JeffR Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Anybody got any idea where I can get a hole punch that will make 7mm square holes in thin metal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Make one ? Or try G&M Tools* Ashington, west sussex * Warning going there may seriously damage your wallet and relationship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 Make one ?Or try G&M Tools* Ashington, west sussex * Warning going there may seriously damage your wallet and relationship OOOOH shiney things, my wife has just removed my credit card because of you..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymorris Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 You could but a punch and die from http://www.kingsland.com/punches_dies.htm and maybe fit it to a hydraulic garage type press , it will cost you about £50 for the punch & die, I guess it depends how many holes you need to make Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 Should have mentioned that I need to make square holes in in situ body panels. It is looking like I will have to do it the hard way, 7mm diameter hole and a needle file. Only got about 30ish to do, I can feel the blisters starting already. add to that most are in aluminium and I better see about buying a decent file card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heath robinson Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 I'm fairly sure that g and m tools must never, ever be mentioned again for the sake of my wallet and my sanity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Jeff. What thickness alli ? I made a pile of radio chassis while at Catterick. They were punched out of 16 gauge alli. I used two bits of angle whith the holes cut to size. The angle clamped together and a punch made from a bolt. Could you not make something like only a square hole and punch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Could you knock up something similar to a Q-max square hole cutter? Just grind a nut square and make the other part by welding 4 flats of metal together to form a tube and weld a washer to the end then a small HT bolt to pull it all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Is it for rubbing strips? If so tigerseal does a wonderful job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted March 9, 2013 Author Share Posted March 9, 2013 Is it for rubbing strips? If so tigerseal does a wonderful job! Nope, anything that is screwed to the bodywork (rear reflectors, side repeaters, indicators, side lights etc) I want to fix with the job lot of stainless self tappers I bought last year! Also bought a shed load of these Which fit in 7mm square holes! Have tried some round ones I got from somewhere but as you tighten up the self tappers they just spin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondjeremy Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 I drill a round hole then file it square with a triangular file. Doesn't take long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted March 9, 2013 Author Share Posted March 9, 2013 I drill a round hole then file it square with a triangular file. Doesn't take long. Just counted , there's 47....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 .... multiplied by 4 corners on each hole ..... and using a triangle file means two filing operations to each corner .... so only 376 flats to file ....... albeit not a great deal of metal to remove Think I'd be making a doobrie to cut square holes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 Would this work, given the holes only need to be accurate enough for the inserts to hold? Make a die, a lump of steel with a 7mm square hole filed into it. Get a length of steel bar at 7mm square. Turn, grind or file it so that one end is tapered, like a rat tail, to form the punch. Drill your 7mm round hole, place the die behind the hole, place the punch into the hole and strike it home with a hammer. The tapered punch would square up the hole to match the hole in the die. You may need to allow a little clearance in punch/die fit, or make them manageable to wobble them loose afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynic-al Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Borrow or hire a plasma cutter and make a template? You could probably make quite a neat job after 47 practices! How square do the corners need to be? Could you put say a 1.5mm in each corner then used a dremel type cutting wheel between them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Round hole Square file Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 .... multiplied by 4 corners on each hole ..... and using a triangle file means two filing operations to each corner .... so only 376 flats to file ....... albeit not a great deal of metal to removeThink I'd be making a doobrie to cut square holes My "skills" with a file are legendary, as the old metalwork teacher at school used to say "for God's sake, Robinson, never get a job in metalwork, never" As it is it's too bloody cold at the moment so I'll have to convince (the operative bit of that word being con) getting a mate to make me something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimaquinas Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 just 1 thing jeff keep us updated on any wounds that you receive lol cos they make great reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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