Quick question re. drilling holes in PC cupboard for fans

[Scam]

I've been having fun building my new Ikea Alex and Karlby desk so far this weekend, as below;

What I totally neglected to realise was that the Alex storage cupboard where my PC will go, has a solid back and no holes for cabling or airflow. So off to Wickes at 6.59pm I went last night to get a hole saw set

Now I have such an exciting tool and the cupboard empty and accessible, I'm thinking I'll drill a holes at the top back of the cupboard for hot air to escape as well ones for cabling at the bottom. Perhaps one larger one for a fan, and a couple of smaller ones either side. Fit a fan sort of like this guy minus the front fan.

So. I don't have a fan to fit in the back yet, but going to pre-drill the hole for it, then I reckon I could (hopefully) fit the fan at a later date without having to move everything around too much. But my question is -

tldr; the saws have diameters of 32, 38, 44, 51, 57, 63mm. Looking at fan sizes on OcUK for reference, of course they don't match. They seem to come in 40, 50, 60, 80mm. So err, as a punt what size hole should I drill? 57 for a 60mm fan I guess is the closest? I'm guessing 63mm hole might be in danger of not leaving enough room to mount the fan by it's screws/bolts. TIA.

 

[Semple]

For an enclosed space like that I'd be looking at an absolute minimum of 80mm, frankly I'd even go up to 120/140mm for better airflow and lower noise.

The hole saw is probably a waste of time, I'd drill a small hole and then use a hacksaw or coping saw to cut a big enough square for the fans.

 

[Scam]

For an enclosed space like that I'd be looking at an absolute minimum of 80mm, frankly I'd even go up to 120/140mm for better airflow and lower noise.

The hole saw only goes up to 63mm I could do two? But to be fair my PC is not very high spec anyway. I'm not a massive gamer although it may get upgraded at some point.

 

[Slogan]

Agree with the first response. I would be tempted to go with the larger fans for noise as much as anything - 80mm fans can be loud enough and smaller ones that are actually doing anything worthwhile, will be louder again.

Love the desk though, it looks great.

 

[jaybee]

PC is going to suffocate anyway with the door closed surely?

 

[Scam]

PC is going to suffocate anyway with the door closed surely?

You tell me There’s about 1/2cm gap all the way down the door and the handle hole is bigger for intake.

That said, this is a 10yr old build.. it’s only an i5 3.5ghz with an upgrade in 2020 to a GeForce 1650 SUPER. But yes it might get upgraded at some point once I’ve stopped spending all my money on the house

Edit: 120mm would be grand but not sure how to do that neatly with a holes that only goes up to 63mm!

EDIT: Oh I do have a coping saw so maybe cut a 63mm circle into a 120mm and finish the rest with that

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

I would definitely go for larger fan size
120,140 even 180mm
Simply from noise point of view
Being old enough to remember when 80mm
Was a standard fan size
Definitely noisy
Probably consider some rubber washers
Or rubber gasket to stop vibration/resonance too

Use the smallest hole saw
And cut a few holes then use coping saw blade
Or similar?

Or you can get saw drill bits
Got some somewhere
They drill,cut,ream,file works reasonably well
Well enough to cut it out and finish with sandpaper

Only thing is doesn't look like much airflow
Will get in the front
Though will probably be enough
My stepsons last build is in similar to that desk
And was a higher spec/producing more heat than yours
And it's been fine

More drastic option
Cut out the whole rear of that section
Not going to see it anyway

 

[chaparral]

If it was me i be cutting holes for 140mm fans to run at slow speed for noise levels
There no way i would use 60mm or 80mm fans

 

[Quartz]

You’ll want a grille for air intake at the front.

 

[Scam]

Use the smallest hole saw
And cut a few holes then use coping saw blade
Or similar?

Yeah thanks all. Going to try and make a 120mm hole. Wish me luck, none of this DIY is my forte

Per my other thread if you can see the pencil. Going for this;

Top row is 32/120/32mm, roughly at/just above the height of the top of my PC when it's on the shelf. 120mm is for the fan to be installed later.

Bottom two are 63mm each, one below the shelf and one above the shelf. Hopefully that means I don't have to attack the back of the shelf so I can feed cables past it (it's flush to the back). 63mm should be big enough to get a plug through. Although if the hole saw works easily I may as well stick a hole in the shelf to make cabling easier, and maybe avoid having a plug extension on each shelf.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Well if you mess it up
You can Just take that whole panel out
So it's not a total disaster if it goes badly wrong

 

[Scam]

You’ll want a grille for air intake at the front.

