How many holes would it take to fill the Albert Hall?

[moid]

Hello everyone

A tale of woe from a day in my life... I was happily drilling holes in an aluminium enclosure today and was slightly distracted when making some drill marks on the surface of the box and have drilled two large input/output jack holes in the wrong place I have of course already painted the enclosure with a (I think) rather lovely psychedelic swirl paint job and now need to re drill two new holes and fill in the two unwanted holes (and try to repaint them to match, damn!). Would any of you have any clever ideas / techniques for filling unwanted holes? I don't have any 2mm sheet aluminium that I could cut a circular disc from to wedge in the hole (nor a tool that could cut such a disc unless I got really careful with a hacksaw). Is there anything else that could do this? I'm wondering about gluing layers of kitchen foil into some sort of sandwich (or croissant if you prefer a layered pastry analogy) from kitchen foil to be 2mm thick, cutting that into a disc, then wedging that in the hole and putting a small square of kitchen foil on the inside and outside of the enclosure and gluing it down, and then painting over it? I'd be more than happy to hear a better suggestion though! Hope your Saturday night is going better than mine!

[D_Ex_Patria]

I've had some success filling holes with JB Weld, the metal based kind they use in automotive repair. I usually put down some painters tape on one side and slather it on like drywall mud from the other. It takes over-filling and sanding to make it truly seamless, though.

[Eddododo]

Bondo can be absolutely incredible for that kind of thing

[Invertiguy]

I've had some success filling holes with JB Weld, the metal based kind they use in automotive repair. I usually put down some painters tape on one side and slather it on like drywall mud from the other. It takes over-filling and sanding to make it truly seamless, though.

I'll second this method, I've done it in the past and it works well. The major downside however is that it inevitably requires you to repaint the entire enclosure if you really want to hide it. If you're looking to avoid that you may want to check out your local hardware store and see if they have any black nylon hole plugs like this: https://www.amazon.com/Suiwotin-Plastic-Locking-Furniture-Fencing/dp/B08H74GVGY

[bluebunny]

Call it "ventilation" and fit some wire mesh behind the errant holes. 

[GibsonGM]

JB weld is so strong, I've filled an accidental stomp switch hole and then re-drilled it, mounted a pot in the same location. It's as strong as the original aluminum!

[Phend]

[anotherjim]

You can get plug cutter drills. Essentially a cross between a drill and a tank cutter. They're for making matching covers over sunken screw/bolt heads in woodwork. Aldi has sets of them in from time to time. Should be ok in alu'. However, it's going to be difficult to secure them unless you make them a bit undersized so any filler/epoxy can get a firm interlocking grip all around.
Another approach is to clamp something flat covered in a greaseproof paper on the outside and pour some casting resin from the inside. You could make a feature of that with clear or colour-tinted resin.

But a quick fill, if you don't mind seeing it, is to get some blind grommets. Electrical trade has them for filling unused punchouts in patress fittings. Only suit around 20mm dia IIRC.

[amptramp]

An old marketing man once told me the secret of fixing this kind of thing:

"If you can't fix it, feature it."

I would add a light bezel and where the on LED is, put another couple of LED's in series and call it the omnidirectional indicator.  Or maybe you need to bolt a velcro strip to the bottom of the pedal and it could be secured with through bolts at the unused hole location.  Add a bluetooth transmitter/receiver pair and use the holes for antennas to solve any ground loop problems.  A mistake is never really a mistake unless you just let it sit there.

[Digital Larry]

An old marketing man once told me the secret of fixing this kind of thing:

"If you can't fix it, feature it."

I would add a light bezel and where the on LED is, put another couple of LED's in series and call it the omnidirectional indicator.  Or maybe you need to bolt a velcro strip to the bottom of the pedal and it could be secured with through bolts at the unused hole location.  Add a bluetooth transmitter/receiver pair and use the holes for antennas to solve any ground loop problems.  A mistake is never really a mistake unless you just let it sit there.

Yeah, I was going to suggest a small sign, e.g. "Newt crossing".

