Help with purchasing/installing an acrylic window side panel

[Pvt. Banana]

Hey FacePunch. I have a question regarding acrylic side panels, as the title suggests. I have this case: [url]www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811815002[/url]
If I bought a side panel for a brand like CoolerMaster, would it be compatible with my Xigmatek, are there different standards of side panels that would cause compatibility issues? Would I be better off installing my own window? If so, how would I go about this?

[DoobZilla]

Usually, side panels are somewhat interchangeable. But I don't recommend buying one online unless you know for certain it will fit. I've installed quite a few windows and I've always used an air nibbler to cut the hole in the panel. Just be sure and buy some molding/edging so you don't cut yourself. Also, I've used lexan (tough acrylic), plexi, vinyl, and actual glass for windows. Plexi is the easiest to work with, but lexan is more scratch resistant (not to mention bullet resistant in thicknesses above 1/2"), and a bit more expensive. Glass has the nicest finish, but is the hardest to work with. One trick, to try and hide minor imperfections in your hole, is to mount a piece of plexi, lexan, etc. on the inside and another on the outside. And, if you cut a design into the plexi, then mount led's on the edge(s), the design will light up (just be sure and cut/etch pretty deep.
As for any other tools that you might need/want to rent/find a shop that can do it for you:
A bandsaw, holesaw, drill press with very slow speed (faster speeds will melt the plastic), and a tap & die set (for any threading of the plastic that you might need). Of course, you don't need all of the aforementioned tools, but, depending on how you do this, you might need them.

Hope this helps!

[Pvt. Banana]

That did help a lot, thank you. I just found out that Xigmatek makes acrylic side panels for my model case, so I'll probably just end up getting that online.

[DoobZilla]

NP, anytime.

Good to hear that you can just buy one, premade. It's a bitch to do it the first time.