metalwork - cutting large square / rectangle holes.

I've gotten pretty handy with a drill, center punch, and holesaws for doing standard knobs, connectors, etc.

But what about for large rectangular holes, such as for module racking, sumthing, etc? Is a jigsaw the appropriate tool? What about blade type? Looking for a solution on the cheaper side, as I don't do this kind of work too often.

I've literally burned through two Dremels trying to cut a hole for two PM1000 modules in a Par Metal aluminum faceplate (luckily Home Depot takes them back!). It's obviously the wrong tool for the job. Takes way too long, then smokes and dies!

Help,

Tim

For aluminium, use a hand-router with a standard 6mm wood bit, a template that you can run the router in, and last but not least, a whole lot of paraffine oil for cooling and lubing

For steel, drill a whole lotta' holes, connect, and file down to size.

Jakob E.

Thank you. I knew there was a better solution. Returned my second burned out Dremel to HD today. It seems like it is the Speed potentiometer that goes.

Checked out the nibbler before, but seems like it would take forever for large, module style holes.

Tim

I mostly use a jigsaw for square cut outs, the hole margins marked on masking tape to stop the bottom of the jigsaw scuffing the panel.

I used to use the drill loads of holes, & connect, but it just takes for ever. I found it's easier with the jigsaw, so long as you protect the face of the panel with marking tape. The only circumstance now where I use that method is if the hole is round, & too big to punch but too small to jigsaw.

I can see that the use of a router might be good if you had loads of the same panels to do, but who wants to make a template for a one off job. ? you have to cut the hole in the template somehow, which means you make 2 holes when you only needed one !!!! :wink:

I drill a 1/4" (or so) hole at each corner, then one hole as large as possible in the center. A little nibbling & few minutes with a flat file on the edges..... of course, this is why I avoid square holes like the plague and only use meters that fit in round holes.
I have bought a huge assortment of good quality hole cutting bits off Ebay very cheap.

Near me, there is a company that makes signs for businesses out of Aluminum, Steel, Wood, practically whatever. They use a large computer-controlled table router to do these. The guy accepts Corel files (maybe vector files, not sure, since I haven't used them yet). Same thing as the hand router, but neater results from what I saw of their work. At least neater than MY work. :roll:

If the hole is big enough, I have a square chassis punch to get things started. Or, I just drill out the bulk of the area. A nibbler followed by a mill bastard file can get things pretty neat looking.

I can see that the use of a router might be good if you had loads of the same panels to do, but who wants to make a template for a one off job. ? you have to cut the hole in the template somehow, which means you make 2 holes when you only needed one  !

Click to expand...

Yes and no. I cut the template from 3mm acrylic - much easier to cut and file into shape.

Jakob E.