Just when I thought (keyword!) I'd done a decent job at keeping the dustification in check, I was shown otherwise!

I'd learned just enough to be dangerous from the brain trust here at SimV, sooooooo, I thought I'd try a D.I.Y. graphics card change.

Ends up I very successfully extricated the old ATI 3000-somethin' for a shiny new (huge) ATI Radeon 5750.  Now I sim like I've never simmed before!!!

But I digress.....

Pulling the sideplate off of my tower showed me that my anti-dust program was woefully inadequate.  Fan blades, heat sinks, etc., all had more dust than I ever thought possible.

So, I pulled off what I believe will be a sufficient 'fix' to prevent reccurrence.

I used, can't recall the "official" toolset name, but it's a holepunch set that sheetmetal workers use to make VERY clean holes.  What I did was go to the local hardware store and get 1/8" rubber plugs, strategically punched a series of ports in the sideplate, then plugged 'em.

So now, I can just pop the plugs, shoot some dust-off right where it is needed and hopefully prevent build-up that requires disassembly to cure.

But it still makes me wonder what others have done to prevent and treat the dreaded dustbunny infestation?

Any thoughts?  Comments?  Suggestions? Other than the port-a-panel idea?

I build all my Computers as "Desk-Top" types which keeps them away from the dusty floor and dusty carpets which many floor-mounted Tower units suffer from!.......!

They still gets dusty now and again, but the "top" cover can be removed to get instant access to the internals for dust/spider/mouse/alien/small children, etc, removal.... ...!

Paul...Desk-top Case Enthusiast!.... ...!

I too have filters on intakes, and I put a towel over my tower's fans when it is not on.
Saves a lot of dust it does.

Thanks for the idea, Im going to try to make some up. Yeah the question is what to use as a filter, as said above.
I checked this out, but nonrestricted airflow would be a must.
   http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/120815-29-intake-dust-filters

RaptorF22 wrote on Apr 28^th, 2010 at 9:19pm:


I dunno, was thinkin' more "green", as in recycling.

We grill a lot and have baked beans most of the time........now if I can figure out an efficient way to harness the 'wind'!

Are they paper?  Mesh?  Fiberglass?  Fabric?

I've looked around a bit, but can't get a good read on what media is the most efficient.

Thanx!

U4EA wrote on Apr 29^th, 2010 at 10:43pm:


I am not quite sure... I think it is a type of fabric. I know they are not plastic or fiberglass tho

Only cleaned the computer once in two years. Not a whole lot of dust. Only have to vacuum the grills at the front every few months. They're made from some kind of a plastic mesh, almost like a foam? I don't know how to explain it...

The entire front of the case is a dense metal mesh, with the foam right behind it.



The case is only $50 so it's not like these things are expensive. Pretty much every case that costs more than 20 cents has these features nowadays.