Having an extra fan is the best and easy modding we can do in our PC for newbies like us in the PC Modding business, but the tools and experience still necessary to keep safe and successful. And extra hole is not just for aesthetic purposes, but the principles here apply equal airflow improvements, such as side panel inlets. Get out of premod hell with the aid of a minimal toolkit, experience and have your fans exactly where you want them!

Now, let’s get down to the hole cutting business! I’m only going to cover making the hole in this post so I can give a bit more detail. I’ll get to mounting the fan and fitting up with sleeves. You will need some easy to acquire tools for making the hole cut:

Tools Needed:
* Variable speed drill (preferably a cordless type)
* Permanent marker
* Masking, drafting, or painter’s tape
* Hole saw with bit/arbor/jig (if required)
* Eye Protection
* Measuring device (a ruler will work, a square is better).

Checklist:
You want to make sure the hole saw is the right size. Fans are often measured in millimeters (and to the outside of the casing) and holes saws are often measured in a far superior form of measurement – the inch. Here’s a handy table for convertin’ fan size to proper hole saw size:

50mm = 2.25”
80mm = 3.0” (3 1/8” if you can find it)
92mm = 3.5”
120mm= 4.5” (4 5/8” may also work)

Most important, make sure that the saw you buy or use is labeled “multi-purpose” or “for metal and wood”. Bi-metal saws are best. Some hole saws are only made for wood – you don’t want to use those. You also want to do a bit of research. Hole saws are all of similar design, however, some are far better in quality of materials than others. Further, the arbor and bit (sometimes called a jig) are typically interchangeable among different hole saw sizes – but only within the same brand and series! That means, you will want to stick with a brand – it will save you money in the long run.

Once you have your tools ready, pull the components out of your case (or the part of the case you are going to cut if it’s removable). Cutting a hole into a fully assembled computer is asking for damage. With the case empty, find where you want to put your hole and measure off to mark the center. Keep in mind that components will eventually be in the case. If the hole is on top, for example, make sure you will have room to install the fan while both a PSU and a top bay mounted optical drive are in it. Once you have the center spot marked, you will want to put tape anyplace the blade of the hole saw will cut through. This will minimize any scratching if you slip. Finally, make sure the case is secured somehow and won’t move while you are drilling/cutting. Put on your safety glasses!

Let’s Modding Begin!!!

Cutting / Drilling:
Time for the fun stuff. It’s best to drill the center (pilot) hole first. You can either use a different bit of the same size, or simply pull the saw off the hole saw assembly and use the arbor bit. This way you can see what you are drilling. Your drill should be set to “clockwise” rotation. You will need only enough pressure on the drill to control it. Start slow until you have a divot, and then speed up the drill to about half max. Let the bit do the cutting.

Once you have your pilot hole, the rest is pretty easy – just cut the hole with the saw. Use a moderate speed and don’t push on the drill. Let the saw do the cutting. In fact, the weight of the drill is often too much pressure, so you may find yourself pulling it back. If you stop or the saw jams, simply pull it away from the cut, start it spinning again, and then begin cutting again. If you have never used a hole saw before, consider practicing on a piece of (well secured) scrap wood.

Pretty easy. Take a look into the case and you’ll know why you don’t do this on an assembled computer – that’s not dust – one of those little shavings on a motherboard could cause all kinds of trouble. Now you just have to dress up the hole. The edges will be very sharp and may have metal splinters or burrs (ouch) so be careful. You can use a piece of sand paper (wear a thick glove) or an attachment on a roto-tool for the job. Oh…and despite the temptation, leave the tape on until you are completely finished. Cleaning up is a matter of removing any remaining tape, vacuuming the swarf & filings out of all the crevices, and then giving it a wipe over with a damp cloth.

Fitting Up:
This is the quickest, easiest and most satisfying bit. Check the direction of flow of your fan (it will either be marked, or in general, air flows from the better looking side to the ugly side), then hold your fan in place on the inside, the grill on the outside, and screw together. You may well end up needing three hands for this! I used half inch #12 self-tapping screws, as they go straight into the fan without any need to mess about with nuts & spanners. I used standard edging strip, as otherwise the edge of the hole would have been exposed. With modern fan grille designs it may not be necessary, and may even get in the way. If you end up not using it, consider painting the cut edge to match your case: details count.

As this was a 3-pin fan, wiring in consisted of plugging it in to a spare header on the motherboard. Always check the power rating of the fan, and if it’s more than 2 watts, check your manual to see if your header can provide enough power without burning out. Other wiring options are depend on you: if the fan has a 4-pin Molex / Berg connector, plug it into your PSU, you might want to put a simple switch in the circuit too, or build / use a baybus or rheobus, and so on.

And that’s it, One Blow hole at a time.

Happy Moddin’!

Disclaimer:
Any safety reminders given herein are not to be taken as a substitute for proper training and, if required, supervision. You (the reader) are solely responsible for any outcome, positive or negative, resulting from use of this information.

Sources: PCApex.com
MaximumPC.com