vacuum tube hardware question

[markoramius]

Hi,

My parents are travelling to the US promptly, and I would ask them to bring me a tool for making holes on chassis for vacuum tube sockets.

Please, could you advise product and seller for this purchase?

I cannot find a punch or wathever here in Argentina to perform this task with detail.

Thank you.

Best Regards,
M.

[phaselag]

You need a chassis punch. Made by a variety of companies. Best known is Greelee. You will need to specify a size for the punch (hole). You might try DigiKey, Newark, Allied, etc. Grainger also carries them as well. The particular size you need may need to be ordered by the supplier.

Example: Radio Daze-Tools and http://www.electricsupplyonline.com/...-knockouts.php

paul

[markoramius]

Thank you Paul. Best Regards, M.

[indianajo]

Be aware the Greenlee "7/8"" punch, is actually .895" instead of .875". This is to allow clearance for the conduit thread burrs through the hole. The fact that you are installing a 9 pin socket, not a conduit, doesn't affect anything. I bought a no-brand 7/8" punch from mcmaster.com and it was also .895". Stopped my tube socket replacement job there and installed a eFET on a header.
If you want the greenlee punch, Home Depot stores have them in stock, no shipping charge required. Also all electrical supplies like Consolidated Electric.

[jackinnj]

Originally Posted by indianajo

Be aware the Greenlee "7/8"" punch, is actually .895" instead of .875".

The Greenlee "Radio Chassis Punch" is actually 0.8775", you may be referring to the "Slug-Buster" punch.

[simmconn]

If it is conduit size it will say so on the outsize of the punch. Otherwise it is actual hole size. Greenlee punches are expensive. There are punch sets made in China at much lower price, could be a better choice if you don't use them often or don't need them to last a long time.

[dave_gerecke]

If the material being drilled is relatively thin, you can also use a step bit, also referred to as a unibit. They have the advantage of being useful for multiple sizes of holes.

Unibit Step Drills - Drill Bits - Tools - IRWIN TOOLS

Peace,

Dave

[tomchr]

Originally Posted by simmconn

If it is conduit size it will say so on the outsize of the punch. Otherwise it is actual hole size. Greenlee punches are expensive. There are punch sets made in China at much lower price, could be a better choice if you don't use them often or don't need them to last a long time.

The GreenLee punches are worth every penny in my opinion. I've bought a couple used on eBay and even though they've been 40+ years old, they still cut a nice hole.

Buy a nice tool. It only hurts once - when you pull your wallet out. Buy a crappy tool and it hurts every time you use it.

~Tom

[jackinnj]

Only problem I had with a Greenlee punch was a busted draw stud! It was more expensive to get a new stud than a used punch. I got mine from a retired tool and die maker in Pittsburgh.

[tomchr]

Originally Posted by jackinnj

Only problem I had with a Greenlee punch was a busted draw stud! It was more expensive to get a new stud than a used punch. I got mine from a retired tool and die maker in Pittsburgh.

That's impressive. I think they're supposed to cut through rather thick (3 mm?) steel. But yeah... Even good tools don't last forever. They only last a long time - provided that you take care of them.

~Tom