How to Cut a Hole in the Front of My PC Case
A PC case generally comes with the holes necessary to install the standard equipment needed to run most PCs. For a PC enthusiast though, standard is often only the beginning. Altering your case, also called case modding, by cutting a hole in the front of your PC may be necessary for a variety of reasons. When you need to install an additional fan for cooling, or an LCD display, or anything else, equipped with the proper tools you can make quick work of the plastic and metal making up most PC cases, modifying the case to suit your needs.
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Things You'll Need
- PC case
- Marker
- Plastic wrap
- Tape
- Particleboard
- Screws
- Safety glasses
- Drill
- Hole saw
- Dremel tool
- Grinding wheel
- Cut-off wheel
Instructions
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1
Empty the case of all computer components and then remove the plastic case cover from the front of the case.
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2
Determine the location of the hole you're cutting into the front of your PC case. Draw an outline of the hole using the marker.
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3
Remove any screws present in the case and bundle the case wires together, moving them away from the area to be cut. Cover any remaining electronic parts in the case with a layer of plastic wrap, taped to place to protect from metal shards or dust.
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4
Attach a piece of particleboard to the rear of the panel you're cutting into. The particleboard acts as a stop for your cutting tool to prevent you from making jagged cuts when punching through the thin metal forming the PC case, or the plastic forming the PC case cover. You can attach the board by screwing it into place using the fan screws placed in the front of most cases, or by taping it into place with a double-sided tape.
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Put on a pair of safety glasses to protect your eyes from flying computer case pieces.
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Cut large circular holes into the case using a hole saw. The hole saw is a circular saw attached to the end of a drill. Carefully cut through the plastic or metal, holding the saw against the case and turning on the drill to rotate the saw until you hit the particle board beneath. Attach the cut-off wheel to the Dremel tool and use the Dremel instead of the hole saw for cutting nonstandard shapes into the case, such as design work or rectangles. To cut with the Dremel, turn on the tool and hold the cut-off wheel against the surface of the case, cutting through the case along your marked line.
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Remove the particleboard from the case.
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Attach the grinding wheel to the Dremel tool and remove the burrs from the newly cut hole, by holding the wheel against the hole and smoothing the edges.
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Reassemble the case for use.
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Tips & Warnings
Create a template to use for drawing your hole outline for additional accuracy in hole placement.
