Chassis punches

[W2PFY]

Doe anyone know the common size punches that are used for the 7 & 9 pin miniature tube sockets? And one more for the 8 pin octal sockets?

 

[KA2DZT]

5/8", 3/4",1-1/8"

[KB3DKS]

  Be careful to not get "Conduit" punches. The stated size may be the same but it is for that conduit size which is larger than radio chassis punches. Good for those larger holes like certain octal sockets need. Sorry I do not have exact measurements here at home but there are at least 3 different diameters. The standard Amphenol, a slightly smaller flange mount Eby Mil, and a larger flange mount. Both of the latter are usually brown micanol. Some with silver plated contacts and threaded mounting holes. My favorites.
7-9 pin minis also have an above and a below chassis type with slightly different hole sizes.
Sometimes the solution is a "Stepped Bit" from Greenlee as well.

Bill

[N4LTA]

The British style mica filled sockets use a 1 3/16" hole. These are the only decent new manuafctured sockets still being manufactured that I know of - made by Belton in Korea. They are high quality and nothing like the junk octal ceramic sockets from China and Russia that will break off the center guide of an octal socket in a heartbeat.

[WA1GFZ]

Home Depot sells punches

[WA3VJB]

Also consider the "Uni-bit" that can cut multiple sizes, and probably ends up less expensive than a complete set of Greenlee.

http://www.mytoolstore.com/klein/59001.html

[KE6DF]

It's hard to find big punches for large holes.

I finally found a 2 3/4 " punch -- the right size for Weston round panel meters

and a 4" to punch the holes for UTC CG transformers like CVM-4's.

I waited a long time for a good price on epay as often these big Greenlee punches are ludicrously expensive.

Dave

[The Slab Bacon]

A 2 3/4" one prolly takes 3 men, 2 boys, 13 indians, 4 horses and a team of mules to crank through anything thicker tham 16 guage aluminum.

[w3jn]

's why you break out the hydraulic Greenlee.

I've successfully used conduit sized punches for tube sockets - 7, 9, and octal.  Not the EXACT size but close enough.  They're a lot cheaper and more readily available than "radio chassis" punches.

[KE6DF]

I've successfully used conduit sized punches for tube sockets - 7, 9, and octal.  Not the EXACT size but close enough.  They're a lot cheaper and more readily available than "radio chassis" punches.

Right. My 4" punch is really a 3 1/2" conduit punch.

The current Greenlee catalog is on-line and it will give you the hole diameter for all the conduit punches so you can figure out which to buy.

http://www.greenlee.com/catalogs.shtml

[N4LTA]

Don't have a heart attack at the price of a 4" Greenlee with ball bearing drive!

[W2PFY]

A 2 3/4" one probably takes 3 men, 2 boys, 13 Indians, 4 horses and a team of mules to crank through anything thicker than 16 gauge aluminum.

I once punched out a meter hole on a steel panel. It took about three days to do it. I would torque it up and stop and the next day do it again. I couldn't do it one operation.

Thanks for all the input guys. Keep you idea's flowing!

The British style mica filled sockets use a 1 3/16" hole. These are the only decent new manufactured sockets still being manufactured that I know of - made by Belton in Korea.

Now that's good news to hear that there is a product available.

[KL7OF]

Hole saws.......

[KC4VWU]

Hole saws are iffy. I've used them in a pinch (MAC TOOLS brand), but never really satisfied with the results no matter how slow and careful I was. What about a "fly cutter"? Who makes those nowadays? The trick with both, I believe, is to use a panel bushing to keep it true on-center; not let it wallow out the pilot hole. 

Phil

[N4LTA]

The bi-metal hole saws work ok,  but you need a strong backing for th epilot to drill into behind the material that you are cutting. If not the pilot drill will wallow and mess up the hole. That is my experience anyway.

I tape over the hole with masking tape also. I use a hole saw most of the time to cut meter holes. It beats bringing out the 24" pipe wrench and being sore for three days.

[K5UJ]

hydraulic punch, wow serious Dollar$

avoid steel; stick with aluminum

unibits and small hand cranked punches--bigger holes use hole saw on drill press cranked down as slow as possible, wd40 makes good Al cutting oil use slightly smaller diam. saw than what you need then file out as necessary.  clamp down workpiece and put pine board under it.   invest in floor stand d.p. to get lots of travel room.
oh yeah bi-metal hole saws good investment.

[Ed/KB1HYS]

If you want a good job with a hole saw or fly cutter, you need to use a real drill press.  Screw or clamp the sheet to a piece of wood solidly fixed to the table of the drill press.  Speed settings and lubrication depend on materials, but kerosene or light oil for aluminum and a medium cutting speed work FB.   Cutting or drilling and You should see long thin curly 'chips' that look like strings, depending on the alloy of aluminum. Holesaw, depends too much on the saw. The whole saw tends to leave a ragged edge IMHO since it is actually sawing a 1/16 or larger kerf.

K5UJ - Dude you beat me to the punch by seconds...

[KL7OF]

If you want a good job with a hole saw or fly cutter, you need to use a real drill press.  Screw or clamp the sheet to a piece of wood solidly fixed to the table of the drill press.  Speed settings and lubrication depend on materials, but kerosene or light oil for aluminum and a medium cutting speed work FB.   Cutting or drilling and You should see long thin curly 'chips' that look like strings, depending on the alloy of aluminum. Holesaw, depends too much on the saw. The whole saw tends to leave a ragged edge IMHO since it is actually sawing a 1/16 or larger kerf.

K5UJ - Dude you beat me to the punch by seconds...

I agree with what Ed says ..use Joy soap and water in a squirt bottle when working Aluminum...cleans right off cools the tools very well 

[The Slab Bacon]

If you want a good job with a hole saw or fly cutter, you need to use a real drill press.  

Itz called a Bridgeport milling machine   

[KA2QFX]

I'm with Ed. If you lived closer I'd be glad to mill any size holes you needed. Of course if you're adding holes to an already populated chassis, punches are the only practical method. 
Mark

[W7TFO]

And just when you thought it was safe to go back into the shop, you see they also make them in shapes other than round:  i.e. square, rectangle, keyed, eTc.

73DG

[The Slab Bacon]

And just when you thought it was safe to go back into the shop, you see they also make them in shapes other than round:  i.e. square, rectangle, keyed, eTc.

73DG

Well................ ya know there are such things as jigsaws and files  
The file is a wonderful piece of equipment that can cut many different and odd sized holes. But in today's "I gotta have it now! ! !" age has been forgotten about. It is a complete machine shop that you can hold in one hand. A pleasure to behold and use, it will never let you down when you need it   

[WA1GFZ]

It does take a fair amount of talent to use a file properly so it lasts as long as your arm.
I have the same 3/8 inch rat tail file I bought as a novice.

[K5UJ]

I'd love to have a milling machine; i have looked at them on eBay but even used they are pretty expensive and then you have to go get it, sort of like going and getting a bc rig.  I'd have to keep any one i got in my garage.   

[W7TFO]

Well................ ya know there are such things as jigsaws and files  
The file is a wonderful piece of equipment that can cut many different and odd sized holes. But in today's "I gotta have it now! ! !" age has been forgotten about. It is a complete machine shop that you can hold in one hand. A pleasure to behold and use, it will never let you down when you need it   

Good point, however I remember talking with Tim-Derb about that very thing.  He couldn't handle the vibrations of filing or cutting, so I gave him a big punch for meters.  I don't know if he ever had time to use it...

73DG