[duck_arse]

I'd say blanking plate, but you don't have anything to plate wiv, china. use a plate [plastic or metal, probably, doesn't need be aluminium] that covers the panel and holes neatly, drill the new wanted holes thru plate and case, and hold the blanking plate in place with the things in the right placed holes.

[Phend]

Certainly don't use Duck Tape.
Not even for MoJo.

[moid]

Thanks everyone for the amazing response! I think the JB Weld sounds like a great option, I can get it in a couple of days from Amazon, so I'll probably try this technique first.

I've had some success filling holes with JB Weld, the metal based kind they use in automotive repair. I usually put down some painters tape on one side and slather it on like drywall mud from the other. It takes over-filling and sanding to make it truly seamless, though.

Thanks very much, never knew such a substance existed! I will try your technique out, I don't think I will worry about perfection, just something to plug the holes!

Bondo can be absolutely incredible for that kind of thing

Thanks, I think that is something similar to JB Weld? I will try the JB Weld and see what happens.

I'll second this method, I've done it in the past and it works well. The major downside however is that it inevitably requires you to repaint the entire enclosure if you really want to hide it. If you're looking to avoid that you may want to check out your local hardware store and see if they have any black nylon hole plugs like this: https://www.amazon.com/Suiwotin-Plastic-Locking-Furniture-Fencing/dp/B08H74GVGY

I'm thinking of repainting the sides of the pedal, I was really pleased with the painting I did on the top face, but the sides are very drippy / don't look so good... I might just mask the top of the pedal off and spray white paint all over the sides to hide the JB Weld. Regarding plugs, I did find that on Etsy some jewellery suppliers sell blank aluminium discs that are 0.5mm thick and 9mm in diameter - I could glue four of them together and then plug the holes and wedge JB Weld round hte edges to hold it all together maybe.

Call it "ventilation" and fit some wire mesh behind the errant holes. 

Ha ha I did actually consider this - I've got some wire mesh sheet that I used to keep mosquitos out of the hole in the top of our water butt, but I think it's more of a Mad Max aesthetic than I was aiming for!

JB weld is so strong, I've filled an accidental stomp switch hole and then re-drilled it, mounted a pot in the same location. It's as strong as the original aluminum!

Awesome, that really makes me want to try it, thanks!

Ahhh the corksniffer's approach to boutique pedal construction! Made me laugh!

You can get plug cutter drills. Essentially a cross between a drill and a tank cutter. They're for making matching covers over sunken screw/bolt heads in woodwork. Aldi has sets of them in from time to time. Should be ok in alu'. However, it's going to be difficult to secure them unless you make them a bit undersized so any filler/epoxy can get a firm interlocking grip all around.
Another approach is to clamp something flat covered in a greaseproof paper on the outside and pour some casting resin from the inside. You could make a feature of that with clear or colour-tinted resin.

But a quick fill, if you don't mind seeing it, is to get some blind grommets. Electrical trade has them for filling unused punchouts in patress fittings. Only suit around 20mm dia IIRC.

Thanks Jim, I didn't know such a tool existed, but this is hopefully not something that I would do again so I would try not to have to own such a thing (I've built about 30 pedals now, this is the first time I've put holes in the wrong place!). I don't have any casting resin, but that is a nice idea. Blind grommets - that is a good thought, but the holes I have are only 9mm, so those would be too large.

An old marketing man once told me the secret of fixing this kind of thing:

"If you can't fix it, feature it."

I would add a light bezel and where the on LED is, put another couple of LED's in series and call it the omnidirectional indicator.  Or maybe you need to bolt a velcro strip to the bottom of the pedal and it could be secured with through bolts at the unused hole location.  Add a bluetooth transmitter/receiver pair and use the holes for antennas to solve any ground loop problems.  A mistake is never really a mistake unless you just let it sit there.

Haha, that's cool! Sadly the holes are at the back of the pedal (top mounted jacks) so the holes aren't visible much, they just annoy me.

Yeah, I was going to suggest a small sign, e.g. "Newt crossing".

Actually that's not a bad idea - slap some stickers over them? Hmmmm...

