#4903895
Hey everyone, was hoping for some assistance on mounting the my mobo to the shell. I have a GB Fans shell and GB fans Mobo however I am looking for a simple way to mount them when they arrive. I thought about ordering the brackets from here however I need to be able to remove the shell for maintenance and additional electronics. so it needs to bolt on.

The other day I swung into home depot and bought 4 4in steel corner braces, and used loctite 5 minute epoxy to secure a bolt over the hole that will be for the shell (left the bottom ones as is) and cut them to approx 1.5in seems to be pretty solid. However this is my 1st go round with attempting to add threading without buying a tap and dye kit.

from every picture I've seen doesn't look like anyone has done this method before so I'm either a genius lol or it may not be the best method. my concern is uniformity, I suck at this whole lining things up and drilling so I want to make sure all the holes in the shell and mobo are uniformed as possible so I would like to use a prefabbed bracket.

Does anyone have any suggestions on brackets that work that I wont have to drill into possibly already threaded. and if possible advise on mounting the brackets in general? it would be of great assistance as this is my 1st build and I'm already over budget and have only sourced half the parts.
#4903899
Honestly, all you're doing is making your life more difficult. Get a tap and die set, you need it for the rest of the build anyway.

I don't really understand your problem though. Your shell is bolted to the L brackets, your L brackets are riveted to the motherboard. You just take the bolts out and your shell is free. That's the best way, not to mention the accurate way.

Don't over think it. That makes way more work for yourself.
Henners liked this
#4903905
Thanks ur probably right that I may be over thinking it, reason I plan on using thick steel corner braces are the wholes are uniform which will make it easier to line up and drill into the shell I've already got the nuts epoxied on as loctite epoxy is usually stronger than the stuff that it glues together so I'm sure that's solid. A better question would be what method to line up the brackets on the mobo so it sits flush with the shell and the holes line up? I've never mounted something from the inside before. I thought about Bolting the brackets on the shell 1st and putting a dab of glue on the bottom of the brackets setting it on the mobo let the glue set and then unbolt and remove the shell. Which in theory should leave the brackets in their proper placement, mark the holes, pop the brackets off and drill. If there's an easier or simpler method of love to hear it
#4903908
Honestly dude. It's a bad idea. If you bump one of those bolts on something, the nut is going to break free, and will just spin with the bolt when you try to take it out, making it impossible to remove without cutting an access hole.

I dont get how a pre made bracket is any advantage. You drill the holes in your pack, rivet the L brackets on the motherboard about a half inch in from the edge , put the shell over them and mark your holes to drill and then tap. Your shell doesn't sit against the brackets, you line the shell up by adjusting the bolts. You need a little wiggle room.

The more complicated you make it, the more likely it is to fail. This is a crucial part of building your pack, and you're really overcomplicating it. The tap you needed cost less than the epoxy.
#4903918
likesjellydonuts wrote:Honestly dude. It's a bad idea. If you bump one of those bolts on something, the nut is going to break free, and will just spin with the bolt when you try to take it out, making it impossible to remove without cutting an access hole.

I dont get how a pre made bracket is any advantage. You drill the holes in your pack, rivet the L brackets on the motherboard about a half inch in from the edge , put the shell over them and mark your holes to drill and then tap. Your shell doesn't sit against the brackets, you line the shell up by adjusting the bolts. You need a little wiggle room.

The more complicated you make it, the more likely it is to fail. This is a crucial part of building your pack, and you're really overcomplicating it. The tap you needed cost less than the epoxy.
Likesjellydonuts's right. I mean I'm using at the moment Screw bolts instead of rivets to link the mobo to the L bracket, for a temporary use and for two reasons:
-MY PACK IS NOT READY YET,
-AND I FASTENED THE "L" BRACKET ON THE SHELL SIDE WITH A SELF-CLINCHING BLIND PRESS NUT, OR A RIVET NUT INSTEAD OF A BOLT.

So, even if I had some trouble to remove my Bolts from the L Bracket on the Mobo side, I could find a way for this because I cacn easily unscrew my Shell from the L Bracket. And as I just said, my Pack is NOT FINISH AT ALL.
So when I'll finish it (one day... :-P), even if I plan to modify or add some stuff inside, I WILL FASTEN THE L BRACKET TO THE MOBO WITH RIVET.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. Bolts of Self-Clinching Blind Press Nuts, or even Rivet Nuts can be only fasntened on the Shell Side and NOT on the Mobo Side.
Well, that's my point of view, and Likesjellydonuts's opinion!!! :-P

I hope my ENGLISH was a little clear. :-P
#4903924
That's what I needed, the brackets don't need to be flush against shell, that's where I was starting to panic, so line up general placement where the bolts are gonna go, mount L's to the mobo 1st and then line up the shell drill shell mark holes on brackets through the shell, drill and tap brackets correct? now, I doubt it does but does bolt size make a difference?
side note, I usually only work with wood when doing craft like projects, so metal working and such is completely new to me. that's why I sound like such an idiot lol I'm learning as I go
#4903925
Don't you say you sound like an Idiot. As you said, working on metal is NEW to you.
I suggest you to follow my Pack Topic, I add some pics progressiveley.
Because working on wood, plastic, Aluminum, Steel, Stainless Steel, even Tintanium (really small plates), was something I didn't know possible... So, it's normal to ask a lot of questions.
Before I started to work on my Pack, I only knew to use a screw driver...

But to answer to the placement, it sounds good.

I did a little bit differently. When I cut my Aluminum Board for my Mobo, I drilled holes on the Shell Side "L" Bracket and on the Shell as well. I used a Marker or a tape to keep the place of the Bracket on the Mobo and I drilled holes on the Mobo. Then, I fastened my Shell to the Mobo with a few clamps, to keep them still, and a few little Wood Plates, to prevent from leaving marks. I finally drilled the holes the L Bracket throug tho Momo Holes I did before...
#4903928
Number your brackets and their positions on your motherboard. Trace out around them and make sure you number the mother board as to each l bracket. Drill the holes in your motherboard, then put the bracket in it's place and mark the holes for that. You want large flange aluminum rivets. Steel ones work too, but they really fight you. The rivets are 3/16" diameter.

The bolts for your shell, are typically 1/4-20 but being honest, as long as the head of the bolt is the right size, you can use whatever thread pitch you want
#4903954
This was the most frustrating part of my build (so far) too. I was using an aluminum angle that I cut down to bracket lengths and riveted to mobo and then tapped screw holes. I wanted a snug fit between the shell and the bracket and I think that's what was causing me such a headache. I got there in the end through trail and error (I had a spare MDF mobo to mess up on!) Based on previous advice from this forum I used brackets approx. 6mm thick to give the screws enough thread to bite. Even though you're stretching your budget, I'd try and get a set of inexpensive taps. You will find other uses for them in this build!

Persevere though, cause it's really worth the peace of mind that your shell won't fall off. And remember, you may find yourself hitting that"never again!" moment during a pack build, but you'll probably go on to prove yourself wrong.
#4904001
The brackets really aren't a hard thing though, You're over hyping the problem, because it's the first step. Set them in about 3/8 or so from the edge of the mobo, the important part is having them parallel to the edge of the mobo. If you're "too far" in, you can just use a longer bolt. Too far out, your shell wont fit. Use a center punch before drilling, it will keep your bit from walking. Being that it's aluminum, you can literally just use a nail as a center punch. All you need is a little dent.
#4904945
Great to hear that!!! :-D
#4908327
Cool, man. Keep it up!!! :-D
Do you plan to add some pictures?
#4908699
Ok, cool!!! :-D

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