cuting guage holes in a stainless dash panel...

[sidriptide]

i'm setting up a new dash panel in a YJ this week. aside from the radio and heater control panels which will be easy. i need to cut 3 nice 2 1/16" holes for the guages. we're using 1/16" stainless sheet steel. i'm sure there is a nice tool for punching the holes neatly but thats beyond me right now i think. i'm gonna try to use a 1 3/4" hole saw in a drill press on a peice of scrap to se how it goes and use a carbide burr in a die grinder to open it up .. also thinking i'll see how the plasma works and finish with the burr as well...
any other ideas?? this is for a customer's Jeep so the final product is important.

 

[5-90]

Carbide grit hole saw in the proper size (or a bit smaller,) or knock it out using a boring head in a mill, I'd think. You should have an easier time finding a carbide hole saw (I see them at the local hardware store up to about 4",) and you can use that in a drill press.

 

[vetteboy]

5-90's got it...you don't want to try that with a toothed hole saw. Stainless will just eat that up. An abrasive one really would be your best bet.

The 'best' tool for it would probably be a Greenlee punch:

However, like usual, the best tool for the job isn't cheap. If you can afford to go up a little in size, here's a *great* deal on a 2-1/4" one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Greenlee-730-Kn...ryZ73118QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and a 2" one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Greenlee-730-Kn...ryZ73118QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Look around and you might find the one you're looking for...although if you need something fast, the carbide grit saw is probably your best bet.

 

[sidriptide]

yeah i knew something like that must exist.. but i expected them to be part of an elaborate expensive set... i'll have to see if they make 3.5" as well for my speedo and tach. thanks!!

 

[vetteboy]

They actually make different shapes too (rectangles, squares, etc) which work well for mounting switches and stuff like that.

To buy them new and in a set, they're incredibly expensive.

 

[XJ_ranger]

FWIW - the carbide die grinder doesnt work so well in stainless... the stainless hardens as it gets hot, and then the carbide grinder stops cutting...

done thatl... :twak:

 

[Jump This]

I just used my plasma cutter.
I practiced on some scrap, then decided to make a template out of of some hardwood I had lying around. The bezel's on most gauges are not all that wide, so you need to practice first.
You may find that using some aluminium plate is easier.....

I used to have a Greenlee set, but the a*hole who owned it wanted it back!

Rick

 

[97Jeepers]

Yup

 

[sidriptide]

Yup

you are obviously a man of few words...