How do you guys CLEAN a case when done cutting?

JJ · Post by JJ » Sat Jan 24, 2009 12:36 pm

I'm in the process of building a server where I've had to take a rotary tool to remove all of the little tabs in the 5 1/4" drive bays. Needless to say, there's a lot of iron filings all over this case. Before starting, I was bright enough to remove absolutely everything that could be removed from the case - all removable panels, drive carriers, card slot covers, switch assemblies and cables, etc.

I'm thinking that a damp cloth and canned compressed air may not be enough to get _all_ of the little bits and pieces of filings. Any other good methods of cleaning them up? Hose it down in back yard? Shower? Take it to an auto shop with killer compressed air?

uraflit · Post by **uraflit** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 1:53 pm

leaf blower! lol

id just orient the case in several positions while blowing compressed air. should be fine, unless you're super paranoid

psiu · Post by **psiu** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 2:00 pm

Should be fine with spraying some compressed air into nooks and cranny's and wiping down with damp cloth several times.

Gojira-X · Post by **Gojira-X** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 2:31 pm

I had a similar issue when I was cleaning one of the mats in my dads car. There was a load of sparkly silvery things in the mat that had gotten caught in the carpet of the mat. I used a screw extractor (the tool that looks like an extendible car aerial with a magnet on the end) to see if that helps.

Turns out the sparkly silvery things in the carpet of the mat was iron filings.

To summarise JJ, you should run a magnet over the area, keeping it 2-3mm above the surfaces to pick up any iron filing (assuming the case is steel). If the case is Aluminium, it won't help.

Trav1s · Post by **Trav1s** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 2:35 pm

16 gallon shop vac

followed by some compressed air to get the small stuff out

bonestonne · Post by **bonestonne** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 5:24 pm

i've never had a huge amount of filings strewn about my case, however as long as the case is empty, a good strong magnet does the trick a lot of the time, and after a magnet, either a shop vac or compressed air, as long as you're out in the open.

inside you wouldn't want the filings getting all over the place, but if you are inside, take a damp paper towel, and basically wipe over the surface several times, it'll pick up most, if not all of the shavings after the first or second wipe-down.

jhhoffma · Post by **jhhoffma** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 5:34 pm

There's something out there called "sweeping compound" that we use in our plants (manufacturing, not the flowering kind). It's sawdust and wax, I think, but you sprinkle it over the area where you have a spill or a mess to clean up and it keeps the material together and doesn't allow it to float around in the air. It works very well with metal filings.

The best part is that you can use a vacuum to sweep the stuff up as well and when you're done, you can wipe it up the residue with a damp paper towel.

I haven't tried it inside a case, but it's an option.

Hypernova · Post by **Hypernova** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 7:28 pm

paint brush, than blow with my mouth. It's been a month and my comp hasn't fried itself yet so I guess that worked well enough.

Olle P · Post by **Olle P** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:00 am

That type of job I've only done in the metal work shop at my work place.

Then I chose/alternate between vacuum cleaner an blowing compressed air, depending on size and amount of the cut parts.

Cheers
Olle

blackworx · Post by **blackworx** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:22 am

I get the worst of it with a vacuum, then go round the inside with a 2" paint brush to loosen all the tiny powdery bits, then vacuum again. Usually have to do it with the case in a few different orientations to get it all.

Jipa · Post by **Jipa** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:33 pm

I've been to shower with some scrap acryl pieces (they had dust and some rain stains (?) on them), my bicycle (yeah don't have garden hose) and also my case for this exact reason. Dunno if it's the best method, but it seemed to work.

I'm rather confident that also the paint brush + vacuum and/or can air does the trick.

Aris · Post by **Aris** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 11:17 am

i spray mine down with a hose, then wipe dry with a towel. then vacume it out with the connector that has all the little brissles. Lastly i'll do a visual check of all nooks just to be certain i didnt miss anything.

Just make sure its completely dry before you put things back in it.