David Kirk Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 A while back I'd asked for help with battery boxes for my chief robot man and mighty robot projects. Two generous members forked out! Now, I have to figure out how to cut the neat tab-space slot combo that the robots used but the donor saucers didn't. There's no waste that gets cut away—the spacer and tab fold back from the inside of the box (leaving a neat little hole) to form a holder for some of the robots inner workings. So how can I accomplish this? If I drill holes and use a little saw, it will leave evidence that I don't want. What sort of cutting tool can be used to fake something that a big press and a special tool originally accomplished? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Palmer Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 frickin' laser beams? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry seven Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 :) Hi David, if you are talking about cutting your own slots for tabs, early on I tried using a puch type approach to cutting tab slots, and it worked but was unwieldy to get a wood or plastic backing behind the tin to give it some resistance to the punching into the tin. But these days I use a dremel with a thin cutter wheel worn down to a small diameter,- close to a slot in size. First mark the slot to be cut with an awl then doing some grinding precisely on the mark from the outside, and then turning the metal over you will see where the metal was getting hot through from the inside. You can then cut a bit in there right on the hot spot. You may clean the slot out wit a punch type tool, that is a small screwdriver that you have sharpened to the size and width of a slot. You can use the dremel with thin cutting wheels for doing a lot if not all of your tin cutting, but wear safety glasses in case one goes winging off and gets you. Good luck, -Larry7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kenalexruss Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Sadly, that technology died with the aliens that brought it here.Actually, I used a hole punch once, the desk top kind. Had to flatten out the tin a bit after it was done. Must be a better way though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry seven Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 :) The tool supply companies also sell a variable size set of hole puncher pliars these days that uses about six different sizes of dies on the same handle. Round holes only, but they work OK. The price isn't too bad either. Check Harbor Freight or Northern Tool Supply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kirk Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 Larry, it's not the slot so much as the tab I'm trying to make, and that cut out in the middle of a place that shows. Not only that, it's a two stage tab, the first part that bends out is wider to act as a spacer, and then the narrower part is the tab that gets folded over the piece it holds inside the robot. I'm sure that's just about impossible to envision, and I can't post pictures anymore. The best way to see what I'm talking about is to peek inside a chief robot man battery box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fineas J. Whoopie Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Here's a pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Hi DavidThe method I use is the same as one used in the jewellery trade to some extent. I would temporarily 'fix' or carefully clamp the tin to a thin piece of wood...say 5-7 mm in thickness. Can be thicker but then it's more saw work.. If you then carefully draw out the shape you want to make on the tin. Drill a hole just big enough to get a jewellers no 4/0 piercing saw blade into. Start on a corner. It's very important to drill this hole inside the 90 degree angle of the shape, ie so there are 2 outside edges of the drilled hole lining up or preferably just on the inside edge of your lines. Now pass the blade through the hole, refit the blade to the saw. You now just need a good eye, steady hand and a surface to work on that will allow you to saw in a vertical position. The wood will allow you to cut both it and the tin quite accurately. Obviously the saw's teeth must be cutting on the down stroke otherwise the saw will lift the item to be sawn. Make sure to keep the saw blade at right angles with the metal, and moving at the rate of about two strokes per second. When changing the direction of the saw, always keep it moving up and down. If you can get some Beeswax it will keep the blade lubricated and stop it from sticking. Sometimes I have drawn the blade through an old candle if I have run out of beeswax but it's not as good and you only need a smalll amount or it will clog the blade. You could try a slightly larger blade but I use 4/0's most of the time. Have a practice run on some scrap tin before you try it on your robot! Anyway, that's how I do it and it works but someone might have a better way...may John has a better way? Only other alternative is to have expensive punch tooling made, not really the cheapest way to make 2 holes in a piece of tin though. Larry has tried the 'wood' approach but it will work much better when sawing rather than punching. His dremmel method sounds good, might be worth a try. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kirk Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 That sounds like a good plan. Where do I get a jewelers #04? I wonder if it would fit in my old Delta jig saw? Maybe that would be too aggressive anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry seven Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 :) Thanks for the tips Ranger, I am also going to try my hand at small saw work next. And of course you also know that we American can't properly use a file! We just bend the holes to fit! Ha ha! -Larry7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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