Punching Holes in Jiffy Boxes

[Mike Warren]

I need to cut some holes for RJ45 sockets in both ends of about 300 jiffy boxes, and since there will be other similar projects in the future I thought it might be worth making a tool to do the job.

I can design and build something from scratch, but I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas for re-purposing something readily and cheaply available to reduce effort required. I'm thinking of something I can use as a hand press that I can make a die for. Since it's only being used for approximately 1.5mm of ABS it doesn't need to be super strong.

Edit:
I just realised I didn't explain what I'm actually looking for.

I can make the die without any problems, but I'm looking for something to use as a press. The big hydraulic floor presses are way overkill for this sort of thing.
 

[David_AVD]

Have you tried punching the plastic to make sure the box won't shatter / split?  Especially if the cutout is near an edge.

[ftransform]

For my wooden boxes I like to use big bits to drill holes and then use a hand file to do the edges. You can get it fairly neat.

[Mike Warren]

Have you tried punching the plastic to make sure the box won't shatter / split?  Especially if the cutout is near an edge.

Yes. If the die is shaped properly it will shear the plastic.

[Mike Warren]

For my wooden boxes I like to use big bits to drill holes and then use a hand file to do the edges. You can get it fairly neat.

The drill and file technique is what I use when there are only a few required, but I don't fancy doing that for this project.

[GeoffS]

I know Mouser have panel punches for D type connectors and I'm sure I've seen square and round punches there as well.

Any holes I've needed in plastic boxes, I've used my mill to cut. I wouldn't like to do hundreds that way without a CNC mill though.

[Mike Warren]

I know Mouser have panel punches for D type connectors and I'm sure I've seen square and round punches there as well.

I'll have a look. Thanks.

I wouldn't like to do hundreds that way without a CNC mill though.

Actually, I just found this:
http://www.rolanddga.com/products/milling/imodela/

It's very cheap, but I'm sure extremely limited as well.

[Mike Warren]

This looks interesting if it wasn't for the parallel port interface. I wonder if it works with USB->LPT Printer adaptors.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CNC-3040-ROUTER-ENGRAVER-DRILLING-MILLING-MACHINE-yy-/110695858076?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item19c5fcbf9c

[poptones]

Big hydraulic floor presses are handy to have. And cheap I would reckon. Over here you can buy one for just a couple hundred dollars.

[Mike Warren]

Big hydraulic floor presses are handy to have. And cheap I would reckon. Over here you can buy one for just a couple hundred dollars.

But take up more room than I feel comfortable with. I only have a very small workshop.

[SeanB]

A small hand press and punch set will work. If you are able to make the hardened dies then making up a lever operated punch press should be no problem to do.

[Mike Warren]

A small hand press and punch set will work. If you are able to make the hardened dies then making up a lever operated punch press should be no problem to do.

That's what I was hoping for. That someone might know of a suitable press that would save me a few hours making. I'm always for using something already available wherever practical.

[Bored@Work]

Look for a local company that CNC mills your boxes. Punching will not really work. The bits will get dull at some point and start doing real damage. And even with sharp bits you won't get nice edges. You anyhow get invisible damage on the edges. Depending on the environment where the product will later be used this can become a real problem later.

If you don't find a local company, look for an enclosure manufacturer who offers customization. E.g. Polycase.

This is one of those things where you will curse yourself for ever having the idea to do 300 boxes on your own if you do it on your own.

[nanofrog]

I'm thinking a hand operated Arbor Press might be what you're looking for. Would fit on a bench, and isn't very expensive either.

Example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-TON-CAST-IRON-BENCH-MOUNT-MOUNTED-HAND-OPERATED-ARBOR-BEARING-PRESS-TOOL-/280881680974?pt=Clamps_Vises&hash=item4165da524e

[Mike Warren]

Look for a local company that CNC mills your boxes.

Unfortunately, there's no one like that within 1700km.

This is one of those things where you will curse yourself for ever having the idea to do 300 boxes on your own if you do it on your own.

Quite possibly, but I have managed to do a lot of things people said the same thing about over the last 30 years of my career.

I do use external companies for larger projects, but for small projects the lead time is as much a problem as the cost. Sometimes I might only need 5 or 10 units.

That small Chinese CNC mill I posted the link to earlier (or something similar) might actually be a solution to this and a lot of similar things I often need to do.

I often spend a lot of time doing things by hand, and although the customer pays for the labour, I'd much rather not do so much tedious work. Sounds like more fun programming a machine to do it, even if the time saving is not huge.

[Mike Warren]

I'm thinking a hand operated Arbor Press might be what you're looking for. Would fit on a bench, and isn't very expensive either.

Example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-TON-CAST-IRON-BENCH-MOUNT-MOUNTED-HAND-OPERATED-ARBOR-BEARING-PRESS-TOOL-/280881680974?pt=Clamps_Vises&hash=item4165da524e

That's certainly cheap. Doesn't look like it has enough leverage, but at that price it'd be worth getting one to experiment with, anyway.

[notsob]

If you were considering spending $900 on that tonka toy roland - maybe you should look at a few other options - http://www.probotix.com/FireBall_v90_cnc_router_kit/

[Mike Warren]

If you were considering spending $900 on that tonka toy roland - maybe you should look at a few other options - http://www.probotix.com/FireBall_v90_cnc_router_kit/

I've been looking at a few similar machines. This one has a slightly larger z axis:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mini-CNC-ROUTER-ENGRAVER-mill-PCB-engraving-Cmode-3040CH80-WIN2000-XP-/320869378381?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab54e294d

But that one you posted does look nicer, overall.

[notsob]

If you haven't seen it , have a look at this great review by metalphreak on a Chinese CNC

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/product-reviews-photos-and-discussion/china-cnc-6040-setup-testing-review/

[David_AVD]

One of the guys that works for me has a CNC machine at home.  He mills holes and cut-outs in boxes for us occasionally.

That eBay one looks like one of the ones that I've heard people refer to as useless.

The Roland one is reviewed in this month's Silicon Chip magazine and the working area is tiny.  The lack of standard mill bits is also a problem I think.

[GeoffS]

The problem with the CNC routers mentioned (3020, 6040) is limited Z axis travel, under 100mm
There will not be enough room to fit a jiffy box under the Z axis for cutting unless it's very small jiffy box.

I have a 6040 like metalphreaks and once set up properly, it's very good but does suffer from the limited Z travel.

[G7PSK]

If you can make the press tooling what you need is an arbor press, they are cheap new and fast to operate compared to hydraulic presses they also weigh far less and will sit on your bench top they are also useful for pushing bushes etc.

I found an example I am sure that ther must be similar available in Australia as most of these machines now come from the far east.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-axminster-arbor-press--ap0-prod21214/?src=froogle

[notsob]

Machineryhouse have those arbor presses - I think they have stores in most Australian capitals

http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Search?S=arbor+press

[poorchava]

If we're talking about ABS maybe you could ask some company doing advertising stuff (banners etc). They often have CO2 plotters inhouse. Few tens of watts of CO2 laser should do the thing.

CNC mill is a nice idea, especially that abs is soft material, and tool wouldn't wear that much. But huge downside is that you can't really make real square. It will always have corners rounded. Ofcourse corners can be overcut to accomodate a socket which is square/rectangular but then - you'd have to use small diameter endmill and those break easily.

[notsob]

Has anyone ever tried using a mortice drill bit (for woodworking square tenon holes) on  ABS plastic?