This is my favorite method of keeping my video and sound cards running cool. If you're familiar with either the Cardcooler or 3dfxcool.com's Voodoo1/Voodoo2 Cooler, then you're already familiar with this. I originally got the idea a few years back when I first ordered a Voodoo1 Cooler from 3dfxcool.com. Upon receiving it, I was shocked to see how simple and cheesy it was. Those of you who bought it or the V2 version will remember the same old feeling I'm sure. No wonder they didn't have any pictures of it on their website. A monkey on a stick could have built one of these for $3. Don't get me wrong. I think 3dfxcool.com carries some pretty high quality products and this cheesy unit did do the job for a V1, but I definitely paid too damn much for this thing (I believe the price was $14.95 back then).
Anyway, despite the fan being inadequate for today's hot running video cards, the idea is still very sound. Here's how you can construct a mega-cooler with just a spare PCI slot cover and a cheap 3" or 4" case fan.
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1. Take one spare PCI slot cover, like the one you tossed aside when you installed your video card, and bend it at the end where the screw is suppose to go. Depending on what
video card you have, you should bend it just enough to give some clearance to the card as some video cards jut out slightly once it's installed.
2. Using superglue, attach the fan onto the opposite end of the PCI slot. The fan should be pointing inward towards
the card(s). You can have it pointed in the opposite direction and suck hot air away, but I've found that having the fan
blow air towards the card(s) works best.
For an even more secure hold, drill a hole at the end of slot cover
and secure the fan onto it with a screw. After attaching the screw, make sure you cover the screw's head with some plastic tape. The metal from the screw top shouldn't be an electrical risk to card, but this is good insurance (if not piece of mind).
3. Mount the assembly using the same screw as the one retaining your primary display card. You can use the adjacent slot also if that allows the fan to provide better coverage. If you find that the side panel of your PC case is rubbing against the back of the fan, attach some more screws into the back of the fan, but don't twist them all the way down. Leave the screws sticking out slightly. These "spacer poles" will insure plenty of clearance for air intake and will prevent the back of the fan from rubbing against the side panel of the case. Of course, you can skip this part if you have a really spacious case.
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The final product should look somewhat like this. This a 4" Antec fan I built a while back. It's shown next to a 3dfxcool Voodoo1 cooler for comparison. The sheer amount of air this thing produces is amazing. Because of it's very wide diameter, it also sends a sizable blast of air over several cards. I highly recommend this method for anyone owning a V3. The V3, especially the V3 3000, has one of the best, factory mounted heatsinks available on any video card today. The only problem with it is that it does not come with active cooling. This cooling method should take care of that nicely without having to resort to replacing the factory unit or attaching a barely adequate 486 fan onto it. Even the fins on the V3 3000 are pointed in the perfect direction to complement the airflow.