Windows 7 - Inventions & wrinkles

Thought a little thread here on what one can do themselves for improving their machines.

I do like fiddling and thinking up stuff and would be glad of others to share theirs too.

My first "tip" is when cleaning cooling fans is to remove the dust and grime with methylated spirits over a bath with hogs hair brush (all very cheap to buy hogs hair as the poly ones cause static) let dry and then apply some of that car vinyl embellishing spray either with the spray or cloth then wipe down and gently polish. The blades wil be super smooth and the air pass over them and the venturi far more efficiently. Therefore increasing (only moderately of course but even so more) the air in or out of your machine.

I did think of fitting model aircraft spinners the the incoming side of the fan but that is going to take some working out ie extra power needed to spin the fan and centreing.

If you use that furniture polish (spray form) you get the same result and some actially have an anti static effect therefore reducing the fast build up of dust on the fan blades.

One can also use this on the larger flat surfaces within the case fr the same reason, being careful not to ove do the application and it make removal so much easier the next time.

Plus I have started using more inake fans than out fans to produce an "positive" pressure within the case the rartionale being that the air inside the case is at a slightly increased pressure to the outside "ambient" pressure so keeping dust from entering even the smallest of chinks in the case. This came to me after working in operating thaetres where they employ this type of internal "positive" pressure to keep out any particulates or bacteria laden air. The incoming air of course has to be filtered well. But more of that next time.

Expanding on above suggestion.

Fan blades and case.
Pledge, Endust or similar brand in the States. Use the wipes and no over spray problem on the motor or electronics.
Can be applied while fan and other electronics are still mounted.

Yep Hoppy thats the stuff I just found the positive pressure works pretty darn good too.

If you hadn't mentioned the spray I would not have thought of the wipes.

My wife has a big container of those wipes for the furniture.
I'm going to have to borrow a few tomorrow. Cleaning day!

HAF-932 case so I have pos. pressure. 2x240mm in and 1x240 out and 1x120mm out.

Yeah Hoppy you can always spray onto a piece of that microweave cloth too it's as cheap as chips in those dollar stores, and I am sure that the car spray stuff or one of them has that property too -I think maybe Armourall it was.

Now the next little wrinkle is the filtering as i have discussed with my Mate G it's easy to make up yourself instead of buying those medical grade filter material ones which I did with my machine at first until it got real expensive - the ones with a magnetic hold surround - especially good for stopping the top fans vents from letting dust fall in from just gravitational pull.
The best one I have found is one called Organza the wife will know which one I mean but I have found it difficult to get in black. So I eventually ended up using a fine sheer curtain material where the Organza would have shown up - a whole curtain makes hundreds of filters.

But I have more wrinkles in the pipe line

My desk sits close to the kitchen table.
There is just my wife and I so I have the HAF under the unused end of the kitchen table.
The table catches any dust from above.

Hum mate I'd be careful with those magnets I used to use them when I was prospecting and get your skin caught between two and you will know what pain is all about. Plus dont forget the HARD DRIVES within the EM field!! I use that strip stuff you can buy.

Mate the pic didn't come through wasn't through a filter was it LOL!!

Anyway gotta dash for work talk to you soon

John

Another is just pinch some of her black panty hose thats good too lol!!

Mike I think the fridge magnet type magnet will be fine if on the outside of the case and are enough to keep the material tight against the fan opening.

If your case side panels have Phillips head screws, replace them with thumb screws. Much easier to remove if you are prone to getting inside your PC often.

A couple of more of my wrinkles.

Lost a screw or want to put one in a difficult spot and keep your ferrous based screws in a non spill spot?

Get a prospecting rare earth magnet (you can find these on Ebay) attach to the handle end of a long (or short one if the screw won't stay on the the tip) screwdriver and put it as close to the handle as possible now the screwdriver becomes very magnetised and will hold the screw VERY firmly until engaged in the female thread.

Dropped a screw into the machine and don't want to up - end the thing to shake it out (but can see it and cannot get it with long nosed pliers or those long artery forceps - magnet on screwdriver problem solved.

