Hard Drive Window Mod

Hard Drive Window Mod
Posted :: May 23, 2004 by Impact

Difficulty :: 7/10
Skills :: Using a Dremel
Tools :: Dremel with Cut-off and sanding/buffer wheels, Electrical Tape, Screwdriver (type depends on type of hard drive), Plexiglass, Epoxy, Sandpaper, Metal File.

Disclaimer: When working with any electrical components you should always wear protective gear and always perform modifications under the supervision of a professional. We at AbsoluteInsight.net take no responsibility for what you do.

Unfortunately I finished this mod a long time ago and do not have pictures to guide your work. On a good note, the mod isn't that hard to do or explain. If you have trouble figuring out any steps contained in this guide, please feel free to ask questions in the discussions!

This mod is one of the coolest looking mods I have completed successfully. Once completed you should have a working hard drive that you can see into. Once plugged in it is amazing to see the hard drive spin up, and the arms jump all around the disk to find the data they need.

To start, examine the hard drive you are working with. This guide will use a Western Digital Hard Drive, but most will require the same basic steps, modified a slight bit depending on the shape of the case. Find all the screws holding the top to the case of the hard drive. Don't remove them yet, just find them.

Before you remove the screws you will need a large plastic bag ready. I used a large Ziplock Freezer bag. I suggest something much larger than you need, with a seal (Ziplock bag of some sort). The inside of a hard drive is extremely sensitive to foreign particles. This means the slightest bit of dust or dirt inside could stop the hard drive from working.
When you remove the screws to take the top off (the piece you will be modding) be ready to be very careful. Once the top is off, set it to the side, and carefully put the open hard drive inside the plastic bag where it will be safe from foreign particles.

Use a screwdriver to remove all the screws. On some hard drives there are hidden screws under the label. Make sure you remove those, or else the hard drive won't come apart easily. On the side of Western Digital hard drives there is a strip of tape going around the whole hard drive. This is used to seal the space where the lid meets the body. By removing this strip you will void the warranty on the hard drive, but the only way to finish the mod is to remove it.

Once you have the top in your hand and the rest of the drive sealed in a plastic bag someplace it will be safe, it is time to do the real modding.

Go grab your dremel and a bunch of cutoff wheels. Get a nice work area ready, somewhere you can dremel comfortably. Before you start cutting away at the top, be aware of the basic plan:
Cut a good sized hole in the hard drive top. Place a piece of plexiglass over the top of the hole.

Use your dremel to cut a good sized hole in the middle of the hard drive top. Be sure not to cut too close to the side. The plexiglass needs to have a lip to sit on (1/4"-1/2" works well). You will break LOTS of cutoff wheels while cutting through the metal of the case top; this is normal, just replace the wheel and continue cutting.

Once you have a good sized hole, it is time to sand it down. Use combinations of your metal file, sandpaper, and sanding/buffer wheels to make the inside cuts as smooth as you can. Wash the top in some water and soap. Make sure you have washed away all the metal scraps from when you cut/sanded it. While you let the top dry, we can start making the window piece.

If you are unfamiliar with plexiglass, it is quite a tempermental material. Chances are, you will break quite a bit before you get a good looking piece. Don't get frustrated, learn from what doesn't work. I used 1/4" Plexi for my window; 1/8" should work too and be easier to work with. Measure a piece of plexi the size you need (base on your hole). Make the plexi window piece 1/8"-1/4" larger than the hole on each side (larger is better, you can always make a piece smaller).

To cut plexiglass there are several methods that will work. You can use many types of saws. I have personally used hack saws and found that they suit my purposes for the most part. If you are using thin plexi you can also break it to the right size. To do this, use an exacto blade (or other razor) to make a break line. Draw the lines you want to cut with the razor and go over them multiple times to make a deep groove. Then place something thin under the groove (a pencil will work most of the time). Align the pencil so that it lies along the bottom of the groove (on one side, the piece of the plexi you want, on the other (the rest of the plexi). Then hit the side you dont need with a rubber mallet lightly. Just tap at the plexi until it cracks. If you make the cut deep enough with a razor, it should want to break along the groove. This method will give you straighter lines than a saw, but you normally end up breaking more plexi before you get a good piece. The method you use is up to you.

Once you have a good piece of plexi, sand the edges to make it look nice. Once sanded, clean the window like you did the hard drive top. Make sure the window fits where it should (over the top of the hole you cut).

Now, depending on the type of epoxy you have, you may need to add an additional step here. Some epoxies don't work well on smooth surfaces like plexiglass. To make a stronger bond, take some sandpaper and sand a slight bit of the plexiglass along the edges where it overlaps with the metal of the hard drive top. This will rough up the edges and give a rougher surface for the epoxy to set on.

Read the directions on your epoxy. Get the epoxy ready to go and then spread a very thin amount on the plexiglass where it overlaps the metal (where you sanded). Try not to over-do the epoxy because when you push down, it will squirt out the sides and potentially make the mod look very bad. Attach the plexiglass to the hard drive top. Make sure you push it down enough that all the epoxy touches both the plexi and the metal. Leave the window overnight to make sure the epoxy sets well enough to work with.

At this point, the window should be in place, and should have set overnight. At this point, use electrical tape to go around the egde of the plexiglass to form more of an air-tight seal. Add electrical tape around the top to make it look nice (you may need to use more or less depending on the quality of the job you did). I covered the entire top of mine (apart from the window) with electrical tape because I like the black look.

Once content with the look of the top, attach it back on the hard drive that is sitting in the bag wherever you left it. Just screw the screws in through the electrical tape. Once the lid (with window) is on, add a strip of electrical tape around the drive, where the original "Warranty Void if Removed" sticker was (to seal that area).

Congrats, You're done!
You should now have a hard drive with a window.
If you have any questions about this mod, please ask them in the comments.