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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: petercharlesfagg on March 27, 2013, 08:10:02 PM

Title: Cutting a rectangular aperture for panel controller?
Post by: petercharlesfagg on March 27, 2013, 08:10:02 PM
Friends,
Not sure where to post this question?

Apart from drilling small holes around the marked out rectangle, then joining all the holes with something, can anyone suggest a reasonably simple way of cutting the hole in 1.50 mm Aluminium?

Regards Peter.
Title: Re: Cutting a rectangular aperture for panel controller?
Post by: oscar on March 27, 2013, 08:19:07 PM
Any of these:- http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sheet+metal+nibbler&hl=en&sa=X&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=31NTUcjnL8qq0QWRzoDoCQ&ved=0CGsQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=785 (http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sheet+metal+nibbler&hl=en&sa=X&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=31NTUcjnL8qq0QWRzoDoCQ&ved=0CGsQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=785)
Title: Re: Cutting a rectangular aperture for panel controller?
Post by: petercharlesfagg on March 27, 2013, 08:22:28 PM
Quote from: oscar on March 27, 2013, 08:19:07 PM
Any of these:- http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sheet+metal+nibbler&hl=en&sa=X&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=31NTUcjnL8qq0QWRzoDoCQ&ved=0CGsQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=785 (http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sheet+metal+nibbler&hl=en&sa=X&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=31NTUcjnL8qq0QWRzoDoCQ&ved=0CGsQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=785)

Thankyou Oscar, that gives me plenty to choose from, I had hoped that I would not have to buy new tools for just one hole!

Anyway In may have to eventually!! :D

Regards Peter.
Title: Re: Cutting a rectangular aperture for panel controller?
Post by: scotsoft on March 27, 2013, 08:53:27 PM
If you have a jig saw then drill one hole in each corner

then use the jig saw to join the holes up.

Finish off with a file, job done  ;)

cheers John.
Title: Re: Cutting a rectangular aperture for panel controller?
Post by: petercharlesfagg on March 27, 2013, 09:41:35 PM
Quote from: scotsoft on March 27, 2013, 08:53:27 PM
If you have a jig saw then drill one hole in each corner

then use the jig saw to join the holes up.

Finish off with a file, job done  ;)

cheers John.

John, thankyou, now why didn't I think of that?

Regards, Peter.
Title: Re: Cutting a rectangular aperture for panel controller?
Post by: Sprintex on March 27, 2013, 09:52:29 PM
Just to add if you're using a jigsaw you will need the finest-toothed blade you can find for 1.5mm aluminium, otherwise there will be much jumping up and down of saw and ali sheet with a good probability of loss of fingers ;)


Paul
Title: Re: Cutting a rectangular aperture for panel controller?
Post by: scotsoft on March 27, 2013, 10:03:09 PM
If you have a peice of plywood or similar then place the aluminium on top and drill a couple of holes in the part you are going to cut out.

Push a coule of bolts through the holes and tighten the wood to the aluminium.

This will help with vibration and the screaching of aluminium plate being cut.

cheers John.
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