How much noise from cutting a window?

Enclosures and acoustic damping to help quiet them.

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Day
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How much noise from cutting a window?

Post by Day » Sun Apr 30, 2006 12:24 pm

I'm thinking about cutting a side window in my case. The side panels are 2mm thick aluminium, if i put a perspex window how much more noise can I expect? Do they make a significant difference?

What thickness of perspex is used in PC windows?

nici
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Post by nici » Mon May 01, 2006 6:57 am

The kits availble are usually 2-3mm thick, if i made a window on a case i would get at least 4mm stuff and mount it with flexible and strong glue and not screws :) That would acutally make the panel quite a lot stiffer than 2mm alu, so it would be quieter with the window if you currently have noise caused by vibration.

TomZ
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Post by TomZ » Mon May 01, 2006 7:32 am

nici wrote:The kits availble are usually 2-3mm thick, if i made a window on a case i would get at least 4mm stuff and mount it with flexible and strong glue and not screws :) That would acutally make the panel quite a lot stiffer than 2mm alu, so it would be quieter with the window if you currently have noise caused by vibration.
Why wouldn't you use screws to attach the window? For noise reasons or fabrication reasons?

nici
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Post by nici » Mon May 01, 2006 7:44 am

Well for one its much more work to mount it with screws, it would also be harder to make it look nice. Drilling holes in acrylic isnt exactly the easiest thing, its seriously brittle stuff. Polycarbonate is much tougher and very easy to drill, but many times more expensive.

What i would do is make the hole, line the edge with narrow rubber U-mould and glue on the window on the inside.

MikeC
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Post by MikeC » Mon May 01, 2006 10:48 am

It might surprise you, but plexiglass is actually much better than either steel or aluminal panels (as used in PC cases) in blocking noise. It has excellent self-damped qualities; ie, it does not transmit vibration well.

Day
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Post by Day » Mon May 01, 2006 12:26 pm

I've finished my window mod and i'm very pleased with it. It was much simpler than I thought, I was scared of cutting the 2mm think aluminium but with a jigsaw and the right metal cutting blade it was easy. I decided to attach the plexiglass with rivets and not some kind of glue, I like the look of the rivets. Here is a pic of my creation. The inside is nothing special as untill now I did not need to have any lighting.

Image

Day
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Post by Day » Mon May 01, 2006 12:34 pm

I think the window actually made it more quiet, I think the large aluminium panels gave more resonance, now that the middle bit has been cut away the plastic does not give that sound :)

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Post by narrasuj » Mon May 01, 2006 3:33 pm

Hey Day, What case is that? Looks good, nice shape and the rivets look good.

Day
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Post by Day » Tue May 02, 2006 10:44 am

This is the Lian Li V-1000

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