tools to mod a steel case?

[hb904460]

What are the best tools to use to cut up a steel case?
I want to cut a hole in the MB tray and enlarge the fan hole at the back of the case.
My case btw is a Chieftec BX

[Phage]

Dremel and a cutting disc.
You can probably hire one.

[Pob255]

Jigsaw with metal cutting blades, also works well and are more common so you might be able to borrow one from family or friends (may need to get blades though.)
You want blades with a minimum of 18 teeth per inch (that's us in metric it's a 1.4mm tooth pitch or smaller) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irwin-Cuttin.../dp/B0006JJRLI don't know what it's like but at 20 teeth per inch it should be good.
A jigsaw is often better for big cuts, eg windows, but for smaller more complex cuts a rotary tool is better.

Drill, you often need to make new hole and for that you want a drill, you cannot use a rotary tool to drill holes (well you can but you'll it up trying to drill steel)

A cheap rotary tool is fine don't need to fork out for a dremel, I'm currently using a GMC http://www.amazon.co.uk/GMC-DEC003AC...dp/B003L21F5S/
You also want to get some of the large fabric reinforced cutting discs http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-5...dp/B000T9SI06/ again I use these, they are not the best discs I've used but they are good and a massive step up from the basic smaller black cutting discs you get with a rotary tool.

If I remember correctly the old Chieftec BX is 1.0mm steel, which is pretty thick compared to current cases, (currently most cheap cases use 0.5-0.7mm and even most of the more expensive steel cases use 0.7-0.8mm, server cases are on of the few places you still find 1mm or thicker steel these days.
This is both a good and bad thing for modding, good because it's much stiffer, so you can hack more out without destroying the structural strength of the case and you don't get much in the way of tareing and bending at cuts, however at the same time it takes a lot more to cut it in the first place.
If you go the rotary tool route get a couple of packs of those disc's I linked to, too many is better than too few and cutting that steel is going to use disc's fast.

[wasabi]

A pillar drill can be handy for drilling mounting holes - using a regular drill is a pain as I struggle to get it to 'bite' so it scoots all over the surface. also handy for getting the first hole to use as a starting position for jigsaw.

Personally I don't have a dremel and just use an old screwfix 230 mm angle grinder - inevitably a lot of the cuts look really really crude but for out-of-sight work it is handy and I'm not fussy.On the plus side it made VERY quick work of the rear panel on my old Shuttle case yesterday

[hb904460]

Pob, is that rotary tool compatible with dremel accessories?

[Pob255]

yes and no, rotary tools all use certain standard things, eg the shaft that holds the disc/bit is within a fixed size range.
Other more complex accessories will depend on the tool.

Note that GMC rotary tool does come with a flexy shaft.
The silver bit at the front unscrews and different attachments can be used (eg the flexy shaft) I know this also fits http://www.silverlinetoolbox.co.uk/s...280-3526-85022

Things like the dremel plunge router attachment might not fit as they are made specifically for the size and shape of the dremel rotary tool

You cannot use the dremel quick change snap discs unless you also have a snap mandrel (the shaft that hold the disc) and I don't think they come with packs of discs.

Another one you can look at is the Black&Decker RT650 this is the EU version of the RTX that Bill Owen loves so much it's become his main rotary tool http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Decker...522699&sr=1-74

[hb904460]

The black and decker RT650 is on sale at £29.99 at uktoolcentre.
http://www.uktoolcentre.co.uk/Shop/p...FQdb3wodFi8FdQ
It doesnt come with the flexible shaft though.
Pob how much do you use that feature? is it a handy extra?

[Pob255]

Nice find on that one.
How much do I use the flexy shaft? depends what I'm doing, when just cutting steel cases, I don't, using a flexy shaft loses torque which you want when you're cutting steel.
Wood, aluminium or perspex, the felxy shaft is fine.

You can always just buy a basic flexy shaft to fit on the RT650, no issues there http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-7...5533156&sr=1-1 they'll use the standard screw fitting on the front of the rotary tool.

[hb904460]

Thanks again! I think i will get the B&D RT650. Just need to finalize my plans and put some designs onto paper.

[ewanr]

Hi Pob255 and hb904460 thanks for picking up on UK Tool Centre. I work there and if there is anything I can help you guys with please just shout. Otherwise, happy modding! Let me know how it goes.

[hb904460]

Just received my B&D RT650! :-)
Project starts tonight, remove everything from the case, then first off im going to cut holes in the motherboard tray for cable routing and then remove the fan grills front and back.

[Pob255]

start up a build log

[hb904460]

Just a quick review of the B&D RT650.

When i first got it i was surprised how sturdy it felt and by the accessories included; 36 standard and 2 reinforced cutting discs, as well as various sanding tools supplied as part of the package.
Over the weekend i cut 3 x 120mm Fan holes in the roof of my Chieftec case (1mm steel) and removed the front and rear grills.
The RT650 performed really well, only went through 7 standard cutting disks and never felt underpowered. It didnt run hot and was comfortable to hold for extended periods. All in all for £34 inc postage im very pleased.

[doyll49]

Hand nibblers are cheap and does a very good clean cut and square edge. I know of two kinds:
Nibbler starts at 1:05
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJXoQMJa_Uo

From 0:35 to 4:10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=cSTA99uKhBM

[Pob255]

Good point often forget about the nibbler, although a nibbler isn't always that great for curves, can leave you with jagged edges when trying to do curves, you need a starting hole (size depends on nibbler) and it does involve quite a bit of physical labour.
The plus side is you do have a lot of control because you're slowly eating the metal out at your own pace and you can cut very neat straight lines with it.
Very good for aluminium cases, softer metal is easier to nibble and there's less chance of edge distortion you can get with jigsaws.

[Greecean]

id always opt for a dremel, it leaves a lovely clean cut and you can be very precise with it

i found a nibbler slightly bends the metal at the edge - you can see it if you hold it under the light