[ARC5] Chassis nibbler

[Bill Cromwell]

Hi Neil,

Try a metal cutting "hole-saw". It mounts in the chuck of a drill motor 
and you can get one just a step under the size of the hole you need for 
an octal socket. The octal sockets I used are about an inch and an 
eighth in diameter. Going to that size from five eighths *will* require 
a lot of patience and calories if you use a file! Start closer to the 
finish size with the hole saw and hand finish with a file.

Jeweler's files are much smaller than anything I call a rat-tail file! 
You would need all month (or longer) to take a 5/8 hole to 1-1/4 with a 
jeweler's!! A rat-tail file - or for the big holes a half round file - 
will get you where you want to go.

This kind of approach is good for making a few holes once in a while. If 
you are mass producing the boxes with their holes for the millions (or 
even a few hundred thousand) you should look elsewhere. I acquired a set 
of the Greenlee donut hole makers and still wouldn't make holes in a 
production environment. It *IS* easier to consider using octals instead 
of minis <evil grin>.

73,

Bill  KU8H


On 02/03/2015 12:17 AM, AKLDGUY . wrote:
> To Bill Cromwell:
> I had a set of what we called 'rat-tail' files, like your jeweler's files,
> but it's
> a lot of hard work to file out a 5/8" hole to the size of an octal socket.
> The aim is to mount a pair of VR-105's or their 7-pin miniature equivalents
> so that I can power a receiver at 210V.
>
> To Scott Robinson:
> Pre-drilling small holes around the perimeter is a very good suggestion
> that I may just use. Thanks.
>
> To Tom Chirhart:
> Unfortunately I have neither scrap die-cast aluminium nor Dremel motor
> tool.
>
> To Dennis Monticelli:
> No problem. My nibbler can just handle the thickness of the die-cast box
> by angling it a little to get a 'bite'.
>
> To WA5CAB - Robert Downs:
> Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of a drill press or mill.
>
> Thanks to all who made suggestions.
> 73 de Neil ZL1ANM
>
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 3, 2015 at 10:58 AM, Bill Cromwell <wrcromwell at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 02/02/2015 04:50 PM, AKLDGUY . wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks Dennis but the query related specifically to DIE-CAST aluminium.
>>> I've used my nibbler on countless ordinary aluminium sheet but never
>>> on DC.
>>>
>>> 73 de Neil ZL1ANM
>>>
>>> On Tue, Feb 3, 2015 at 10:45 AM, Dennis Monticelli <
>>> dennis.monticelli at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>   Hi Neil,
>> I was worried about breaking the tool or my hand with that die cast
>> aluminium. I resorted to small files (or larger ones for roughing out). The
>> files I had are called "jeweler's files" and now I can't find mine. Let us
>> know if you have any success doing it with the nibbler.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Bill  KU8H
>>
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