• Fixing Antec P180 ATX case's plastic tabs for the 6 front fascia?

    From Ant@21:1/5 to All on Sun Oct 11 10:06:50 2015
    XPost: alt.comp.hardware.homedesigned, alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt, atl.comp.hardware.homebuilt

    Hello.

    My old Antec P180 ATX case's plastic tabs for the 6/six front fascia
    (3/three on each side) are down to one/1 now. Is there a way to fix them
    or do I need to buy a new ATX case? :(

    Thank you in advance. :)
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  • From Paul@21:1/5 to Ant on Sun Oct 11 19:39:32 2015
    XPost: alt.comp.hardware.homedesigned, alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt

    Ant wrote:
    Hello.

    My old Antec P180 ATX case's plastic tabs for the 6/six front fascia
    (3/three on each side) are down to one/1 now. Is there a way to fix them
    or do I need to buy a new ATX case? :(

    Thank you in advance. :)

    There is an article here for the computer case.

    http://www.silentpcreview.com/article249-page4.html

    I can see in this picture, the front fascia would be
    the black vertical band on the right hand edge of
    this picture. And one of the tabs for that, pokes
    through near the bottom inside of the case. I wasn't
    able to spot all six of them.

    http://www.silentpcreview.com/files/images/p180/psutunnel2.jpg

    You realize there isn't much you can do to repair
    plastic, and especially not plastic that is called
    on to flex, over and over again.

    *******

    I use 3/4" long stainless steel #2 screws to repair things. I have
    a tap and drill bit (sized for the tap).

    As an example, I dropped my TV remote on the floor one
    too many times, and the two halves of the plastic clamshell
    body wouldn't stay together. But after adding four #2
    machine screws on the edges, it's as "tight as a drum" now.

    I don't put great store in adhesives and glues, as sooner
    or later they let go. The screws have worked pretty well.
    I managed to snap one off, but that's because when you
    drill into plastic with the correct sized drill bit,
    it tends to "pull" off center and the hole is a slight
    continuous curve, rather than going straight into the
    material. I have to cut the screws down, from their full
    0.75" length, to 0.375" long, so that the screws don't
    experience too much stress from being forced to follow
    a "crooked" hole.

    Paul

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  • From SC Tom@21:1/5 to Ant on Mon Oct 12 08:14:00 2015
    XPost: alt.comp.hardware.homedesigned, alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt, atl.comp.hardware.homebuilt

    "Ant" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    Hello.

    My old Antec P180 ATX case's plastic tabs for the 6/six front fascia
    (3/three on each side) are down to one/1 now. Is there a way to fix them
    or do I need to buy a new ATX case? :(

    Thank you in advance. :)

    Any chance of drilling out the broken tabs and using something like car fasteners and the existing holes <http://www.diytrade.com/china/pd/6726463/Car_Door_Panel_Clips_Automotive_Plastic_Nuts_auto_retainer_pin.html>

    They come in various lengths and sizes and would still make the panel removable, but wouldn't have the "duct tape repair" look :-) Just check your local auto parts houses; there is quite often a "Help" parts rack.
    --
    SC Tom

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  • From Michael Black@21:1/5 to Ant on Mon Oct 12 13:53:39 2015
    XPost: alt.comp.hardware.homedesigned, alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt, atl.comp.hardware.homebuilt

    On Sun, 11 Oct 2015, Ant wrote:

    Hello.

    My old Antec P180 ATX case's plastic tabs for the 6/six front fascia
    (3/three on each side) are down to one/1 now. Is there a way to fix them
    or do I need to buy a new ATX case? :(

    Thank you in advance. :)

    1)Buy a 3D printer
    2)figure out how to create a software model of the existing panel
    3)print it out with the 3D printer

    At least it's an excuse to have a 3D printer.

    When I got my HP 4P laser printer a decade ago for fifteen dollars,
    one the way home I noticed the panel to access the memory slots was
    missing. Maybe I losted it as I carried it, but I wondered if it had
    been missing and was thus donated to the Rotary Club as a result. It
    had a really low page count on it when I got it.