Want to keep your screws out in a safe container and avoid spilling the lot if you happen to knock it over? (unlikely with my method) place the magnet on the outside of the container (outside - DO NOT put into the container you can wreck the threads if gripped to pull off the magnet) when you want to get a screw out just take it out or remove the magnet temporarily to get it.

You can use these extremely strong magnets used in microwave ovens in the magnetron for the same reasons although they tend to be too large for the screwdriver but make great stands (with a bit of felt glued to the table surface side) when using for screw storage containers (the "boss" might just have reason to kill you for scratching the table top LOL!!).

Sorry everyone I have tried to upload a shot of my wrinkles but won't do it strangeas I have done it from this camera before.

Anyway the magnetron magnet is a dull grey doughnut approx 5.5cmin diameter 1cm thick and a central hole 2cm in diameter (good for putting screwdriver bits in and leaving to magnetise if so required or storage) the prospecting one is 2x1cm disk and shiny metal (that does rust if left in damp circumstances.) Bot are quite heavy.

One or two words of caution
1. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL when handling two magnets together they will cause a very nasty pinch if you get your skin between them - they are extemey strong.
2. Be VERY careful when removing the microwave magnets some of the materials used in the manufacture of the magnetron use beryllium a known carcinogen cause as less dust as possible by wetting before gently tapping the magnet from the retainer with a sharp chisel (between the magnet and the separator and hammer (there are two magnets in each magnetron).
3. DO NOT attempt to break the magntron magnet by hiitting it - they are exactly the same in maunfacture as those used in loudspeakers - they shatter into very sharp and irregular pieces and if cutting with a diamond blade - if you so wish - use plenty of water or other coolant on the cutting site. I have never had to do this the shape is perfect as is.
4. When guiding into a tight spot use your dominant hand to hold the handle and guide the attached screw by holding the shaft of the screwdriver with your non dominant hand to stop it from attaching to ferrous based materials on the way in.
5. Best not let chilldren play with these magnets for (to me at least) OBVIOUS reasons.

My Wrinkle #2
Ever had a holder full of screws and nuts that you have knocked over and split the lot??

Get some old loudspeaker magnets or some of those out of an old microwave oven magnetron there are two in each magnetron.
Stick felt pads so cheap from dollar shops and usually use for protecting desktop surfaces from scratching on the "bottom" of the doughnut shaped magnet and some tiny pieces of double sided tape on the top. One could us the synthetic rubber type instead.
Place a food container I use anything like Tupperware stuff - on top of the double sided tape.
Throw in the screws as you take them out they will be captured by the magnet so in the event you knock the container over the screws stay put - at least the ferrous based ones do.
To remove the lot just remove the container form the tape and tip out but usually I use them as I need to.

My Wrinkle #3
Want to hold a screw really tightly to the end of the driver.
Just get one of those rare earth magnets that one can get from any prospecting store.
Attach it to the handle end of the screwdriver - it will stay in place with fixing but if you want some duct tape around it will suffice.
Result screw will stick to the driver even if knocked quite hard especially in places where you DO NOT want to drop the screw!
Once started or full driven home fully the driver can be easily removed.

Additt The other magnet pictured is holding screwdriver bits and it does magnetise them to use as such with small screws.

One word of WARNING the magnetron magnets and the rare earth ones are EXTREMELY strong and you MUST TAKE CARE when getting them close together as if you get your skin caught between the magnets it is VERY VERY painful - I know!!
Getting the magnets out of the magnetron (and loudspeaker ones) requires great care as they are brittle (can shatter into extremely sharp pieces) and the separator in the magnetron contains beryllium a known carcinogen so wear a mask when taking the magnets off.
The magnets are also polarized North/ South doughnut face (ring) to doughnut face and will repel in one configuration and attract in the other.
WHATEVER YOU DO KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN!!

I am working on using that repel feature for another wrinkle that I will post if it should work.
There are others to come!!