Making Square Holes In Sheet Metal

Next use a compass to outline the edge of the hole.

Making square holes in sheet metal.

Super easy tip in this video we show you how to drill a hole for a carriage bolt. You start off by drilling a small diameter pilot hole and then drill gradually larger holes until you get. Use a hydraulic press to gradually and smoothly increase pressure until the broach is forced through the hole cutting material and forming a square. Set the base of a combination square on one side of the material.

The first step for all these methods is to mark where on the sheet you want your square hole and sometimes the center of the square. Insert the broach and ensure it lines up at 90 degrees from the work peice or the hole will be crooked. Put your ink to the use and mark the hole center. This will create dimples in the sheet.

The bit used is a 1 8 single flute type. Drag an awl along the end of the combination square blade. The multi positional guides are 1 aluminum angles held in position with clamps i use both c clamps and cleco s. Extend the combination square blade until it meets one side of the drilled hole.

Here are some methods depending on the tools you have and the size of the square hole and the thickness of the sheet metal. The router is just a standard off the shelf ryobi router mounted under a home made router table. Use this technique to make perfect square or rectangular holes in 040 aluminum. Use your center punch to strike at the center of the hole.

Drill a hole large enough for a jigsaw blade in the part you re cutting out then cut it out with the jigsaw you ll have to curve into the straight lines of your square hole and do a little whittling but it works level 1. Simple tool to drill square holes. How to drill a square hole. Use either a fine tipped sharpie or a metal scriber depending on your tolerances.

At first locate the center of the whole. Move the combination square and repeat the process to mark a straight line on each side of the drilled hole forming a square. Drilling a hole in sheet metal with a twist drill is a rather straightforward operation. Now it s time to use that center punch.

Drill a hole in the metal close to but smaller than the finished hole size.