Need Tips for Cleaning out Aluminum Dust

[mBrane]

So, I've dremeled and jigsawed my off, and have accumulated aluminum dust in every nook and cranny.

Canned air blows. Hee...

My shop vac sucks. Heh...

Does anyone out there have a sure-fire way to clean up my case (800D, BTW), *before* I load up and fry my new electronics?

Oh, and I'm probably going to do some limited carbon-fiber-type applications here and there, so whatever I do about the dust, it can't do anything to keep the carbon fiber from adhering well.

P.S. Don't keep your Dremel charger near your work area; mine went "buzzzzzzzzzzz... bzt!" and went tits up, and I suspect aluminum dust drifted into the vents on top (a design flaw, if you ask me).

[G H Z]

Compressed air....no not the kind in a can, the real stuff.

[RacingTurtle]

As above - also, get a magnetic ended thingy:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/telescopic-m...-up-tool-30608

This is what I used to clean out my 700d after doing my mods. Works great, just takes awhile.

[der8auer]

As above - also, get a magnetic ended thingy:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/telescopic-m...-up-tool-30608

This is what I used to clean out my 700d after doing my mods. Works great, just takes awhile.

Aluminium is not magnetic bro

[mBrane]

OK, I *really* like the enthusiasm so far.

Any time-tested recommendations out there?

The night is still young. I'll be sitting at the bar waiting.

Thx to all!

[RacingTurtle]

Aluminium is not magnetic bro

Maybe, but then what are we dremeling then? The 800d and the 700d are made of the same thing - I can promise you I can pick up the extra bits with my mag piece after I mod my 700d. So maybe its not aluminium.

[mBrane]

Maybe, but then what are we dremeling then? The 800d and the 700d are made of the same thing - I can promise you I can pick up the extra bits with my mag piece after I mod my 700d. So maybe its not aluminium.

Ummm, not to be snarky, but maybe you're picking up pieces of your mangled Chinese knock-off bits? ^_^

Seriously, just poking ya!

[RacingTurtle]

lol, all i know is that when I dremeled my case thats how I cleaned mine out. That stuff just sticks and gets in all the nooks and crannies!
Didnt know that alu wasnt magnetic until you pointed that out though.

[celemine1Gig]

I guess it is a) an Aluminum-alloy and not pure Aluminum, which could be one reason why it reacts to a magnet. And b) I guess using the dremel on the material could have another effect.
Anyway, if it works, then it works.

[OldChap]

What doesn't blow out with compressed air you could maybe wash out with good old soap and water or, if you don't want to get it wet, then get yourself some of the various forms of tape.....masking tape, duct tape etc. the sticky side will pick up just about anything.

[The_Beast]

Maybe try some kind of putty, silly putty might work

[mBrane]

lol, all i know is that when I dremeled my case thats how I cleaned mine out. That stuff just sticks and gets in all the nooks and crannies!
Didnt know that alu wasnt magnetic until you pointed that out though.

Ummm, I am *so* sorry, RT! By golly, that dust *does* stick to a magnet! Corsair's site lists the 800D as aluminum faceplate, with steel structure.

I didn't even *try* to use a magnet, because I assumed that the case was aluminum. I should probably replace my aluminum rivets with steel rivets now, I suppose.

Anyway, I'm glad that I spun up this thread! Thx to all!

[RacingTurtle]

Nice, post some pics of your modding!

[mBrane]

Nice, post some pics of your modding!

Will do. Trying to figure out the "smart" way of doing a build log. I see that some people reserve postings up front, to post pictures when they're finished.

I need to read some FAQs. Again, sorry I every doubted you on the Obsidians being steel!

[lalPOOO]

Use your garden hose.

[NKrader]

Aluminium is not magnetic bro

just get an aluminum magnet?

Use your garden hose.

i use a squirtgun. much easyer than lugging hose thru my house.

[Metal Wolf]

Edit: ahh fixed already. then for anyone who does dremel aluminum.

I usually try using a vac and canned air at the same time. Get almost all of it out.

Hold a vac near where your gonna hit with the canned air and stir it into the air and then the vac will get it.

Other than that wet paper towel or cloth if its just a little patch in some where swipable.

For steel and such HD magnets are great and usually available to someone modding a computer.

[Particle]

I've always used industrial compressed air (100 PSI or more) and it works well. Basically anything with some kinetic energy will do the trick, be it pressurized air or water.

[BlindFreddie]

If you use a vacuum cleaner for your cleanouts, taping a short length of plastic hose - say about 12mm outside diameter - into the end of the normal hose, and blocking the gap with more tape, allows you to get into the hard-to-reach places a lot better than you can with the standard household cleaning fittings.
A small cheap paintbrush is very handy for mobilising the dust or filings as you suck them up.

That's also the combination I use for periodic cleanouts of the dust in my computers.
A stiffer brush like a toothbrush can be useful for cooling fins.
Never brush or touch an Intel LGA CPU socket! Unless you're trying to straighten the pins you bent before you knew this
So far, a paintbrush has been OK on PCI(E)/RAM sockets tho.
HTH

[mBrane]

So, from the looks of it, not everyone has thought a lot about the effects of having loose aluminum or steel dust inside their case, how to remove it, how to be relatively certain that the risk has been mitigated, or simply how to prevent its accumulation in the first place.

We'll never know how many RMAs result from mishandling, improper installation, environmental hazards (eg. metal dust, humidity, ventilation/cooling, etc.), faulty components, or manufacturer assembly defects.

... would love to see the pie chart, though!

[MRip]

So, from the looks of it, not everyone has thought a lot about the effects of having loose aluminum or steel dust inside their case, how to remove it, how to be relatively certain that the risk has been mitigated, or simply how to prevent its accumulation in the first place.

We'll never know how many RMAs result from mishandling, improper installation, environmental hazards (eg. metal dust, humidity, ventilation/cooling, etc.), faulty components, or manufacturer assembly defects.

... would love to see the pie chart, though!

Well, steel can easily be cleaned up with a magnet. I'd say pull out everything including the power supply and stick the case in the shower.