Pictorial guide/worklog of modifications to 'HTPC', GAM's Home Theatre PC; Making a cheap, simple case better - Page 2

By Greig Mackenzie

Now let's get a little more serious

Obviously far more was required to fix this beastie and make it satisfactory for a resident of the living room.

On the agenda:

• New CPU heatsink

• New top blowhole/fan

• New front panel intake, grill and duct

• Noise dampening

• ??

Cut out and clean up fan grills and openings

Usually I use a hole saw to cut out my fan grills, but due to the honeycomb grill and thin, weak metal, this was not an alternative. I was totally sick of this case by now too, so I couldn't be stuffed buggerising around and doing things properly. Hence, I cut and cleaned up the three fan holes while the case was emptied but still assembled.

Of course, this practise is very bad. If you're going to do a job, do the job properly!!! Besides, I want to install noise dampening pads and after my experience with 'Main', this job is best done on a disassembled case. Hence...

Disassembly

Although this is a cheap case, it is a reasonably modern case and as such is held together with pop rivets (3mm). Out with the cordless drill and 3mm drill bit.

Motherboard tray and then top panel.

Top panel and motherboard tray removed, then the front panel and drive cages and the I/O and card slot panel.

TIP: I don't bother removing each rivet head as I go, I let 'em build up a little and then, with care, firmly grip a few at a time at the end of the drill bit with a pair of pliers and slowly 'reverse' drill. DO NOT TRY TO DO THIS WITHOUT A VARIABLE SPEED DRILL. No great risk of hurting yourself but when things go fast, trouble happens fast.

One disassembled case! ...and the start of some paint.

Hmmm... Paint? Why not

Now that I had reserved myself to doing the job properly, I figured I might as well slap on some paint on too. I had to go out that evening so I figured a rough, single coat of matt black wouldn't go astray.

Most pieces ended up with a quick second coat too, but I ran out of paint and didn't care too much about the quality of the job. So... a little rough it is.

NOTE: This rough paint job won't last and won't tolerate the slightest nicks. It'll be scratches galore in no time.