Drilling a big hole in small steel plate

Ignoramus27279 · 2005-07-29T13:13:31+00:00

For my rotary phase converter, I want to install an electrical box totake in incoming electrical wire and to install two pushbuttonswitches on it. Just a little more detail. The electrical box from home depot will bemounted on outside. I will punch out a hole in the side for incomingelectcical cable that will then go into the back of the box iinto theinside of my RPC.The electrical box will be covered by a solid, "blind" standardcover. I will drill two 1/2" holes in the cover to accommodate mypushbutton switches that I salvaged from some equipment earlier. Oneswitch (NO) will be the start switch and the NC switch will be thestop switch. The issue is, how do I drill big holes in small plate. I cannot simplyfixate it in my vise, because it would bend. I cannot drill 1/2" holesand hold the plate with pliers, I know that it is unsafe. Help meresolve this quandary. I have a regular floor drill press.Maybe I will drill a small hole with my DP, holding the cover withpliers, and then would mount the plate in my bench vise and use ahand drill.i

Jul 29, 2005 41 Replies

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JohnM 20 years ago

Just get a step drill and get your hole done;-)

Serious, they're one of those tools you can do without for a lifetime, but once you try it you'll probably always have one around.

John

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Ignoramus21687 20 years ago

q>> I have never seen 0.5" OD hole saws...

Thanks... I already bought one on ebay...

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