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Cutting slots / holes in enclosures

I now have supplies :)

However, I didn't buy a drill yet as I thought I'd ask whether using the dremel tool as a drill would be sufficient? It came with some HSS drill bits so I am hoping these will be up to some light drilling work.

I have all the other bits and am ready to attempt my first project.

Thanks again for all your help PFM!

Lefty
 
Lefty said:
Thanks again guys. A shopping list has been compiled. I shall hit the town today to see how much of it can be sourced from Maplins / B&Q. The rest will be sourced online.

Any ideas for a first project? I wouldn't mind making a decent preamp to try into the Pure Sound A30....

Lefty
Click to expand...

I purchased a Naim NAC72 and built new boards from pcbs purchased from Neil in the states. Good quality and plenty of info on this forum on the build. The boards slot straight into the pre amp.
Farnell and cpc are easy to use and they deliver free min spend on line for free delivery is £20 and £45 respectively i think.
 
You probably want a "proper" drill in addition to the dremel - so you can drill holes at a slower speed than the dremel can manage. They're good tools but high on revs and low on torque, so will jam easily with anything more than the smallest drill bits.

B&Q do some silly cheap power tools, including a chinese bench drill which is more than adequate for DIY use.
 
Jon - you are an absolute star! That is exactly the type of thing I was looking for :)

I think I'll need to get myself a pillar drill if I'm going to be doing a lot of this.

Lefty
 
Lefty said:
However, I didn't buy a drill yet as I thought I'd ask whether using the dremel tool as a drill would be sufficient? It came with some HSS drill bits so I am hoping these will be up to some light drilling work.
Click to expand...
One of the best powered tool I have ever bought is a drill press. It's big and heavy, and makes light work of drilling anything accurately and easily. If you have the space to house one of these on a bench or on the floor, they are not that expensive.

Dremels are toys in comparison, and cordless drills are not much better.
 
Could be the first project needs to be a decent shed in the garden.
Incidentally good place for electric hand drills is Wickes.
 
+1 bench drill... they are so cheap these days thanks to china and for light/home use they are fit for purpose. Not for a metalworking shop though.

If going for the powercon, style round holes (big advantage is they do not get unplugged by yanking the lead as they are locking) you may find a core cutter will do as well as a punch, do it slowly and with grease so as to keep the bit cool and not press too hard so as to deform the steel case.

This sort of thing is ideal like the taper drill bit mentioned earlier -- but has definite steps which are sized for a more accurate hole cut. Neutrik are 24mm for a snug fit. Core cutters will generally cut to around .25mm extra. Big advantage of this is you only need one drill bit and no changes for smaller/other holes except maybe the diagonal fixing holes for the Neutriks.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Triple-Steppe...werTools_SM&hash=item3cb043ce93#ht_1897wt_918

I use this sort of thing all the time in metal.
 
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I use a drill press to get holes accurately aligned, mark out the back panel and pop (center punch) the proposed holes use a fast speed on aluminum and deburr the holes after drilling. it also helps to have a sliding vice with the back panel firmly in contact with a piece of solid timber in the vice
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh290/337alant/B4 Pre Amp/B4-01.jpg
be aware when using large dia Hole saws on aluminum they are not all perfectly concentric with the center drill so the starting side of the hole can be a bit rough so drill from the inside out with the back panel in firm contact with hard timber.
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh290/337alant/ncc2003.jpg

Alan
 
Completed my first project :)

Ok, it's just a set of interconnects made using some of this cable, but it's a start! They sound good too which is a bonus.

Time to attempt something more challenging.

Lefty
 
Some bargains still to be had from Jaycar, Lefty.

Although prices have been adjusted a little against Sterling, the UK site is still considerably cheaper than ordering in Oz.

Details here
 
Investing in a couple of Q-Max hole punches will be repaid with dividends especially if you buy one of the smaller square versions which can be used in increments to fashion larger or rectangular holes. You sometimes find them on ebay.
 
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