Rectangular openings in plastic enclosure?

[maurycy]

I am building small boombox for my son. Besides few round holes I need to make one approx 2x1" rectangular opening. The enclosure is 2/8" thick plastic. I do not have any fancy tools besides just some basic saws, jigsaw, drill, etc. Any ideas on how to cut the opening?

Thanks.

[firechief]

Saw with very fine teeth. On the order of the teeth on a hacksaw. Yo could start by drilling a series of holes inside the opening close together and using the saw or some suitable cutter/digger to connect the holes. Then when the opening is big enough to get the saw blade in start cutting to the corners of the opening. You might check at your local hardware store for an approiate saw. Shouldn't cost much.

[fredlf]

I would make a jig of the opening in some MDF first. If you have a router you can then use a pattern-bit to rout out the opening with the jig clamped to the work-piece. If no router, you can still use the jig to mark the corners, where you would drill holes. Then you would use the jig as a fence to hold the jigsaw nice and straight.

[tvrgeek]

You did not say if the edges need to be perfect. I have used a nibbler tool, but quarter inch is really thick. Scribe, drill, file.

[maurycy]

Thanks for replies. I have used the rotary tool with a diamond covered cutting disks. Worked like a charm. The thickness was 1/8" not 2/8". It was a typo. The edges are not perfect but they do not have to be. The mp3 player panel overlaps the opening nicely covering the rough edges.