Help with enclosure problem.

[GuitarLord5000]

I finally went out and bought a drill for my boxes.  I'm using the electronic boxes from Lowes that are prepunched for wire access. (93 cents a piece!)  I used bondo to smooth out the boxes some and attempted to drill them.  The perforated piece I was drilling on punched out.  I kinda figured that would happen, but thought it was worth a shot.  Well, now I know, I'll need something a little better than bondo to hold the prepunches together.  I read somewhere that JB weld would do the trick, but am kinda skeptical.  Has anybody here tried this or any other method that would help?  Thanx in advance.

[Ansil]

solder it with a torch. and soem plumbers solder..  also drill from behind it.. so you are applying pressure to help hold the punchout in instead of trying to punch it out.. also you can get a thin piece of tin or aluminum and just punch out your holes in the box and use the tin to make it pretty.

[thumposaurus]

they also sell these plugs that go into the holes, when you first put them in they are kind of loose but if you bend the tabs down and beat them with a hammer and big piece of dowel rod they are just as secure as a solid box.
Here is a noise swash built into one of those larger boxes.

[BILLYL]

i TOO USE THE racco BOXES FROM lOWES (YOU CAN'T BEAT THE $1).  WHAT I DO IS THE FOLLOWING:

1. FIRST CLEAN THE BOX - THEY GENERALLY DIRTY AND FULL OF GREASE.  USE ANY CLEANING SOLUTION YOU HAVE.

2. NEXT MIX UP SOME BONDO AND GOOP IT ALL OVER THE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. MAKE SURE YOU FILL IN THE HOLES ETC I DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH IF THE BONDO IS NICE A LEVEL. LET IT DRY AND THEN SMOOTH IT OUT (I USE A BELT SANDER WITH ABOUT 110 - 150 GRIT PAPER TO DO THE MAJORITY OF THE LEVELING)

3. USING A MARKING PEN AND RULER DO A LAYOUT OF OF WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO PLACE YOUR CONTROLS.

4. ONCE YOU HAVE THE LAYOUT DONE - FLIP THE BOX OVER AND LOOKING FROM THE INSIDE SEE WHICH PUNCH OUTS YOUR LAYOUT LINES CROSS AND MIX UP SOME JB WELD AND APPLY A COATING TO THOSE KNOCK OUTS.

5.  ONCE THE JB WELD IS SET (I USE THE 5 MINUTE VERSION) DRILL YOUR PILOT HOLES FOR YOU CONTROLS AND THEN FINISH THEM UP.

6.  DO SOME TEST FITTING OF THE PARTS - JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WILL FIT NICE AND THEN FINSIH THE BOX IN YOUR FAVORITE COLOR.

REMEMBER IF YOU SCREW UP A HOLE YOU COULD ALWAYS RE BONDO IT AND START OVER - AND IF YOU REALLY SCREW UP - TOSS IT AND GET ANOTHER.

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN

BILL

[smoguzbenjamin]

Bill,

You gotta turn those caps off

[BILLYL]

Its the dam computer system I manage - The software is about 15 years old and needs the cap lock on - Machine fires up with the cap lock set.

I'll try and make sure it is off.

[claydavis]

whenever i use a junction box, i jb weld the backs of all the knockouts before i do anything else.
it also helps to clamp a block of wood inside of the box when you drill, so you have something bracing the back of the knockouts. a small piece of 2x4 works well for this.
drill small pilot holes (1/8" or so), and then drill the larger holes slowly, as the bits have a tendency to bite into the knockouts and yank them out.
don't drill through the little tabs that attach the knockouts to the box, since there's not much else holding them in.
good luck!

clay