PC Case Mod - Netted Side Panel

I've heard of folks who leave their PCs open in order to keep them cool without having to invest in anything. As a result, their PC would look something like this:

I used to be one of such people who sacrificed the protection of the PC's internal parts for the sake of reducing heat build-up, as well as for the ease of accessing the parts in the computer. I found it difficult to remove the side cover everytime I want to check something inside. But leaving the case open is put my computer at risk of foreign object invasions (e.g. insects, pets etc), not to mention the dust build-up over time, all of which could have disastrous consequences.

That is until I thought of the idea to make a side cover that is easy to remove and put on, allows for as much ventilation as possible, while still offering the necessary protection from dust and foreign objects. The diagram below illustrates the configuration needed:

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Once you put everything together it should look like this:

Since most PC casings are made of metal that stick to magnets (do check your's first before you attempt this DIY), using magnetic tape to line the edges of the board allows me to quickly snap on the cover to the casing's edge without using screws or force. And it removes as easily as a fridge magnet. Any board that is stiff enough yet easy to cut with an untility knife should work. I used a black foamed paper board, but you can also try other boards such as MDF, Kapaline or even Plywood. You may need an additional step of painting the board to a color to match your original casing.

In case some of you are not familiar, shown below are 2 of the unique supplies needed for the project: Net and Magnetic Tape

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The net I used is the type meant for lining windows to keep out mosquitos, and the magnetic tape is half an inch in width. They should be easily available from hardware stores these days. If you need help finding them, drop me an email.

And the end result? Here's mine.

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