    The panel was plastic, there were tabs to hold it in place.

    The best I could do was find a scrap inkjet printer with enough flat
    surface on the cover and cut out a piece of plastic the right size.
    And then I had to tape it, too much work (assuming I could do it) to
    create the tabs to hold it in place.

    Michael

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  • From VanguardLH@21:1/5 to Ant on Mon Oct 12 21:18:37 2015
    XPost: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt

    Ant wrote:

    Hello.

    My old Antec P180 ATX case's plastic tabs for the 6/six front fascia
    (3/three on each side) are down to one/1 now. Is there a way to fix them
    or do I need to buy a new ATX case? :(

    Another option (than Red Green Show repairs already mentioned by myself
    and others): contact Antec to see if you can buy a new front cover. Of
    course, if they charge more for the part and shipping than to buy a new
    P180 case then buy a new case and transfer mobo and other components to
    the new case.

    You said you have their P180 model. Maybe another model, like the P183,
    has a cover that will fit. They list some spare parts you can order at https://bobteam.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/1000144031-performance-series-spare-parts-list.
    They do list a front bezel replacement part for P180/P180B/P182. I read
    that Antec came out with a thicker bezel so it won't warp as much, so if
    you get a replacement bezel then it could be the stronger one.

    If the case is still within the warranty period, you could try getting
    Antec to ship to you for free a new front cover. However, I suspect
    they will claim the breakage of the securing tangs is consider abuse and
    not covered by their warranty.

    I saw a P180 case listed at eBay for $33 (but there is a shipping cost).
    Says it has a non-fuctioning from USB port but that could be from an
    improper hookup. If the port was truly defective, you could swap in the
    one from your front cover. The price might be cheaper than ordering a replacement from Antec.

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  • From Ant@21:1/5 to but they on Wed Oct 14 01:21:30 2015
    XPost: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt

    My old Antec P180 ATX case's plastic tabs for the 6/six front fascia
    (3/three on each side) are down to one/1 now. Is there a way to fix them
    or do I need to buy a new ATX case? :(

    Another option (than Red Green Show repairs already mentioned by myself
    and others): contact Antec to see if you can buy a new front cover. Of course, if they charge more for the part and shipping than to buy a new
    P180 case then buy a new case and transfer mobo and other components to
    the new case.

    I did contact Antec a couple weeks ago, but they said they didn't carry
    parts for this very old case model. :(


    You said you have their P180 model. Maybe another model, like the P183,
    has a cover that will fit. They list some spare parts you can order at https://bobteam.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/1000144031-performance-series-spare-parts-list.
    They do list a front bezel replacement part for P180/P180B/P182. I read
    that Antec came out with a thicker bezel so it won't warp as much, so if
    you get a replacement bezel then it could be the stronger one.

    If the case is still within the warranty period, you could try getting
    Antec to ship to you for free a new front cover. However, I suspect
    they will claim the breakage of the securing tangs is consider abuse and
    not covered by their warranty.

    No warranty since it was bought used on 6/30/2006 according to my http://zimage.com/~ant/antfarm/about/toys.html history. ;)


    I saw a P180 case listed at eBay for $33 (but there is a shipping cost).
    Says it has a non-fuctioning from USB port but that could be from an
    improper hookup. If the port was truly defective, you could swap in the
    one from your front cover. The price might be cheaper than ordering a replacement from Antec.

    Did it say anything else broken like tabs? :P
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  • From VanguardLH@21:1/5 to Ant on Wed Oct 14 12:57:52 2015
    XPost: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt

    Ant wrote:

    VanguardLH wrote:

    I saw a P180 case listed at eBay for $33 (but there is a shipping cost).
    Says it has a non-fuctioning from USB port but that could be from an
    improper hookup. If the port was truly defective, you could swap in the
    one from your front cover. The price might be cheaper than ordering a
    replacement from Antec.

    Did it say anything else broken like tabs? :P

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Used-Antec-P180-Computer-Case-with-non-functioning-front-USB-Port-/231717832099

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