OT: Cutting a hole in 1.5mm/ 0.06 inch thick steel, any get-by technique?

You might see if you can come up with a chassis punch. Here's one variety

The best would be if you could go to a shop and just use one there.

WT

That can be very neat depending on your skills. The best way would be a hole punch like a Q-Max - but one that size would be very expensive.

I'd probably use a holesaw but these too can be expensive for decent quality ones. Otherwise a nibbler. But that might just come under 'fancy tools'? Although the hand ones aren't that expensive. Monodex is one make. There are power ones - air operated, driven via an electric drill, or self contained electric.

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    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
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I was wondering about about those multi tooth ring cutters concentric to a pilot drill, remove the unwanted ones, by turning backwards, to free. Grinding down most of the teeth leaving just those of one "set" say teeth 1...5...9 to reduce the bite that would stall a non-geared down drill, plus a double-bunded pond of cutting oil.

-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on

What's the material? Steel or aluminum? (Sorry if this was mentioned.)

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There are various kinds of hand powered sheet metal cutters (metal nibblers to) available on the market.I own a few of them.Some of the sheet metal cutters are designed for cuttting straight, some for cutting to the right, some for cutting to the left.Buy one of them.Drill a hole in the sheet metal so you can get the metal cutter (metal nibbler) started and cut out the metal. cuhulin

I've never used a nibbler but I seem to remember they give an up and down ripple to the cut steel, due to the stop/start action and also any sideways irregularity.

-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on

A holesaw?

Most of the low priced ones aren't made for steel cutting - you need types with hardened teeth for that. Or bi-metal ones where the teeth are of a stronger material. But the exact size you want - I'm not sure. Maybe for cutting downlighter holes. Here's a decent priced source of the various types:-

But they don't give as 'perfect' a hole as a punch - it will still need some dressing afterwards and a fairly slow cutting speed is better with the larger sizes. Clamp the sheet to wood for the best cut so you can use steady pressure.

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    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
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They won't give a perfect edge - but then the only thing that will is a punch like a Q-Max. And a three inch one - even if available - will be extremely costly.

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    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
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Appreciated, but it would only be for a one-off cut, so sacrificing a cheapo holesaw, by grinding off most of the teeth, may well survive 2 jobs, one as a test and one for real. The undecided thing is what sacrificial backing material to reduce breakout tearing, would denser MDFB be better than plywood? Would cease cutting at first breakout be the best option, finishing off by hand, a clean cut surface on one side only, is perfectly acceptable for this job.

-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on

Depending on how close to the edge you are[1] a coping or fretsaw with either a steel cutting blade or something like an abrafile + a little skill.

Or take a look at 'tankcutters' There used to be a hole saw availbale specially for those MK chassis mounting 13 amp mains sockets.

[1] that`s the edge of the workpiece.. not your sanity ;)

Ron(UK)

I think the problem is the real cheapies are wood only and simply won't cut steel at all. One which *can* cut steel will work unmodified.

Any wood type stuff that is solid enough to support the work - so 1" or so MDF would be fine. But a holesaw doesn't give a perfect cut on either side as the pilot, being a drill, doesn't locate it accurately. Might be possible to drill a pilot and replace the drill with a plain rod to help location - but I wouldn't bet on it. To be perfectly honest the amount of hand finishing and skill required to get a decent hole will be fairly high no matter how you make the hole without a punch - so for a one off I'd just drill a series of holes and file true afterwards. A decent half round file will be cheaper than all the alternatives and needed anyway. You scribe the circle and cut under size. Then file to the line bit by bit with the sheet supported between two scraps of MDF etc in the vice jaws.

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    Dave Plowman        dave@davenoise.co.uk           London SW
                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.

I hadn't considered that problem, so replacing the drill bit with a rod, or even a conical centre of some sort, after pilotting. Even if the most external point of the crude holesaw, little more than scratched a trough say about 0.5mm deep , it would be easier and neater (my) hand finishing to that, because you can then angle the file, rather than first time all round, hit a blued line.

-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on

Maybe a piece of scrap pipe about the outside diameter of the hole you want in the thin metal.Grind a sharp edge on the outside (or inside) of one end of the pipe and use a heavy hammer.Try it on a piece of scrap metal.It might work. cuhulin

The cutting oil is a good idea, essential even. That said, I don't think you want to be grinding on a saw blade of any kind. Aside from the difficulty in obtaining any kind of precision, the heat generated will degrade the steel.

Has anybody used those hole cutters which are a pilot bit with a single carbide 'knife' on the end of an adjustable arm? I've seen--but not used--them.

I'd think the OP would need to either do a lot of filing, buy an expensive tool (punch)...or have the job done in a machine shop.

It all depends on the degree of precision required. Perhaps a less precise hole would suffice, if some sort of escutcheon or trim ring will work in the application.

jak

If you do any grinding, be sure to wear something to 100 percent protect your eyes.About ten years ago, I was grinding a drill bit.A tiny spect of metal or piece of the grinding wheel got into my right eye.I wound up going to the VA Medical Center to have it removed from my eye.I wear eyeglasses, but my eyeglasses didn't keep that little piece of grit out of my eye. cuhulin

diameter

filing.

mill

'fancy

make.

self

* a 1...5...9

I don't think I'll try hammering bits of pipe.

I'd only be grinding the tips off 3 in 4 teeth, as the sheet is only 1.5 mm, I don't see doing that would be generating enough heat to affect the remaining ones.

-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on

Drill press fly cutter; I use one frequently on light gauge steel, most any thickness aluminum and wood. Much easier to control and more accurate than any hollow hole saw. For clean cuts, stop before final penetration, invert the piece and finish from the rear (if possible).

Michael

it grabs you could be in trouble otherwise.

Ron(UK)

Yes. If you have a drill press with a vise, cutting oil and use a reasonably slow speed and slow feed it will do a bang up job - only on (very) flat material and mild steel, cold rolled steel etc..