I need to make some reasonably precise 0.675 x 0.9 inch holes in a 16 gauge mild steel box. What i don’t know is what tools we might have to make this work.
Too thick for a nibbler.
I guess I should be able to fixture the box in a mill, but that seems like overkill. Though I do like over kill…
Any suggestions? I’d prefer to avoid anything anatomically unlikely.
Turret punch?
I don’t think it has any square/rectangular dies but I’ll look. I also didn’t think it would do 16 gauge steel, but I’ll look. Certainly worth a look.
Another big problem is that this is a existing box with a lip on the edge. Not sure I can get it in the turret punch.
Already on my list, thanks.
Have you considered using a conduit punch or drill and filing to the final shape?
Yes, but one detail I neglected to mention is that I’ll need to do 20 or 30…
I probably should have led with this, but this is the part the hole needs to be cut for.
2632388.pdf (42.3 KB)
So I’d like to get pretty good accuracy, at least on the cut width.
Might be able to use the plasma cutter to rough them out and file to clean up. Don’t know how much the paint would be damaged with a fine-cut nozzle.
Might be that I can find a waterjet service that could do them as a no-priority job. My experience is that most of the cost in waterjet work is one-time setup.
Anyone know any other options or services?
And I’ll need two or three per box.
I don’t have any great suggestions, but you could print/laser/whatever a drilling template with the mounting holes and some holes for the corners of the cutout, then finish the square cutout with a jigsaw.
If the 2-3 per box could be set right next to each other, you could jigsaw one large square cutout and fill it with a flat plate that has 3 copies of your pattern on it. The flat plate would be easy to laser/plasma cut precisely and paint/powder coat to match the box.
If you’re not dead set on the keystone jacks, there are round panel mount versions for RJ45 (and others) like this. LCom makes some as well.
Yup, this is the alternative I’m trading off against. 7/8" hole punches are readily available and I have one. the challenge is the impact on the interior arrangement of the boxes.
This feels like an opportunity to make a new tool…
custom punch/die should be within reach to make @ DMS.
ToT has a video about making a round one. The heat treating info seems relevant, if nothing else. Obviously, the rectangular profile will mean milling instead of turning, but otherwise…
Tools like this aren’t cheap, and seem to come only with round dies/punches, necessitating making your own.
Of course, other sizes can be bought off the shelf
Example 1
Example 2
I don’t see why something like the latter couldn’t be used with an arbor or hydraulic press, and it seems like it just might be worth it for a run of 20-30. 2 or 3, not so much, unless ya just wanna.
I do waterjet work. I can cut these for you next week.
Thanks very much for the offer.
Note that these are in the side of the box, so 10+" inches off the surface. I understand it’s a rare WJ that can do that. And I understand there is no practical way to reliably protect the other wall.
If this works out, It’ll be a few weeks before I have a final drawing.