I Needs A Nibbler!

[selloutrr]

I use a diamond cutting blade I had left from cutting granite.

[Phil_S]

Everyone's got a way to do the rectangle for the IEC inlet. Some are very creative. Some require expensive tools. I was drilling the corners, taking out a big part of the middle with a step bit, and finishing with a double cut mill file. That required 15 minutes on aluminum and about 30 minutes on steel. I recently discovered the cutoff wheel on my Dremel. Because it's a small wheel, it is ideal for what we do. I dont' think I'll be going back to the old method, but some finish work with the file is still required. It's a whole lot less work. Forget about a nibbler on steel.

[Alexo]

Wow, 2 pages already! Thanks for all the suggestions (and sympathy).

RE The IEC port, those used to drive me crazy too, until I found out about these:
http://www.hammondmfg.com/1427CG.htm

It's not an IEC port, but it gets the job done so much quicker and easier, much easier than a traditional strain relief too. Also works great for 2/3 prong cord conversions - one of the few tools I use that actually feels like it was made to do what I do with it.

I'm big into handtools, as the wife + jr sleep right above the basement where I do the work. But gosh, an electric nibbler sure would be nice.....

[TheGimp]

I've got one of the ADEL Tool Co nibblers that I got over 30 years ago. It still works great.

That said, for large cut-outs I use an air powered die grinder with a 3" cut off wheels at 22000r/m.

I cut the tops out of four SS Beer kegs years ago, along with all the work on this little smoker.

[dynaman]

Everyone's got a way to do the rectangle for the IEC inlet. Some are very creative. Some require expensive tools. I was drilling the corners, taking out a big part of the middle with a step bit, and finishing with a double cut mill file. That required 15 minutes on aluminum and about 30 minutes on steel. I recently discovered the cutoff wheel on my Dremel. Because it's a small wheel, it is ideal for what we do. I dont' think I'll be going back to the old method, but some finish work with the file is still required. It's a whole lot less work. Forget about a nibbler on steel.

Yes, that's how I do my IEC holes too. I know the dims by heart at this point. Four 1/8" holes and a thin disk on my ancient Dremel. Takes like all of 5 minutes for me to have a finished opening for an IEC receptacle. Plus, an IEC receptacle is way cheaper than a cord and relief. I get fancy and dust the inside of the opening with a 1/2" swivel head belt sander I picked up from Harbor Freight for about $25. Damn me for buying a Chinese tool. One of these days, I'd like to get an actual punch for this.

[M Fowler]

That smoker would have been great in my drinking days

I used to do a lot sausage making and smoking meat but we graduated to a really large unit for that later a co-op thing amoung us hunters.

I find the Dremel disks too soft and brittle for cutting even in aluminum.
You must be using a different disk then what Dremel kits come in?

Mark

[dynaman]

That smoker would have been great in my drinking days

I used to do a lot sausage making and smoking meat but we graduated to a really large unit for that later a co-op thing amoung us hunters.

I find the Dremel disks too soft and brittle for cutting even in aluminum.
You must be using a different disk then what Dremel kits come in?

Mark

I use #409 disks. You're right, they are extremely thin and brittle and will snap if you put any side pressure on them. I've tried thicker disks, but I don't like 'em. My Dremel motor is small and weak and it takes too long using thick disks. Plus, they heat up a bunch, make lots of dust and are a waste of power. It took me a couple of holes to get the hang of using the thin disks. On average, I get about two holes per disk.

[rp]

RE The IEC port, those used to drive me crazy too, until I found out about these: http://www.hammondmfg.com/1427CG.htm

Dude! Big thanks! I was going to post on where to get these and or a mouser # but wasn't sure how to describe them. I was never sure which were the ones to get. I'm tired of making my own double Ds with a file. I don't even try IECs. Again Thanks!

[surfsup]

That Bad Dog Nibbler is actually a very nice tool. Amazing what they come up with these days.

[Cliff Schecht]

That smoker would have been great in my drinking days

I used to do a lot sausage making and smoking meat but we graduated to a really large unit for that later a co-op thing amoung us hunters.

I find the Dremel disks too soft and brittle for cutting even in aluminum.
You must be using a different disk then what Dremel kits come in?

Mark

I use #409 disks. You're right, they are extremely thin and brittle and will snap if you put any side pressure on them. I've tried thicker disks, but I don't like 'em. My Dremel motor is small and weak and it takes too long using thick disks. Plus, they heat up a bunch, make lots of dust and are a waste of power. It took me a couple of holes to get the hang of using the thin disks. On average, I get about two holes per disk.

You guys are using the wrong accessories then. I use the fiberglass reinforced cutoff disks (much like a mini angle grinder bit) and can easily get through steel and aluminum. My only problem is I don't have a working dremel tool right now..

My lazy technique involves drilling one hole on the middle of the IEC connector and nibbling out each direction in an 8-point star type pattern. Then I grab each little leftover piece, bend it until it breaks and clean up the leftover square hole if I see fit. Works for me in a pinch, never looks very pretty.

[Phil_S]

I find the Dremel disks too soft and brittle for cutting even in aluminum. You must be using a different disk then what Dremel kits come in?

I'm not really sure what I'm using. It's the larger grey disk that came with the tool. I think it is about 1.25" dia, about 1/16" thick. I am guessing you can do no more than two cutouts with one wheel. I think the appropriate technique is to go very slow. It is a case of less is more. Let the rotation of the tool do the work, very little pressure.

[Andy Le Blanc]

you can use a regular AC fuse box wire parts, The reliefs are only a
couple bucks for a half dozen, you only need one hole, and they work great with large gauge power cable.

I make all my holes in the flat before taking it to the break to finish fab'in a chassis

The whole chassis take less than 30 min to fab, base paint 3 min.

another 30 min to letter and finish paint at most.

I'd like a press and die to punch out the whole thing, whats that, 3 sec?

[M Fowler]

Yeah I'm thinking going with dies and punches and the local tractor supply (TSC) has a nice break on a sturdy stand looks better then the Harbor Freight one. Make some steel and aluminun chassis.

I looked at the couplings at my local eletrical distributor even though there cheap by the bag full they are bulky looking brother Andy.

[Cliff Schecht]

I've got hundreds of strain reliefs and other crap that I'm going to put up for sell for cheap sometime soon. I use the big line filter IEC connectors because the cutout shape is a simple rectangle as opposed to the usual IEC shape. I've got lots of them too that I'll dump for cheap.

[Structo]

Depending how thick and tough the material is, I have used my Dremel tool for some pretty tough jobs.
But cutting thick steel sheet metal probably isn't one of them.

But some of their heavy duty cutting wheels can cut some wild stuff.

Any of those hand nibblers I ever tried never worked very good for me.