How to cut a rectangular hole, smaller than 1", in sheet aluminum?

[FabberMcGee]

You need a Greenlee brand DB-9S chassis punch. It's considerably over the price your budget is looking for, but as a non-profit and at the end of the year you might be able to do some arm twisting and get one donated. While I was searching I see rmack found them at a better price than the Greenlee.

Good luck.

https://www.google.com/#q=Greenlee+DB-9S

[USMCPOP]

Those panel punches are expensive but professional. If you get one, be sure it is the correct one. Many refer to these as "DB" connectors, but they're "D connectors" with different letters/numbers.

I have punched small holes in thin steel using nothing more than a sharp, flat-faced pin punch. Trick is to put the sheet on a piece of end-grain scrap wood. A hard whack with the hammer deforms the wood and drives the slug into it. It's a whole lot easier to make a 1/4" hole this way than drilling thin sheet metal.

[GWIZ]

Everyone should have one.
Not production but this one works good, if you want rounded corners then drill the corners first.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NIB-Original...#ht_252wt_1081

Screw-down: Not invented? I've heard of a punch that you just tighten until it punches thru, but have not found any. i imagine drilling a small round hole in my aluminum sheet, then fitting two small separate hardwares on either side of the sheet, screwed to each other through the small round hole. They are some kind of punch and die. Then, tighten them down, and out pops the square hole in my sheet. Does this exist? If not, let's invent it!

"DB15 chassis punch" they are not cheap, looks like the price went down.
http://www.l-com.com/d-sub-punch-db1...e-greenlee-231

[johnyradio]

Originally Posted by USMCPOP

Those panel punches are expensive but professional. If you get one, be sure it is the correct one. Many refer to these as "DB" connectors, but they're "D connectors" with different letters/numbers.

Glad i clicked reply, because i could not see your 2nd paragraph! something wrong with this forum

The part i'm using has 3-rows, which is not shown in your pic. I thought it's called DB-15, but you may be correct. Aka D-sub 15. Even McMaster-Carr calls them "DB", and they make special punches just for it. $200! Hoping for a less-expensive option.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#knockout-punches/=pslrz1

I have punched small holes in thin steel using nothing more than a sharp, flat-faced pin punch. Trick is to put the sheet on a piece of end-grain scrap wood. A hard whack with the hammer deforms the wood and drives the slug into it. It's a whole lot easier to make a 1/4" hole this way than drilling thin sheet metal.

Thanks for that, it will help when trying to make small holes. Can you link me to a "flat-faced" pin-punch? I cannot find that. (Did you mean it as a solution for my D-sub, or just a friendly side tip?)

[USMCPOP]

Sorry, Johnny, I edited my post later to add the punch comment. You might be able to make a square-ish punch that will do the job, but you'd have to whack it pretty hard.

I guess you have a DE-15 VGA connector.

These are pin punches.

[Ironman]

Originally Posted by johnyradio

how does one make a square hole punch? i was wondering if that was possible...

Take a piece of 3/8" square stock, and scribe an X on the end from corner to corner. Then center punch the X.
Take a 3/16" drill and drill a pilot hole straight down the center for 1/2" or so.
Now take a 9/16" drill and carefully drill into the pilot hole far enough that the corners of the3 square stock are sharp edges.
Done.

You can use mild steel, but cold rolled is better and I would not worry about hardening it.
When you need to sharpen, touch it up with a 9/16 drill bit.
You can get fancy and make a squre hole for a female die, and mount a pin in it. That way you can drill a pilot hole in the sheet metal and put the pin through, and using the center hole in the punch be guided into the square die hole, but I would say piss on it and punch through into a piece of end grain firewood.

[johnyradio]

Originally Posted by Ironman

Take a piece of 3/8" square stock....

wow, amazing tute!!!!
this might just be our option.
what equipment do you recommend for drilling?
if that's all there is to it, why do they cost so much money to buy?
can you think of a way to achieve a rectangular punch?

THANKS!

[Gadgeteer]

Is the hole in the flat, bottom (top) of the plate, or in the curved side of the plate?

[johnyradio]

Originally Posted by Gadgeteer

Is the hole in the flat, bottom (top) of the plate, or in the curved side of the plate?

on the flat

[Scrapper Greg]

One other question that comes to mind. can you remove the nuts and pull the metal shield off? If so, you could clamp that end cap in between the main body and the metal shield. Would take a bit of the tedium out of this. I too would talk to a few of the companies mentioned. You are a non profit, tax year is coming to an end. Companies are always looking for that last bit of corporate savings.