Pictorial guide/worklog of modifications to 'HTPC', GAM's Home Theatre PC; Making a cheap, simple case better - Page 11

By Greig Mackenzie

Fibreglass Duct continued...

What is done is undone

One of the reasons I used hot melt glue to adhere the MeshX previously was that I knew it can be removed fairly easily. Lucky, as I had to remove quit a bit that was obstructing the duct and preventing it from sitting flush to the surface.

Now the next problem… overall height! This pic show much the duct is sitting proud of the back of the front panel. The black plastic in the foreground, bottom right, sits flush against the front of the case where the 120mm fan is mounted.

I removed some more glue bits and worked out that about 5mm had to be removed. Holding my pencil flat on the bench, I rotated the workpiece in contact with the pencil to give me a cutting guide.

In the vice and cut with the Dremel. Ah, close to the right height now. I sanded this further to clean up the cut and take off a little more material.

More filing required to clear the PCB of the LCD.

Another test fit. Looking good! Surfaces are now flush.

Primed, painted and ready to go

Coat of primer. Single, heavy coat of black satin spray paint (can). Recall, this is not visible and I was running out of time, so I settled for the rough finishing job.

To fit, or not to fit?

Getting closer to the business end. Another test fit and I can see where I need to modify the front panel to allow everything to fit. One screw location (bottom, left) for the side-mounted USB ports to be removed entirely. Some material on the right removed already and more marked for removal.

It is not clear in the shot, but the marked plastic bits come into contact with the duct and deform the shape of the front panel. Removed!

 

Now I am really pissed about this little oversight. Hastily filing away another little clearance spot, I didn't realise that I had also filed the edge of the front panel. Doh! Stupid stupid little mistakes. I was in a hurry at this point and this is what happens when you're in a hurry. It should be fixed when I get around to spraying the front panel, on the agenda for another time.

Extra bits removed and fits nicely. Note the four clips near each corner of the duct. These are the original clips that hold that piece of the front panel in place, still doing their job and now holding (squeezing) the duct in place too. Bonus!

After the screw-ups and additional shaping, it is not quite a perfect mating between grill and duct, but it is fine for this first attempt/experiment.

Wires, switches etc., need to go back in their places and the USB ports remounted. I was prepared to sacrifice the USB ports but I still managed to fit the PCB in its original location, albeit on a slight angle, and keep it mounted with only one of two mounting screws.

Neato!

Unfortunately you'd never know it was there. I might need to put some lights behind, just to highlight the fact that something is there.

NOTE: This 'duct' mod is really quite superfluous in this case as it isn't really going to improve the airflow through the front intake that significantly, but recall, this is my experiment in creating ducts and other moulded forms using fibreglass. Let's hope I can make more of these techniques in the future.