Pictorial guide/worklog of modifications to 'HTPC', GAM's Home Theatre PC; Making a cheap, simple case better - Page 5

By Greig Mackenzie

Front Intake Grill

Now to the grill. I cut a strip of MeshX to the width required for each grill--roughly 8mm overlap--using the jigsaw mounted upside down in the Triton Router/Jigsaw bench and then filed the edges a little straighter and smoother.

With the two pieces marked for cutting it's back to the bench mounted jigsaw. By the way, I would have used this for the straight edges on the plastic piece except for the backward curved bottom and the little plastic block between the Power and Reset buttons. Why? Well, jigsaws rip through these things quite nicely when you are working with nice flat surfaces and can get good firm downward pressure on the work piece, otherwise it get's so violent, making a hell of a racket, scaring the life out of you and making a mess of your work. Worse still, you lose fingers!

Two grills--one left, one right. The middle piece is scrap (useful scrap, btw ;).

A quick dry fit and we see minor issues. The MeshX overlaps the four mounting holes for the cutesy little LCD and the edges of its buttons.

Look closely and you can just make out the trim lines--two half rounds at the top and a chunk at the bottom.

Back to the jigsaw to roughly tear these chunks out and voila! It is no beauty contest around the back here. It fits, that's what is important.

By the way, did anyone notice something missing here? One of the wire pairs on the power/reset buttons is missing. I knew I should have removed the buttons but I was too lazy. Silly. No drama though, I soldered them back on later.

Now, after some sanding with 240-400grit sandpaper the holes are starting to look professional.

Unfortunately I got a chip--bottom left. Bummer. A little filler and paint down the track should fix that. Apart from this, the edges are looking quite nice.

Protective plastic coating on the MeshX pieces removed and another dry fit. Schweeeeet.

Check it out on the flipside with a little finger tip balancing act. Nice.