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I read a thread on this before cant find it. Basically wanna cut a square hole in a plastic enclosure for a switch, about 20mm X 7mm. How do you guys do it, is there a tool i can get
I've always used an old soldering iron to melt a rectangular hole. While the plastic is still warm, use a razor blade across the surface to remove the "lip" that results. Then use a file or something similar to make the hole the exact size needed, and perfectly square. I suppose a Dremel tool might be fun to try as well... never owned one myself.
Hmm, an idea i have is to get some heating wire, like the kind in toasters and electric heaters. Make it into a square, plug it in, and melt a square hole in the plastic.
You could make all sorts of different shaped holes in the plastic.
If you have more than a few to do, what I have done is make a template of metal. Do a nice square hole in a piece of sheet metal, exactly the size you want. Then you can drill a hole in the plastic, clamp the metal template over it, and have at it with a small square or triangle file. The metal will stop you from going past the size, and lets you file much more quickly without worying about ruining the hole.
I have also used spare PC card slot plates with the "sub D and parallel port cutouts to do the same thing.
the tool I mentioned comes in two flavours: the cheaper version has a long bolt and two steel cutters, drill a hole big enough for the bolt then place cutters either side of plastic, tighten bolt/nut until cut through, I did buy one some years ago from a hobby shop but it seems to have disappeared.
The other type is based on a hand or machine operated bench press of similar design (minus the nut and bolt)
If you type "Greenlee hole punch" into Google you should find the bolt/cutter-type punch that EdwardM describes. Greenlee punches are quality tools so they aren't cheap.
I use the drill hole & saw or drill hole & file methods, depending on what size square hole is needed. You shouldn't be wearing out your fingers. Let the file do the work.
I usually use a nibbler, if the plastic is thin enough. They were available from radio shack, don't know if they still carry them..If the plastic is too thick,over 1/8", I usually scribe the outline of the hole drill out the center and file the corners..
All my hardware prototyping is done with a drill press, scroll saw, Dremmil and nibblers. Occasionally the X-Acto knife comes out to touch things up. With those tools I can cut any shape in almost any material.
All my hardware prototyping is done with a drill press, scroll saw, Dremmil and nibblers. Occasionally the X-Acto knife comes out to touch things up. With those tools I can cut any shape in almost any material.
A few crude methods mentioned here, as well as a few impractical ones.
The original question was about a square (or rectangular) hole in a plastic BOX. Now, these things are usually quite small and often the hole is required in the side wall, not in the removable lid.
So, saws that hold the blade at both ends are out. So are hand nibblers since its handle cannot be moved inside the box and doing the nibbling the other way round means marking the box on the inside - not easy either if one wants accuracy.
What I have been using for years, and very successfully BTW, is what's called an 'abrafile' It has a very coarse abrasive coating on a non hardened shaft so the file can actually be bent somewhat. Mine has a diameter of 1/8" which means I drill a 1/8" hole at each corner of the cutout and saw file the bit in between out.
This works very fast in plastic and moderately fast in diecast boxes.
I have used the same abrafile for years and its done hundreds of cutouts by now. If one uses this tool carefully, just a light finishing trim with an ordinary file is required at the corners, to get them square.
Klaus
I use the following tools. The one with silver handle works better than the yellow-handle one.
The first one is part no. 76011B from Klein Tools.
The second one is a common generic brand from many distributors. For example: **broken link removed**
They are nibbler tools. They are about 10 dollars, can get one at Radio Shack even. they cut a small ( about 4mm square ) notch.
I agree, the lower one does seem to work better than the Klein. I bought the same one at Electrosonic, I think it was a GC ( General Cement ) brand. It seems to be the way the cutting tool is made, with a progressive cut. I find you still need to file the edges afterwards, to remove burrs from metal.
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