Punch for IEC power socket

[dr*audio]

Has anyone ever seen a punch (die) for making the hole for an IEC power socket in a metal panel?

 

[dnewma04]

No, and why can't some mfg just make an IEC with a round chassis and be done with it? Sonsabitches.

 

[nashvillebill]

No, and why can't some mfg just make an IEC with a round chassis and be done with it? Sonsabitches.

I coulda swore I saw one a couple years ago, I thought it was at Parts Express but evidently not. (I was looking for one myself)

So either a cheap punch or a round IEC...

 

[dnewma04]

BTW, my brother has a rectangular punch for his large floor standing punch. It's the right height for a standard IEC, but not wide enough. With two passes, I can get the desired result.

 

[audiozaz]

Greenlee has a line of square and rectangular knockout punches, but then again, you could buy a mini-lathe or mini-mill for the same price! You could find an individual unit on ebay perhaps.

http://www.arizonatools.com/tools/knockout-punches/detail/GRN60031/

az

 

[terryblulite]

No, and why can't some mfg just make an IEC with a round chassis and be done with it? Sonsabitches.

I second that:yes: But I'm thinkin' that the CNC tooling for a square hole can make different size holes,offsets,notches,and the like.A circle gets used for that size circle only-so they don't bother.During assembly the square peg fits in the square hole.("do you want fries with that?" comes to mind)Maybe cheaper to make,too. I guess it's the standard now.:thumbsdn: Then again,I see a few high - dollar IEC connectors and cheap ones.Nothing in the say,4 to 15 dollar range.I bet some money could be made with a medium quality one that fits the standard square hole,and comes with an indexed sleeve to fit a standard round knock-out punch size.

 

[qboneus]

Qmax makes them!
Square hole punches here, towards the bottom of the page.

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/products.php?cat=Hole Cutters

same items here in US: http://www.toolbank.com/p/D5259/QMASQ34

tal

 

[dnewma04]

Terry, I like the sleeve idea, very interesting.

 

[Mark W.]

It would be easy to make one.

All I would have to do is mill the proper hole in a piece of say 1/2thick O1 tool steel and then make the matching punch which would take only minutes with a bandsaw and my belt grinder.

I did stuff like this during my knifemaking days.

maybe take an hour to make the set. you would need to drill two spaced holes 1/4" D for a pair of alignment pins to keep the two parts in alignment.

Heat treating the tool and die could be done with a punch and resharpening would be simple as it could be done with a piece of 400 grit wet dry on a flat surface.

If someone really wanted one I could be pushed into making one I have the spec's her for the IEC socket PE sells. Cost would run around $30-40.00

Since my mill is hand crank making more wouldn't save anything since the time would only be reduced slightly with experiance on the step by step.

 

[terryblulite]

Terry, I like the sleeve idea, very interesting.

:scratch2:...we have a plastics place here(Hopkins)that makes everything from icescrapers to headlight aiming devices.Bet they could come up with a 39 cent sleeve-the tooling and molds would run a couple grand,though:tears:

 

[Mike Stehr]

But I'm thinkin' that the CNC tooling for a square hole can make different size holes,offsets,notches,and the like.

I ran Amada CNC turret type punch presses for use with lighter thickness sheetmetal, way back when.....

They had punches of various shapes and sizes. I'm pretty certain there is a punch/sleeve with a die for a IEC type of hole. I probably used them......

The machine had a "C" axis, along with X and Y. This was a nibbling function. The hole in the turret where the punch was placed could spin 360 degrees. The punch looked like a oval with squared sides.

With good sharp tooling of proper length, with the dies at proper height, (no shimming) those presses could boogie all night without any problems. (with all other things considered.)

A far cry from running a 70 year old 90 ton brake, punching 3/8'" material, constantly fixing broken punches, bent punch frames, and the general lack of maintenance.

And that was the reliable pressbrake...........

 

[terryblulite]

Here's another alternative-I have quite a bit of Neutrik speakon stuff.Here's the Powercon. It's not a wattgate,but better than the dollar-twenty nine IEC cheapies.And only about 7 bucks for both mating pieces.
View attachment 138287

 

[audiozaz]

Maybe if you started with square Xsection steel stock and turned a part of it round, threaded that for the "drive" nut, which would push on a sleeve over the square stock until the also square centered die punches through the sheet metal. You would only have to pierce one hole that way.

Was that clear or am I nuts? :screwy:

az

 

[terryblulite]

How about this- A round cylinder with an 1/8" thick flange.The IEC ears bolt thru the flange,and thru the chassis.This cylinder has a rectangular hole for the smallest size panel mount IEC connector you can find.It only needs to be maybe 5/8" in overall length. You could even mill out a "step" inside the rectangular hole for a slightly larger body.The end user fits the connector to the adapter with a file or dremel,punches a hole(or use a stepped bit),and drills the flange and chassis for screws.

Plumberboy1 is getting geared up to cast badges and logos,I bet he could cast these!

 

[terryblulite]

Sorry, dr*audio,I seem to have gotten off track.Just got to thinkin' about 6 or 8 IEC's I have to mount,and trying figure a way to get them mounted.

 

[dr*audio]

The square punch looks promising, but at 47 Pounds, I think it's going to be at Least $100 American. The other thing I'd like to find is a die for XLR connectors.

 

[gmilitano]

No, and why can't some mfg just make an IEC with a round chassis and be done with it? Sonsabitches.

I have always wondered the same thing!

I have not seen a punch, but with a pattern I traced out on paper plus a "Klein Nibbler" tool, it works out pretty good.

Cheers

 

[nashvillebill]

Or how about a punch to do the rectangular holes for power switches...or convenience AC outlets...

I usually wind up using a Dremel with the 3/4" cutting disc. What a mess, metal dust everywhere.

 

[tubino]

I'm pretty sure I found a Greenlee designed for it, but it cost WAY too much for me. In thicker aluminum I did it with a unibit, dremel, and file. Didn't take a LONG time, but still...

 

[drewbolce]

I wonder if we are asking the right question. When I did some research into a punch I found out that there appears to be no standard for the socket chassis hole size.

Does anyone have the dimensions for a standard IEC socket hole? I suspect that the lack of "standardized" dimensions has prevented the punch manufacturers from making one for this purpose.