Might do this at a later date. I have some Inchyra Blue to paint a grill which matches this colour.

So the drill battery died so I’m drilling the rest tomorrow lol. But that means I could order a fan for delivery tomorrow, to for before the drawer goes back. Any recommendations? Should I go usb or motherboard connection? Want it to turn off when the pc is off obviously.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

I would just go for motherboard connection fan
Though I would grab a fan extension wire too

May need to drill a hole in rear of case
To put the fan connector through
If there's not conveniently a hole like some have for external watercooling
Already there
Could get a rubber grommet for the hole
If any worry about wire chafing

 

[Scam]

Could get a rubber grommet for the hole

Yeah I think I’m going to need nuts and bolts to hold it in. Not sure a screw would work in the wood only a little bit. Like the first link I posted. Hmn.

Why go for mobo connection if it sounds more hassle?

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

I guess a further option
Don't connect the fan to the pc at all
Get any old 12v charger you have Laying around
Cctv,led strip charger etc (charger probably wrong word,power supply I guess)
Wire the fan to it
If want speed control either shove a potentiometer on there
Or a resistor or 5v,7v connector that some fans come with

 

[Quartz]

Yeah thanks all. Going to try and make a 120mm hole.

Why make a circular hole? Just cut a rectangular one, braced with a grille. No fan is necessary as the hot air will escape naturally.

 

[Scam]

Ok guys how about this. I could potentially get tomorrow;

*** no competitor linking ***

The rubber mounts would solve my problem of getting screws/nuts/bolts/washers. Perhaps I need a fan extensions cable as well..

 

[SpellowHouse]

I've been having fun building my new Ikea Alex and Karlby desk so far this weekend, as below;

What I totally neglected to realise was that the Alex storage cupboard where my PC will go, has a solid back and no holes for cabling or airflow. So off to Wickes at 6.59pm I went last night to get a hole saw set

Now I have such an exciting tool and the cupboard empty and accessible, I'm thinking I'll drill a holes at the top back of the cupboard for hot air to escape as well ones for cabling at the bottom. Perhaps one larger one for a fan, and a couple of smaller ones either side. Fit a fan sort of like this guy minus the front fan.

So. I don't have a fan to fit in the back yet, but going to pre-drill the hole for it, then I reckon I could (hopefully) fit the fan at a later date without having to move everything around too much. But my question is -

tldr; the saws have diameters of 32, 38, 44, 51, 57, 63mm. Looking at fan sizes on OcUK for reference, of course they don't match. They seem to come in 40, 50, 60, 80mm. So err, as a punt what size hole should I drill? 57 for a 60mm fan I guess is the closest? I'm guessing 63mm hole might be in danger of not leaving enough room to mount the fan by it's screws/bolts. TIA.

I do this sort of thing a lot! I normally use a 110mm hole for a 120mm fan. But I have a router and can cut circles with it!

My guess is use an 80mm hole-saw and a 92mm fan.

Either that or use a 140mm fan and drill a pattern of holes. I just measured a 140mm fan and the blades are 45mm. That means you could drill a pattern of 44mm holes. Maybe eight of them? (Guess!).

 

[Removed User 345456]

That's going to be awful for temps on any machine, zero airflow in any direction.

I'd bin that cupboard full stop and have the PC stand on the desk or where the cupboard was stood on something so it isn't just absorbing the carpet and transferring heat.

No amount of fans is going to allow that to breath how you expect, and just create more noise!
Having it right up against the wall also stops heat or airflow escaping. As does having a chest of draws next to it.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Ok guys how about this. I could potentially get tomorrow;

*** no competitor linking ***

The rubber mounts would solve my problem of getting screws/nuts/bolts/washers. Perhaps I need a fan extensions cable as well..

Interesting didn't know artic did a fan
With a temperature sensor
I wonder how that works does it need software to control it

Yeah those rubber fan connectors are great

Not sure you need fan grills
Unless pets or kids can get behind there

On the fence as whether you'll get enough airflow
My stepson build had something like a 5800x and 6700xt in it
The small gap around the door frame
And the handle cut out seemed to be sufficient for his build
So I kind of side on it will work
If you're blowing air out the back
Air must be entering the front since the rear fan can't create a vacuum