WMD Part III by G-gnome

External USB Sockets

To save faffing about at the back of the case, I fitted a dual-USB socket to the underside.



Like all the extension cables I used in the project, the dual-USB cable was taken from a FrontX module I was sent by KustomPCs. This is a configurable, 5.25 bay-insert, where you simply get only the cables you want and slot them in yourself. Not only could I get the specific cables I wanted, but they had compact plugs, unlike many of the ones that come packaged with motherboards (all the ones I had, had larger plugs and much thicker wires, besides being an ugly beige/grey). I marked up the case....



...drilled the ends of the slot and cut out the excess with my Dremel. One thing I have to mention was the noise! Cutting such a hard material, and being a hollow drum (a big echo chamber), the noise was horrendous. My wife used to come out to the garage, wondering what the noise was, thinking I had cut my fingers off and was screaming horribly or some such. After a while, she just turned the TV up loud. When that still didn't work, it was a case of "are you using that thing (points at the Dremel) tonight?" If answered yes, I got an "I'm going out." Who knows what the neighbours made of the noise? Probably thought I was the local cat torturer.



The finished slot once cleaned up. I had had a couple of covers cut out of 1.2mm stainless. One was a spare in case I messed up, and this came in handy later, becoming the cover for the key lock key.



The finished socket, and with the USB cable fitted. The screws that hold the cover on also attach the USB socket.