I'd say blanking plate, but you don't have anything to plate wiv, china. use a plate [plastic or metal, probably, doesn't need be aluminium] that covers the panel and holes neatly, drill the new wanted holes thru plate and case, and hold the blanking plate in place with the things in the right placed holes.

That's a nice idea Duck if I had some sheet metal... hmmm... I do have a broken spring reverb tank that needs fixing that could be cut up, it's in a large metal biscuit tin, although I still want to fix that one day... I will have to search through my garage to see if I have anything useful - thanks! Hmmm I might have some offcuts of perspex... although that stuff is a nightmare to cut... I will have a look!

Certainly don't use Duck Tape.
Not even for MoJo.

Good point, everyone knows the cool kids use Gorilla tape these days. I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm not a cool kid.

[PRR]

> A tale of woe from a day in my life... I was happily drilling holes ....and was slightly distracted ...

Jeez, don't start the story that way. I was picturing you drilling your thumb!!  (I've never done such a thing-- for me, saws and broken glass work "better".)

Bondo is for filling almost-fixed fender dents. (Cars, not guitars.) It is not real strong. A variant once called "Tiger Hair" is a little stronger. Either will pop-off easy.

JB Weld is an epoxy, cut with metal dust. MUCH stronger (also expensive for a car, but trivial for a pedal). There's a guy on YouTube who JB-Welds cracked engines and gearboxes. They sometimes run for minutes. A broken crankshaft won't run for long, a cracked water jacket may last for years. (That was actually an official process for some Detroit cars with porous block castings, tho I suspect it was only to quiet the customer for the rest of the warranty period.)

Yes, feature or face-plate.

[Phend]

Get the small tubes like these, not the big ones.
They will last for years and are very useful around the home.
There are metal and wood types.

[Sparky]

I just get some pickguard plastic sheet and cut out a circle / square / triangle / weird psychedelic blobby shape  and glue it to the box to cover the hole.  Paint it whatever colour you want [or not].    Redrill. Done.

[moid]

> A tale of woe from a day in my life... I was happily drilling holes ....and was slightly distracted ...

Jeez, don't start the story that way. I was picturing you drilling your thumb!!  (I've never done such a thing-- for me, saws and broken glass work "better".)

Bondo is for filling almost-fixed fender dents. (Cars, not guitars.) It is not real strong. A variant once called "Tiger Hair" is a little stronger. Either will pop-off easy.

JB Weld is an epoxy, cut with metal dust. MUCH stronger (also expensive for a car, but trivial for a pedal). There's a guy on YouTube who JB-Welds cracked engines and gearboxes. They sometimes run for minutes. A broken crankshaft won't run for long, a cracked water jacket may last for years. (That was actually an official process for some Detroit cars with porous block castings, tho I suspect it was only to quiet the customer for the rest of the warranty period.)

Yes, feature or face-plate.

Thanks PRR. I ordered the JB Weld in the end so I'm just waiting for it to arrive. My fingers / thumbs are still functioning (I wish I could say the same for the rest of me!)

Get the small tubes like these, not the big ones.
They will last for years and are very useful around the home.
There are metal and wood types.

Great! That's the pack I ordered

I just get some pickguard plastic sheet and cut out a circle / square / triangle / weird psychedelic blobby shape  and glue it to the box to cover the hole.  Paint it whatever colour you want [or not].    Redrill. Done.

Thanks the plastic plate motif will probably figure as my next step if I make a hash of the JB Weld! If you can't see the problem, then the problem doesn't exist, right?

[Phend]

JB is nonsmokable.  But it can be drilled and milled.

[moid]

JB Weld seems to be rather awesome stuff - I filled the holes, OK not a perfect job (The JB Weld seems to contract a litle as it dries, but with paint on top it will just look like an odd mould seam line), but good enough and I've been spray painting the enclosure today, so some more coats tomorrow and hopefully I can assemble the pedal; thanks everyone for the helpful advice.

[Lino22]

Late to the party, but anyway, i seal unwanted holes by plastic plugs they sell for that purpose