At the moment the most interesting options look like removing the mounting screws or cutting a temporary wooden guard panel & drilling the left.
Cheers everyone.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
CU cable entry
Loading thread data ...
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
Cor! I used to cut holes in folded brass chassis for B7G and B9A valve bases with Q-Max cutters sixty years ago......didn't know you could still get them.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
What were you cutting? I've made loads and loads of holes with them in various materials and not had a problem with distortion. Assuming you took care using them, as it would obviously be possible to bend sheet steel by the action of turning them with a spanner, etc. In thin sheet, where it matters, I tend to use a T handle driver.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
Not sure there is any DIY alternative that makes a near perfect hole so quickly?
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
boxes, mainly sheet ali. IIRC they were fine in plastic.
With the metal in free air it's not going to see problematic torque.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
Given you'd normally hold the work while using the cutter, not so sure about that.
But it sounds like you were using a worn cutter. If a common problem.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
They were brand new. I explained why it happened several posts back.
NT
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
Even the best tools need skill to give good results.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
Sure. The relevant skill in this case being awareness of what cases punches are not suited for.
NT
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
Another error is using them too near the edge of a thin sheet. DAMHIKT.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
That is precisely the problem. Hand operated qmax Punches use a non-flat cutting edge to keep peak forces within practical limits for human, screw thread & spanners. So the metal is at once trying to conform to both flatness and the bent steel created by the punching action. The lack of a large enough thick enough sheet causes distortion, sometimes severe enough to produce only scrap. That's what happened.
And in the current situation, once again holes are required near an unsupported edge. Don't really want to write off the CU, so the punch option seems risky.
NT
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
If there's room, how about clamping the edge in a vice? I've never tried it, though.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
Was trying to get you to state exactly when this was the case. Type of material and thickness. How close to an edge. And so on.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
True - but if too close to an edge you'd not be able to fit a gland or grommet etc. I've used them happily to cut a half moon out of ally plate.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
Not a bad idea. Dangle iron & bolts would do.
NT
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
nonsense
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
Have it your own way, pet.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
I've done it before. You just keep trolling.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
How many Q-max cutters do you have? I count about a dozen here - including ones which do other than a round hole.
Odd I manage to use them without bending the material.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
Is it similar with metal back boxes for sockets or switches where the trick seems to be to knock out the blanking plug by giving it a quick shock? Place the blade of a suitably sized screwdriver on the blanking plug and hit the handle of the screwdriver with a hammer.