[sdiy] DIY panel - rectangle hole

[Luís Marka]

By the way, am I wrong or there was a talk about a home-made water 
cutting system that could cut aluminum up to some 3mm thick??

Scott wrote:
> Thanks for the replies.  
> I'd like to do it myself is possible, but I haven't thought to look into
> a local machine shop.  The Schafer prices are for painting and
> silkscreening and all.  I don't need that to be done, so maybe a local
> shop to simply cut the aluminum will be much less expensive.  I can put
> the labels and all on the panel myself.  I've been using clear laserjet
> adheasive paper.  Once it's printed, put on the panel and coated w/
> lacquer, the paper becomes completely transparent, and unless you look
> very closely, it looks like the text is right on the aluminum.  
>
> I don't know of any local machine shops, but I guess that is what t he
> phonebook is for.
>
> Thanks again for all the replies Ive gotten.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> [mailto:synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl] On Behalf Of Veronica
> Merryfield
> Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 2:29 PM
> To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> Subject: Re: [sdiy] DIY panel - rectangle hole
>
> Scott
>
> You can get punches for some sizes of hole (square, rectangles and so
> on) 
> but they can be expensive if available. These are two part devices
> requiring 
> a hole first through which a treaded portion passes to join the punch
> and 
> anvil parts and a spanner/wrench is used to tighten it thereby
> 'punching' 
> the hole.
>
> There is also a device called a broach that is used for making square
> holes. 
> This is like a file but with smooth sides and back with the teeth
> projection 
> being tappered, but again, these come in stock sizes and might be
> pricey. 
> These normal get used with a press of some sort.
>
> You can do this by hand with the aid of the drill press.
>
> You need a steel rule and an engineers square, drills and drill press, a
>
> hacksaw, a vice and a coupld of files - all relatively cheap handtools.
>
> I assume the panel has straight edges, which are parallel and square 
> corners.
>
> Using the square and ruler, you should be able to acurately locate the 
> rectangles you need to cut out. I would use a scribe to mark the
> perimeter 
> but you could use something else providing it won't rub off.
>
> Using the drill press and say a 1/4" drill, drill the first holes in the
>
> corners just touching both adjucent edges. Then drill a line of hole
> just 
> touching the perimeter and with some care, just touching or a mm away
> from 
> the previous hole. Take your time. This is called chain drilling.
>
> Once all the lines are done, use around a 1/2" drill to drill just
> inside 
> the 1/4" holes trying to touch the 1/4" holes in such a way that you'll
> be 
> able to push out the remaining inner panel. If you can't do this, if you
> can 
> at least do it once for each line, this will allow you to get a hacksaw 
> blade in and enable you to saw though the line of holes.
>
> Now to the filing. Put the panel in the vice using soft jaws or bits of 
> wood. Carefully file the lines of holes down to the lines. This will
> take a 
> while, but with care, you'll be fine. When you get the line done, with
> the 
> file through the panel, draw the file back and forth along the line
> keeping 
> the file perpendicular to the panel - this will put a nice finish on the
> cut 
> out. You could finsh with emery cloth if desired, but the draw finish
> from a 
> fine file will be ok.
>
> Failing all this, a local machine shop can mill the openings in a short 
> space of time.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Scott
> To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> Sent: Monday, August 13, 2007 11:58 AM
> Subject: [sdiy] DIY panel - rectangle hole
>
>
> Hello
> I'm wanting to drill out my own panel for a project I'm working on, the
> midibox sequencer. (yes,I feel like I'm cheating by going to a digital
> solution, but all the talk about the PSIM several weeks ago got me
> thinking that maybe it is ok :)  )
> there are two long rectangular displays for this project.  I've got a
> drill press, and I've got the whole standard panel mount panel
> construction worked out really well.
> This one is all PCB mount, and then the panel just sort of screws onto
> the PCB w/ all the switches and knobs and LCD's, which means it has to
> be much more precise.  I think I cam get all the holes drilled alright,
> but I have no idea what to do for the rectangular holes.
>
> Does anyone have any ideas of how I can DIY that, without buying any
> expensive equipment?  The only idea I've had so far is to drill it out
> all the way across, and then clean it up w/ a file, but I don't think I
> have enough skill to do that and have it all straight and square.  I
> know they make wood bits for drilling square peg holes, but I don't
> think that would work for metal, as it's basically just a chisel w/ a
> drill bit in the middle.
>
> I remember reading a while back about something called a nibbler, or
> something.  Is that what I need?  And then does that make nice clean
> cuts? (I have no idea what a nibbler is, but I have a hard time
> believing that it can make good straight cuts if its something that just
> removes a small chunk of metal at a time)
>
>
> Thanks for any ideas!
>
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