cutting squares in hammond boxes?!

[davent]

I'm in the drill->dremel->file camp but if you're making many of the same size (large) straight sided openings it might be worth your while to make up a template to use with a router. Good tutorial at Silvatone.

http://www.silvatone.bravepages.com/Tutorials/PT%20Cutout.htm

http://www.silvatone.bravepages.com/Tutorials/IEC%20Cutout.htm

dave

[jefe]

That said, still don't know why anyone would want to file a hole.

The only reason we are talking about filing this hole.........is because we want it to be square.

The statement was alot more rhetorical than you're reading it.  Obviously we want a hole with square corners.  That's a given.  What I'm getting at is there are more than one way to make a hole with square corners, of which, filing is probably the least efficient and most annoying way to do it.  So why would anyone want to do it that way?  

I do it that way because of the tools I have on hand. I'm sure I could find a more efficient way to do it, especially if I were going to do it repeatedly. But for one-offs? Nah, I'm not going to go out and buy any more tools, when I already have the tools on hand to do it.

[alparent]

That said, still don't know why anyone would want to file a hole.

The only reason we are talking about filing this hole.........is because we want it to be square.

The statement was alot more rhetorical than you're reading it.  Obviously we want a hole with square corners.  That's a given.  What I'm getting at is there are more than one way to make a hole with square corners, of which, filing is probably the least efficient and most annoying way to do it.  So why would anyone want to do it that way? 

Sorry Man.  Wasn't trying to be smart. I'm french so I sometimes miss little things when I read English posts.

I also sometime use those burrs when it's a big hole. I use the file to get a even smooth edge.

[DDD]

Filing Alu with WET file is much easier. More water = more ease.