Good Method for Cutting Out a Window

And your point is?

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Originally Posted by CyberDruid

And your point is?

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Sorry was trying to share an opinion. My point was that your way of cutting may be easier in the end.

I don't know if it's easier...there is much more time involved I think. But if you only have one shot at it it's nice to have a guide to protect the rest of the panel.

Here's a couple of shots of another way to use a template and router.

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/2...ails054ue3.jpg
I needed to make a trim ring for a pair of not so beautiful filters...I could have cut the acrylic out to this shape...but that's a lot of scrollsaw work and sanding and it's a kind of delicate piece...so I chose to make the template instead...I cut it out from the template I originally used to locate the holes in the panel...saving maybe a little time locating the screw holes and making the 120mm cutouts. Then I sanded it on the spindle sander closer to my marks. I simply traced around the filters with a washer to get the desired reveal.


I then traced the pattern onto a piece of acrylic and cut that out rapidly leaving about 1/4" all around. I sprayed the template and the acrylic with 3M 777 Spray Adhesive and let it tack then glued the pieces together. To further secure the acrylic I made use of the exisitng screw holes in the template and drilled #29 holes and tapped the acrylic to 8-32 and used 1" screws with a couple of spacing washers to snug the piece to the template while keeping the screws from protruding.

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/2...ails055dn2.jpg
With the router mounted in the table using a new 1/2" shank trimmer bit I simply trimmed off the excess...I let the piece move with the rotation of the blade to minimize tearout until I was nearly flush to the template than I changed direction and pushed the piece into the router blade to clean it up.

Only after I had sanded the piece and run it on the buffing wheel did I remove the screws and using a thin putty knife part the piece from the pattern.

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/1...ails016bh7.jpg

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/1...ails017do1.jpg

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/4...ails019wh7.jpg
Just to show what this odd piece of trim is intended to do...

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/7...ails020lx2.jpg
http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/1...ails024tv5.jpg

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/3...ails027aw0.jpg
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/7...ails028vb9.jpg
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5...ails029km3.jpg

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/7...ails030tk7.jpg

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/2...ails041yd7.jpg
Using the same template to make the new template made sure the holes would align exactly.

Although I could have made the piece with a scrollsaw or a well-tuned bandsaw and drillpress, I decided to use the router just to demonstrate another way to use a template to make sure your window/vent/random opening comes out the way you want the first time.

Thanks for the comments...

Hope this give you homeshop-guys some ideas...

Yep looks very good. Definitely a solid technique. Your work is awesome! :up:

Damn, CD! That's a lot of work for a piece that small, but I guess that's why your mods always look so awesome. :up:

Yeah I dunno about that but it's just another way to do things. It really makes more sense to go to all that trouble if you need two or more identical parts or if you think you will be repeating the operation.

Thanks:)

Thanks for another great guide. :toast:

Nice CD. I'm another 30 yr. man and find PC mods to be a nice hobby. I'm forever reading "how to's", watching home shows if the tv is on looking for ideas and shortcuts. Thanks for taking the time to show off your great work.

It's definitely lighter work than boats or houses...

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Originally Posted by CyberDruid

It's definitely lighter work than boats or houses...

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Lol, yeah, been there done that, much easier work than this.:yepp:

Very nice work CD!!

Man I have a v1100 that I have been wanting to chop up but I'm too scared to mess up my case LOL. I have all the tools too, router, jig, dremel w/wand and table saw. I gotta man up! :D

CyberDruid do you need a specific router bit for cutting the metal? Because the normal ones are meant for wood really...

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Originally Posted by CyberDruid

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/1...dows053cs3.jpg
A trim ring like this can be used to sandwich the mesh to the panel with screws. This will keep the mesh flat and allow for it to be removed and replaced if needed.

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You use washers/nuts then to hold the mesh and border on then? or tap screws into the acrylic? I am going to be putting a window into my case and would like to do this without messing it up. I have a feeling I might though :)

Also where do you get sheets of mesh at?

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Originally Posted by Herc130

Thanks for the guide. Just bought a router last week to flush cut a project I am doing and also to make some acrylic shrouds for some rads. Just a small laminate trimmer, but am very impressed with it. Very easy to work with compared to a huge porter cable I borrowed from a friend before. Not a plunge router, but you can get around that. I only wish the collet/chuck could take the end mills I have, but it only does 1/4"


http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/2...0c079a4tp3.jpg

1hp, varible speed and $119 at home depot (came in case with edge guide) . They also had a Rigid trimmer there that is probably as good as the bosch for $98 and a Ryobi for like $60. Personally, I'd not get a Ryobi and although I think the Rigid is pretty good, I'd take a Bosch over that for a little more $$.

Used it to bevel cut and round cut flush .063 6061 T6 aluminum. Was worried using a router for metal would be a problem, but it ate right through it no problem and left a decent bevel and rounded edge (only decent because .063 is kinda thin for such things or maybe I gotta play more with the bit's depth, the router itself did a great job). Also tried it on 1/4" thick acrylic, did a beutiful job there. My jigsaw does not compare to the cuts this router does. Very smooth and clean edges and although I haven't made any templates, just clamping down a simple straight edge and lining up the bit with the cut line gives a great cut.


Great tool, really want to learn how to really make use of it. Gonna have to start buying some wood for templates. Just been buying foamboards at officedepot and cutting it up into a templates with xacto knives and then using that to place and draw out onto the actual work piece. Then clamping down straight edges for each cut...but that was before I got the router :) .

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I just went out and purchased this router for my wc project I am starting.. have only used a router a few times.. will have to practice some more.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00917542000P

That router will last you many many years. You should watch instructional vids and/or read some basic guides. A router can cause serious injury in a split second.

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Originally Posted by CyberDruid

That router will last you many many years. You should watch instructional vids and/or read some basic guides. A router can cause serious injury in a split second.

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This is a good place to toss in a reminder about using older dull blades in table saws,etc..
Dull blades in addition to burning the wood tend to "climb" up on the wood and create dangerous conditions.
Same with router bits, some spin close to 20,000rpm and the accident has happenned before you even have a clue that it's going to happen.
The expression "safety first" is not just words.
When I work with table saws,etc I always stop and take that 10 second look to make sure things are tight, where they should be and NEVER,NEVER work with a table saw with a long sleeve shirt on.
No hanging shirts outside the pants either.
A few seconds just thinking about safety can mean the difference between having your hands attached or spending the rest of your life without them.

I just used this method to put a window in my case and it works great, I used this router bit.. went through the aluminum like butter, so if you are looking for a router bit check this one out.

http://www.mcmaster.com/nav/enter.asp?partnum=3317A25

Thanks for the word back about that. Great to know it helped.

And thanks MM for the safety tips. It's true.

Nice work.

Thank you

hey guys! i hav got a cooler master haf 932! I would like to cut a side window in it like this..

http://cmstore.coolermaster-usa.com/...Window-big.jpg

What bothers me the most is that the original side panel has a side window and has a lil offset.. How can i get through this?

Total awesomeness man. You can bank on me coming back to this!!
Thanks XD