casing materials, tools recommendation?

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teetee
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casing materials, tools recommendation?

#1 Post by teetee » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:57 am

I am starting out a new project on my thinkpad 240. Part of the job requires me to do some modificaiton on the hard drive base cover. From online articles*1 it seems that IBM use carbon-fiber and/or glass-fiber reinforced plastic material for the casing. I am wondering if anyone knows how to cut or make holes on this kind of material.


*1: IBM ThinkPad material link:
http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/infobrf/case.html

BikerMike
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Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:04 pm
Location: Los Angeles

cutting glass/carbon reinforced plastic

#2 Post by BikerMike » Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:47 pm

The safest way is with modellers hand tools and ordinary drills. The fastest way is with a dremel. Just like ordinary plastic. The tools will wear a bit faster, but if you are just modifying one case you probably won't notice. If you were a machinist, cutting blocks of plastic on a mill or lathe, and you switched from unfilled to glass or carbon fiber filled you would find yourself sharpening/replacing your cutters a lot more often; but a hobbyist cutting up a single case might not notice the difference at all.
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