Question about side panel modding

[Chryonn]

i'm taking the plunge and going to cut my Antec P180 side panel a window. i've planned it out, i've even done some test cutting with a new jigsaw i bought. so my question to all you side panel modders out there: what do you use to round off the corners? i've been playing around with various diameters. the bottoms of aerosol canisters, CDs, i've moved onto pennies, particularly a 5 cents piece i have as souvenir. the diameter of this baby is about 2cm. but while i would love a small tight corner and not a gaping yawn to round off my corners, i wonder what's the tightest i can go. so i ask you: what's the tightest you can go? and what did you use to round it off?

 

[erocker]

Just used a jigsaw and a file to get it perfect.

 

[Athlon2K15]

i did mine with a corner of a dvd and it didnt look bad

 

[viczulis]

I used spray paint can.

 

[Chryonn]

thank you all for your answers

 

[tzitzibp]

Just used a jigsaw and a file to get it perfect.

so do I.... or dremel cut and file down to size.

 

[DonInKansas]

Just be careful. Cutting a p180 side panel is a bit different/more tricky than a lot of side panels because the p180 has built in sound dampening in the panels.

 

[Chryonn]

yeah, it's triple layered. i figured on getting a 5mm thick piece of perspex (acrylic) as the window. should be sufficient?

 

[oily_17]

If you can get your hands on a small rounded file for the corners it will do the job nicely and you can go as small as you like.

yeah, it's triple layered. i figured on getting a 5mm thick piece of perspex (acrylic) as the window. should be sufficient?

For your window 3mm would be more than thick enough....5mm would be quite heavy and maybe harder to stick to the inside of the panel.I think I used about 1.5-2mm for my side window.

 

[Sasqui]

i did mine with a corner of a dvd and it didnt look bad

Wow, not much left of that panel

Edit: Here's a thread that may give some additional info: http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=78570

 

[viczulis]

Here's how mine turned out.

 

[Chryonn]

For your window 3mm would be more than thick enough....5mm would be quite heavy and maybe harder to stick to the inside of the panel.I think I used about 1.5-2mm for my side window.

are you positive 3mm is good enough? i've read that the P180 side panel is about 4mm thick for sound dampening. if you look at the pics at the beginning on this thread, this is how i plan to fix the panel since it's a triple layered design, using bolts and nuts

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=79284

 

[oily_17]

are you positive 3mm is good enough? i've read that the P180 side panel is about 4mm thick for sound dampening. if you look at the pics at the beginning on this thread, this is how i plan to fix the panel since it's a triple layered design, using bolts and nuts

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=79284

Ahh I see what you mean.I was thinking your were just going to stick the window to the inside of the panel where 3mm would have been fine.

But if you are going to bolt through the window into the panel then 5mm would probably be alot stronger and maybe not crack as easily.Just make sure you drill the holes carefully and dont tighten the bolts too much.

 

[Chryonn]

yeah, i know how easy it is for conventional side panel windows to be fixed the way you describe.

the reason i'm following the pic design is because of the layered-design of the panel; the depth is quite thick and putting the window behind would show that depth. i am thinking of putting edging but not sure. depends on the quality of the cut, i think.