Beginner tools

[poutipoupou]

Hello everybody!

I'm new in stompbox making - I did a bit of soldering in the past, that's it.
I'm really interested in making lots of stuff with my new solder kit... but these days I'm really broke. Normally I would just wait to get some money, but I need a D.I. now.

So I'm looking for this on the internet...
And it actually sounds good! I can basically make an excellent DI for a hundred bucks.

I got my soldering tools as I said, but that's it. I was about to order my cinemag transformer, but first went to the electronics store and I realized I could buy anything, would put it all within the aluminium/mu-metal box. I've been looking in Google, and everything I could find was people saying every steps of the making... but never how to hole the ***** metal box!

I guess the answer is too easy, and that's why no one talks about it, but: how the hell do you guys make holes in your aluminium cases? Does a simple drill makes it? Is it better with battery or the direct connection? Do I have to put a hell lot of money in getting a drill press?

Is there any other solution?

Thank You!

[robthequiet]

Welcome a-board.

As for the battery vs. wall wart, both are equally good if executed properly, with the obvious difference being the battery consumption.

Some guys use transparent templates, paper/tape templates, etc., to mark the exact center of the hole. Then you take a metal punch and tap a pilot hole with a small hammer. I have, in a pinch, used a hardened steel nail, but you want the best instrument you can get. Get the pilot hole to be big enough so that when you set the drill bit in place, it holds it enough to keep it centered. Practice on something else first, of course. If you have a drill with variable speed, it may help to go slow at first.

By the way, are you using a breadboard to build the circuit first?

[pappasmurfsharem]

These are your friend unless you have standard size bits.

https://www.amazon.com/Toolkit-Large-Speed-Steel-Pieces/dp/B0124HNH10/ref=sr_1_4?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1474332550&sr=1-4
(you can get these nearly anywhere, harbor freight is the best IMO, cheap stuff but good enough for most of the things we need)


The cheapies like the ones above aren't the best and will sooner or later dull on you.

But they work. A simple hand drill will work fine. I bought a cheap drill press from harbor freight for somewhere between $60-80, but you can use those stepped bits with as standard hand drill.

[Jdansti]

>how the hell do you guys make holes in your aluminium cases?

Welcome!  You need a hole maker!    I used electric hand drills for years before I got a small cheap drill press at Harbor Freight. The step bits Smurf mentioned above work better than regular speed bits, which tend to make an un-round hole (at least when I use them with a hand drill). Just make sure you anchor the box so it can't spin if the bit grabs. Step bits are less likely to grab, but it's best to be safe.

Here's a tutorial by one of our forum buddies:

Do you know someone you can borrow an electric hand drill from until you can afford to buy one?

[PRR]

> how to hole the ***** metal box!

As with any hole.... How Big?

I have made deep 5/8" holes in good concrete by hand. I was much younger and poorer then.

1/8" holes are easy with a hand drill and twist bits.

1/4" steel I sure would prefer any kind of power drill, though in Aluminum it may be quicker by hand than to find a motor and power.

1" holes as for XLR really want a drillpress with a *clamp*.

I regularly do 2" in steel with a hole-saw but clamping and practice are critical. Any motor beefy enough to turn a large hole-saw will easily throw that cabinet through your wrist.

In all low-tech cabinet work, ask if you can skip the chassis-mount labor. I have often hung an XLR cord-plug on a few inches of cable run through a 3/16" hole, much easier than the large odd size a chassis-mount XLR needs. I even run 1/4" plugs this way rather than bang the 3/8" hole for a 1/4" jack. (It also uses-up my half-good cords.)

[ElectricDruid]

I manage with a hand-held electric drill and a set of drill bits for metal. It's far from ideal, but it does work. A drill press and one of those nice step bits would be preferred.

As others have said, clamp the work if at all possible. For large holes (stomp switches, for example) this is crucial since if the drill grabs it'll wreck the enclosure at best and injure you if it can. Also use a centre punch/nail/spike/whatever to mark the holes first. Then I just drill a 2mm hole, followed by a 3mm hole, followed by a 4mm hole...until I get to the size I want. Now you understand why a step bit is much preferred!

HTH,
Tom

[antonis]

Also use a centre punch/nail/spike/whatever to mark the holes first. Then I just drill a 2mm hole, followed by a 3mm hole, followed by a 4mm hole...until I get to the size I want.

Good for steel but for aluminium it needs a wider step..
(something like from 3mm --> 5mm --> 8mm e.t.c)

Drill bits tend to grasp on aluminium "burrs" (if this is the right word.. ) if bit's diameter is close enough to hole's one..

[rutabaga bob]

My 2 cents...safety glasses, step-bits, clamp the enclosure (I have seen a sheet-metal chassis ruin a plate glass window...luckily the guys doing the drilling weren't injured), and a deburring tool is handy to have around.  Plenty of light on the work is nice...

[amptramp]

Another vote for step drills here.  I happen to have a drill press that I got for $57 on sale at Canadian Tire a few years ago and garage sales will sometimes turn up tools that are cheap.  I recently got a De Walt hand drill with two good batteries and charger for $10.  Hand drills may be good enough for small holes but anything over 1/8 inch or 3 mm means you have to be able to hold it precisely perpendicular to the box surface and that can be difficult.

[duck_arse]

you can use a six pack of beer/wine/cider to make the holes. gather all your measures for the parts, and carefully mark all the hole positions, and sizes on the box to be wholed, and then wander down to the local motor mechanic/service station/garage/sheetmetal worker/blacksmith?/engineering shop.

tell them what you want (holes, here, this size, round), ask them if they'll do it for you, stand and watch them do it, while you drink the beer.

hic. also, welcome to the forum.

[rutabaga bob]

Duck - more than likely the beer would have to go to the ones doing the work.   

-speak not that name!-

[stringsthings]

A little bit of liquid on the stepbit helps also.  WD40 works very well.  Keeps the the bit from getting
clogged up with metal bits. 

[rutabaga bob]

One thing as regards step-drills and the video: to help me keep track of exactly what step I'm drilling to, I first clean off the bit with alcohol, then I double check on which level is the right diameter.  Next, I go all around that step with a black Sharpie before putting on some cutting lube - that way I don't have to remember how many steps I've drilled through.  I repeat this for each hole or when I change diameter.  I guess with a drill press, you could adjust the stop-depth to put the bit at the desired level, but I don't have one.

[poutipoupou]

Thanks guys!!!! I didn't expect that many answers nor that much precision.

I see I have still a bunch of things to learn... I googled a lot of your terms!

But anyways, I guess I'm gonna be patient for my D.I. box and try to find a good drill not too expensive and a vise or something. Since then I'll have a little read of the forum, looks like I'm going to learn lots..!

I'll hit you guys back when I got my DI assembled! 

[GiovannyS10]

Hi poutipoupou,

I do my pedals with some cheap materials. My drill is a simple direct-con drill, and i can do some pedals with it. You not need much money to do pedals - i started to do it because i had not money enough to buy pedals for me Hahah. You only need be creative...

You do well reading the threads, we have too much good guys here, you will learn a lot, like i learn everyday reading here 

Let me know any questions and be welcome to DIY