Analog meter holes - HomeBrew Forum at eHam.net

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Analog meter holes	Reply
by K1PJR on August 24, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
What is the best way to cut out holes for an anolog meter. I'm mounting a volt and ammeter in an aluminum project box. The holes are about 2" in dia. I suppose I could buy a punch set but it's not worth the investment for this one time project. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks Phil K1PJR

RE: Analog meter holes	Reply
by W3LK on August 24, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Jig saw or scroll saw with a very fine blade ... Series of small holes around the edge of the hole you want to make and then file down then rough edges ... Large step drill ... Large pipe reamer ... 73, Lon - W3LK Naugatuck, Connecticut

RE: Analog meter holes	Reply
by KE3WD on August 24, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Or a hand-operated Chassis Nibbling Tool.

RE: Analog meter holes	Reply
by K8AC on August 26, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
After all these years, you can still buy the Adel Nibbling Tool - see here: http://www.adelnibbler.com/ It takes a small nibble (about 1/4" by 1/16")with each squeeze and you can cut any size or shape hole you desire. It's even great for cutting straight lines. I use one for cutting small sections out of prototype circuit boards. Not a good idea for steel sheet unless it's very thin, but that can dull the punch fairly quickly. Last time I was at Radio Shack, they stocked one of these tools of a different design, but it does work. The Adel is far better at ejecting the "chad", which tends to stick in the Radio Shack model.

RE: Analog meter holes	Reply
by G3RZP on August 26, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
It's some time since I was in a Sears store, but they used to have a 'circle cutter' - a fly cutter which would do the job nicely if held in a drill press. We call them 'tank cutters' for cutting round holes in water tanks. From memory, it was pretty cheap. I use mine fairly often.

RE: Analog meter holes	Reply
by K4DPK on August 27, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
On thick panels, say, 11 ga., a variable-speed scroll saw works well with a coarse blade. Ten or twelve teeth per inch is about right. That takes a big enough bite to prevent galling. Go slow in both feed and speed. I have a Teflon plate fastened to the bottom of my saw, so it doesn't mar the finish in a panel. In any event, you should mark and saw it from the back side just in case. Clean up with a half-round file. For thin aluminum, draw the circle and drill around the inside of it with 1/4" bit. Then use a nibbler to work up to the line. I have Greenlee punches for several meter sizes, but the scroll saw is about as fast in panels and the large punches often wont fit inside smaller enclosures. Phil C. Sr. k4dpk

RE: Analog meter holes	Reply
by KE4DRN on August 27, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
hi Phil, Klein Tools #76011B Nibbler under $20 at amazon.com 73 james

RE: Analog meter holes	Reply
by W8JI on August 27, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
We use cheap hole saws extensively. You can buy a full set of various size round blades for 30-40 bucks. I have a full set of punches (hydraulic and screw), an electric nibbler, a Rotozip (great tool), a single blade cutter (yuk), and jig saws but nearly all the time we use round hole saws. You can use a wood one for aluminum if you keep it soaked in WD40 while cutting. As a matter of fact any time we cut aluminum we spray WD40 or automatic transmission fluid on the blades. Automatic transmission fluid is the best lube, but it is messy. Be sure to clamp the aluminum down good and back it with a piece of wood to prevent chatter or movement. 73 Tom

RE: Analog meter holes	Reply
by WD4HXG on August 31, 2009	Mail this to a friend!
Take a draftsman compass. Insert a steel pin instead of a pen or pencil. Using the steel pin lightly scribe a circle of the dimension needed directly on the piece of aluminum. Use a Dremel tool with a router bit to rough around the hole outline or drill consecutive holes around the outline. If you drill consecutive holes nip out with cutters the remaining aluminum holding the center piece. Take a file and finish the hole up to the edge of the scribed circle.

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