I usually draw panel holes/cutouts in CAD & print out.
1mm circle to indicate where to centre-pop.
3mm circle ensures the pilot drill hasn't wandered.
Then Pritt-stick to the panel. Small (3mm-ish) pilot drill first.
Easy if you have a manufacturers drawing of the piercing to work from.
Can be more difficult if measuring a component from life.
And do not assume anything - I was caught out by an LCD display - PCD holes were 0.3mm off-centre, it was shown on the drawing.
1mm circle to indicate where to centre-pop.
3mm circle ensures the pilot drill hasn't wandered.
Then Pritt-stick to the panel. Small (3mm-ish) pilot drill first.
Easy if you have a manufacturers drawing of the piercing to work from.
Can be more difficult if measuring a component from life.
And do not assume anything - I was caught out by an LCD display - PCD holes were 0.3mm off-centre, it was shown on the drawing.
Nibbler tool -- about $7 -- I think you can find it at Parts Express etc.
You can also do it by drilling a series of small holes within the outline of the IEC socket, put the panel on a piece of wood and knock it out with a punch -- then file. The IEC power connectors I have used have 6 sides so you won't find a Greenlee punch for less than a few hundred dollars.
Thanks for that
Nickel Plated Nibbling Tool
This looks to me like the most sensible, low cost solution unless I’m missing something.
PS OT I tried reaching out to you for some of SY’s boards a long time back and never heard back. Did your inbox get full? PM me if you have the time.
Drilling that series of holes and filing out with a series of files seemed to work the best overall.
This is what I learnt in metalwork class at school 50 years ago.
This looks to me like the most sensible, low cost solution...
Like ChrisB, I have a nibbler and it does not work well on material more than a millimetre or so thick.
Perhaps the one in your picture is better but I would drill and file too.
As several people have mentioned, take it slow and it's not hard to produce very tidy work.
Best wishes
David
While looking for circular IEC outlets I came upon this:
Museum of Plugs and Sockets: IEC 60309 plugs and sockets
Leave it to the Dutch to have a museum devoted to plugs and sockets.
I will go slow and try the hole and file method
Museum of Plugs and Sockets: IEC 60309 plugs and sockets
Leave it to the Dutch to have a museum devoted to plugs and sockets.
I will go slow and try the hole and file method
Leave it to the Dutch to have a museum devoted to plugs and sockets.
If you're country was full of polders you'd have a museum full of plugs.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
...getting the second hole on a volume pot or selector switch's indexing / lock washer is fun
Drill big hole. Put pot in. Scratch the tab on the metal. Now you have the right radius.
Cover both sides with blue tape or use soft wood in a vise in what ever method you decide upon in cutting
A firm solid foundation is paramount in doing it right.
Drilling many small holes, jig saw, rotary file in a high speed drill, finishing up with a course file, they all work but, make it secure so it will not move and you will succeed
Regards
David
A firm solid foundation is paramount in doing it right.
Drilling many small holes, jig saw, rotary file in a high speed drill, finishing up with a course file, they all work but, make it secure so it will not move and you will succeed
Regards
David
I think that's been suggested before, has anyone advised using a hammer and chisel?
I wouldn't advise using a hammer and chisel
Nice and slow with a drill and small holes, cut between holes with a coping saw, and finish off with files. Best with hand tools, and accuracy to 1/100th inch is entirely possible.
But a hammer and chisel could be fun ........
tapestryofsound
I think that's been suggested before, has anyone advised using a hammer and chisel?
Typically I go out to the garden looking for the sharpest, hand-holdable rock and go to town.
I was the one suggesting it, and I can assure you that it can be very fast and very neat; of course, it can also end up in a horrible mess even faster, which is why I advised some practice before committing to a real job.I wouldn't advise using a hammer and chisel
In general, fast and powerful techniques have a larger potential for huge and irretrievable mistakes: if you do all the work using a micro-file, you are never going to ruin anything, but it will take forever to complete the job
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
- Home
- Design & Build
- Construction Tips
- How to cut a square in a blank panel with minimal tools?