graphics card is too big by 13-14mm

[Hachiro_senyo]

i did not found any forum threads for cases so my excuses if i missed it.



i recently bought components for a new computer , i specifically said to the store that the "antec ONE" case support 266mm video cards , but than finally my gtx 1070 TI armor arrived and when i get around to putting it in i soon found that i couldn't fit it , just barely
i took another look at the paper and the gpu is 279mm

how do i go about cutting space into the HDD bay ?

https://imgur.com/a/SgaVUYO

maybe its hard to see with the lighting that my camera didn't caught well , but in the antec ONE case there is like a little bended curve inwards the case where the HDD bay is located to prevent sharp edges to cut yourself on.

i think if i cut that off , i can fit my gpu in just perfectly

any idea what the best course of action is ? i doubt you can unmount the bay like in modern high value cases

what tools should i use for the job ?

 

[10tacle]

This is why I hate factory mounted permanently mounted hard drive cages in cases. Well one of two reason. Second reason being they inhibit intake case fan airflow. Anyway, take everything out down to the motherboard and use a pair of metal snippers like these. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wiss-Left-Cut-Aviation-Snips-M1RS/100026634?MERCH=REC-_-PIPHorizontal2_rr-_-100060795-_-100026634-_-N

Be careful of cutting your finger on sharp sharded edges. I'd recommend filing down any rough edges and use a magnet tool to remove all the shards that fall in the bottom of the case. You will need a lot of leverage which is why you need that case empty (among damage potential).

 

[therealduckofdeath]

It looks like that whole drive bay thing is riveted to the 5.25" bays on the rear side and to the bottom frame? I've tried finding clear images on the internets of how the bay is mounted but no luck. If it is riveted at the extreme top, bottom and on the backside in the middle one option would be to drill the ones holding the bottom 3.5" bays out to remove it. You'll need a pop rivet gun and suitably sized rivets to replace any you need after it's out. That obviously means you'll have to figure out a different place to mount any 3.5" drives you have, like 3.5" to 5.25" mounting brackets. But, you'll keep all bit parts of the case intact in case you want to re-assemble it one day.
If any section is also welded, this will obviously not work! But it doesn't look like it, on the low resolution images I can find.

 

[Hachiro_senyo]

This is why I hate factory mounted permanently mounted hard drive cages in cases. Well one of two reason. Second reason being they inhibit intake case fan airflow. Anyway, take everything out down to the motherboard and use a pair of metal snippers like these. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wiss-Left-Cut-Aviation-Snips-M1RS/100026634?MERCH=REC-_-PIPHorizontal2_rr-_-100060795-_-100026634-_-N

Be careful of cutting your finger on sharp sharded edges. I'd recommend filing down any rough edges and use a magnet tool to remove all the shards that fall in the bottom of the case. You will need a lot of leverage which is why you need that case empty (among damage potential).

i find it a decent case , lots of points for airflow but 266mm GPU clearance is a downside , especially when you can't remove the hdd cage 🙁

though i only need to cut a small section and prefferably close to the side of the cage 13-14mm isn't that substantial i hope , i think that curved portion is 13-14mm , so i don't have to cut a hole into the hdd cage

i don't know what coating of paint it uses , else i can work it away but it doesn't have a side windows so nobody will be seeing it anyway

 

[Hachiro_senyo]

It looks like that whole drive bay thing is riveted to the 5.25" bays on the rear side and to the bottom frame? I've tried finding clear images on the internets of how the bay is mounted but no luck. If it is riveted at the extreme top, bottom and on the backside in the middle one option would be to drill the ones holding the bottom 3.5" bays out to remove it. You'll need a pop rivet gun and suitably sized rivets to replace any you need after it's out. That obviously means you'll have to figure out a different place to mount any 3.5" drives you have, like 3.5" to 5.25" mounting brackets. But, you'll keep all bit parts of the case intact in case you want to re-assemble it one day.
If any section is also welded, this will obviously not work! But it doesn't look like it, on the low resolution images I can find.

sounds like a solid idea , i'll take a closer look at the cage and whats holding it together tomorrow , i don't have a rivet gun though and i don't know at what price they go + i would need air pressure too right?
i don't just wanna buy 40 bucks on tools i might only use once or twice.
maybe i can drill it so i can put screws in instead of rivets ?

 

[therealduckofdeath]

Pop rivet guns are manual, cheap ones goes for a bit over a tenner on ebay. The hydraulic ones are a bit overkill if you only need to use a handful.
Check if you can lease one at a hardware store if you don't want to buy one. Back in the day that was at least an option.
Screws are a bit tricky, they can come loose from the fan and drive vibrations.
Your case might get a bit wobblier without the full drive bay in it. Hopefully not too wobbly. But cutting out one side of the bay will also make it as bit wobbly, I guess.

 

[smorizio]

if it been under 30 days send the case back and pick up a case with the drive bays turned for longer gpu. amazon and new egg has a good return policy. if they wont and you used a credit card do a charge back. you dont want to mod a case if you do something wrong you wont be able to retun it.

 

[Hachiro_senyo]

if it been under 30 days send the case back and pick up a case with the drive bays turned for longer gpu. amazon and new egg has a good return policy. if they wont and you used a credit card do a charge back. you dont want to mod a case if you do something wrong you wont be able to retun it.

unfortunately i already tried to bend it so i don't have any return on my money , also i don't have any more money to spare on an 200 euro case so trying with what i have is my only choice at this moment.

it wasn't ordered from a website like newegg , its from a store , and i find it clear that they don't know what the fuck they were doing...
giving me a case like that.
even when i specifically said it.

hopefully it doesn't make it too wobbly 🙁
else my 2TB hitachi will go down the drain aswel..

(ps: is it normal that the graphics card has 2 smaller sized PCI pin's ? , it doesn't look broken off , it's a perfect shape , i don't wanna be paranoid that i might ruined a 550 euro gpu)

 

[therealduckofdeath]

I'm not sure what you mean with smaller PCI pins, if it's the two separate ones at the end near the back plate, that should be quite normal. The PCI standard has evolved and gotten a lot of minor differentiators over the years to try and prevent people from plugging cards into incompatible slots.

Anyhoo... A few things I thought of that I figured I'd better remind you of. In case you start drilling the rivets out. Empty the case of all electrical parts first, including the power supply, fans and drives. You don't want tiny metal shards and dust in it all. That'll give you a lot more new problems.
Only drill the heads off the rivets. Once they pop off, you can knock them out the other side. And also make sure to vacuum the case thoroughly when you're done.