/stanley knife, a ruler and a cutting board.
Don't try to go through in one or even two cuts.
Start with one light cut with little pressure, this is more of a score than a cut but will help the rest of the cuts go smoothly.
Then use a little pressure and cut, always the full length of each stright line, repete this untill you go through (up to 7 or 8 cuts)
You can also make each cut in two strokes, start at one end and cut to the center then reverse the direction and start at the other end and cut to the center, keep alternating with each cut. This takes a bit longer with the constant flipping but will give neater corners.

[Fortune117]

Nice

Made from tights?

Can you try to get a better shot?, try a bit of white paper behind it, in day light or at least a strong light (eg desk lamp)
(ps all mine are taken with a Samsung Digimax i6, it's no LSR but it does good close ups and it's better than a camera phone )

The trick for neat cutting is a sharp scalpel/craft/stanley knife, a ruler and a cutting board.
Don't try to go through in one or even two cuts.
Start with one light cut with little pressure, this is more of a score than a cut but will help the rest of the cuts go smoothly.
Then use a little pressure and cut, always the full length of each stright line, repete this untill you go through (up to 7 or 8 cuts)
You can also make each cut in two strokes, start at one end and cut to the center then reverse the direction and start at the other end and cut to the center, keep alternating with each cut. This takes a bit longer with the constant flipping but will give neater corners.

Yeah Ill try get a better shot of it sometime tomorrow.

And I didnt really have access to a stanley so I just used a kitchen knife (I dont know why but I read your thread, Saw some cardboard boxes lying around and got inspired ) Will probably make another one when I can be bothered

And yes, I did use tights

[amjedm]

er em where do I get hold of Nylon Mesh from?

Excellent filter method and guide

I've been using Bounce tumble dryer sheets and might use your method to make a filter for use with the Fractal 3000 unless I can get hold of Nylon Mesh

[DDY]

I've been using a fly screen sheet for my dust filters, you can find 1.5m x 1.3m sheets on the bay for less than £3 delivered.