tips for drilling/filing square holes for DIP switches, etc.

[caress]

figured it might be good to have a thread about this, especially because i'm curious!

[JKowalski]

My method is to use a small but not too small drill to drill out the border of the square hole, like perforated paper, then I use some clippers to break any bridges that are left. Then I take a rough file to it to get down to relatively straight edges, and finally I finish off with a tiny file that has sharp corners in it. The best advice is to GO SLOW. Keep pausing and looking at what you are doing. It is very easy to go too far in no time at all and you won't be pleased!

I find it is also helpful to draw the lines around your hole to exact measurements, and a set of lines around those lines. This way, you can file down to the first set of lines and try to match that up exactly, but you will still have the outer set of lines to visually check with and make sure all your sides are straight and you didn't go over the first set of lines in a way that made any side crooked.

[John Lyons]

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=Nibbler+tool&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&cid=1947631286468551883&ei=6MnNS43yEoO0wwXX9b2ABA&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#p

[caress]

have you used that one in particular on aluminum enclosures?  $6 is pretttty cheap!

[John Lyons]

I don't have that specific one although mine looks just like it
and could be the same manufacturer. I got mine from Antique Electronic Supply.
You can use them on steel so it should be fine.

[Brymus]

Yeah a nibbler and some little needle files.
I got a nice set at ACE for 4$ has about 8 files in it just used one yesterday and they are actually decent quality.
Lowes has a couple of nice sets with blue handles one is 18-20$ the other is 32$ or so.
But they are nice files should last forever.
Another thing I have done succesfully is use a small cut off wheel on my dremel.

So dremel,nibbler ,needle files, and most important , patience and you can make nice square holes.
Just make it slightly small and file to the right size.

I like using the small slide switches that cost .25 cents each on my pedals, which require a small square hole and two little tiny screws for mounting.

[frank_p]

I used a nibler plier on an *open edge*: lets say a square powerchord adapter, just before the lid starts.  But I never tought about using it on a drilled hole... 

Thanks for the tip.

 

[Paul Marossy]

My method is to use a small but not too small drill to drill out the border of the square hole, like perforated paper, then I use some clippers to break any bridges that are left. Then I take a rough file to it to get down to relatively straight edges, and finally I finish off with a tiny file that has sharp corners in it.

I do it the exact same way. It might sound like a lot of work, but it's really quick work with an aluminum enclosure. Probably five to seven minutes on the average for me.