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| Tools
of the trade - General Guide |
Going through a modification job
would in any case require you to have the best arsenal
of tools to carry on your work. Starting with our first
article about modding safely, this article carries on
with the tools required to get your mod done in the best
and most efficient manner. Most modification require a
fair amount of cutting, polishing, painting etc, thus
we bring you an easy all round article about what we have
found to be the bare necessities and more for getting
the job in mind done.
1. The Dremel/Rotary Tool
Depending on which brand you pick up, the rotary tool
or dremel is the number one choice for light to medium
cutting chores, polishing, light drilling and further
applications. The Dremel is a very popular tool amongst
the DIY category, since it comes with various applications
and accessories that make it extra useful. We have used
the Dremel to make heavy cuts in thick sheets of steel,
drilled holes, and used it for a number of other handy
tasks. The Dremel comes with a set of disks for different
applications. The most common include the re-enforced
cut off disks for eating through metal and other materials,
grinding disks for polishing sides, and standard cut off
disks for cutting through softer material. Although this
tool requires a steady hand and some patience it can serve
you best in the all around applications of a computer
mod. Safety goggles, ear muffs and gloves highly recommended.
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2. Drill
A drill comes in handy for various applications, blow
holes, screw mounts and other fittings can be added to
a case with this useful power tool. There are two varieties
corded and cordless and many models in the market. Start
with the corded version first before going for a cordless
as cordless as you will soon learn will run out of gas
almost at times when you need it most. Add metal drill
bits and other accessories to your drill and you have
a complete cutting machine. We use a vise and clamp with
our setup to cut blowholes onto modified casings. Goggles
and hand protection recommended.
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3. Jigsaw
Having lived with a dremel for quite some time as the
tool of choice for cutting windows, a jigsaw was a worthy
upgrade. If you intend to cut a lot of windows in your
casing then this tool will not disappoint. Add the correct
bit and apply some lubricant to the saw edge to cool things
down and you'll be through with your window in no time.
The jigsaw is our tool of choice for cutting large surfaces
in metal and other materials. Be careful though, the jigsaw
does need some precise maneuvering to get the right curves
and edges in a round window shape.
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4. Electric screwdriver
Comfortable is just the right word to describe this tool,
especially if you have a lot of screws and bolts to get
to. (or if you don't have a Lian Li) A rechargeable version
with torque settings can also be used to get self tapping
screws into the hardest of surfaces. In our story, we
have used a rechargeable Black and Decker with torque
settings to tap screws into steel sheet walls. These are
worth the investment be it for a DIY or for home. Make
sure you have a good model.
5. Heat Gun
A heat gun comes in handy for heating elements and for
bending acrylic sheets into various forms. The heat gun
can also serve a reliable dry accelerator for your paint
projects and for molding the heat shrink tubing in electrical
joints. Another good way to save on this investment is
to make the use of an unused hair dryer, just make sure
that you ask your mom ahead.
6. Orbital Sander
This power tool, serves you right when into painting panels
and other hardware. This tool assists in getting paint
off or for sanding a surface in preparation for paint
application. With the right accessory the orbital sander
can also be used to polish painted surfaces. The market
is full of many various models and accessories that in
may times facilitate more applications. Some power tools
come with variable speed adjusters (very handy for controlling
the level of application).
7. The Tool Box
The toolbox serves to keep all the nuts and bolts that
might lie around your workspace in an easy to find location.
These come in various sizes and shapes and price tags.
Tie wraps, fans screws and various other handy accessories
all go in our toolbox.
8. The workbench
Ok so you have all the power tools to work on a ship !
but you still need some space to rest your items on. A
good solid tabletop is all you need, however you might
like to keep in mind that a good solid table with adequate
space can be useful to work with rather than a cramped
one. Our recommendation would be to use a metal workbench
with shelves for storage.
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