enclosure case thickness

crush · Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 706 Location: Telemark, Norway

Ah, another weekend, more brewery build! Cool

I've just cut the hole for the heatsink in sealed cable plate on the enclosure. I don't have a jigsaw and I wanted to try the dremel to see if that worked before investing in a jigsaw. It did work, but took me a couple of hours to make the one hole. (Bearing in mind I'm a metalwork novice.)

I was surprised how thick the enclosure was. Measuring with calipers, the cutout is 0.1" thick (2.6mm +/- 0.1 mm). Is that how thick other enclosures are? I've bought the 20x20x8" enclosure, so I'm thinking perhaps the larger size means thicker metal.

How about door, is that also the same thickness? I'm hoping it's a good deal thinner.

silverspoons · Joined: 21 Dec 2010 Posts: 555 Location: Webster NY

Crush

what dremel cutting tool are you using? i cut that large heatsink hole is less than 10 minutes using metal cutting wheels.

Silverspoons

crush · Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 706 Location: Telemark, Norway

I was using the thin brown cutting discs. They're quite brittle, and break easily if the tool "kicks". Did I use the wrong cutting tool? I didn't use much pressure, and there were sparks flying everywhere, so I figured the tool was working to capacity, and that cutting through 0.1" was a big job for this little tool!

I've ordered 100 of the reinforced ones here - much less expensive on ebay than they are locally.

rmessick · Joined: 20 Feb 2011 Posts: 123 Location: Turners Falls, MA

Crush:

I cut holes in my current enclosure using a Dremel tool - the reinforced discs are the way to go! Yep - lots of sparks, and lots of dust - be sure to wear safety glasses/goggles! I found that the key (as so many have said) is to let the tool do the work - use minimal pressure, and go very slowly. Use a very light pressure and go back and forth over your line - eventually, it will cut through. Good luck!

-Dick

crush · Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 706 Location: Telemark, Norway

I always wear protection. I'm blind in one eye, and very short sighted in the other one, so I try take good care of what sight I have! I was wearing goggles, and I think I will also wear a dust mask for the other holes, since I've got a tickle at the back of the throat now.

The dremel is a versatile tool, but not sure it's quite up to the job of cutting through 0.1" of steel. I'm so looking forward to using the drill press for the outlet holes!

I will still have to use the dremel for cutting out the square holes in the front of the panel since I don't feel comfortable enough cuttinng small holes accurately with a jigsaw.

Is the door really 0.1" thick?

**kal** · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 1:50 pm Post subject:

Is a dremel really better/faster?

To create the rectangular holes I used a drill with a high speed metal drill bit to first drill holes in the corners and then cut between the holes using a jigsaw with a fine metal blade. Use a metal file to smooth down all rough edges and corners.

No mess or sparks or smoke at all. I did it in the house.

Links:

Drill: http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26ref%255F%3Dnb%255Fss%26field-keywords%3Ddrill%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Dtools&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957

High speed metal drill bit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26ref_%3Dnb_sb_noss%26field-keywords%3DHSS%2520drill%2520bits%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Daps&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957

Jigsaw: http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26redirect%3Dtrue%26ref_%3Dsr_nr_i_0%26keywords%3Djigsaw%26qid%3D1286481963%26rh%3Dk%253Ajigsaw%252Ci%253Atools&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957

Jigsaw fine metal blade: http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26ref_%3Dnb_sb_ss_i_0_13%26field-keywords%3Djigsaw%2520blades%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Dtools%26sprefix%3Djigsaw%2520blades&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957

Metal file: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DD4KD?ie=UTF8&tag=theelectricbrewery-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0000DD4KD

Kal

konrad · Joined: 02 Feb 2011 Posts: 29 Location: Mass

I used a jigsaw as well and then a dremel tool to smooth it out. It was fast and easy. None of my cut-off wheels broke or shattered.

silverspoons · Joined: 21 Dec 2010 Posts: 555 Location: Webster NY

i taped the shopvac hose to the edge of the box to suck up all the dust.. set the dremel on high speed and traced back and forth along the line to be cut., each time going a little deeper. slight pressure. once i "broke through" i just slowly made i way along the cut. took only a couple minutes.

silverspoons

pola0502ds · Joined: 14 Mar 2011 Posts: 290 Location: poland, Ohio