I have a slot (cut in the case of a fully assembled computer) about 90mm x
10mm. I need to extend the slot to about 94mm x 10mm.

Is there a tool that would do this cleanly, without making any metal filings
such as would be caused by a metal sawblade or drill bit?

If necessary, I could get away with making two 4mm-long slots at one end of
the existing hole, and just bending the metal between the two slots, instead
of cutting it away.

The clearance available for getting any tool into position is a 6mm wide
strip around the slot perimeter.

I want to avoid metal filings, so I can avoid having to take electrical
parts out of the computer case.

Jan wrote:
|| I have a slot (cut in the case of a fully assembled computer) about
|| 90mm x 10mm. I need to extend the slot to about 94mm x 10mm.
||
|| Is there a tool that would do this cleanly, without making any metal
|| filings such as would be caused by a metal sawblade or drill bit?
||
|| If necessary, I could get away with making two 4mm-long slots at one
|| end of the existing hole, and just bending the metal between the two
|| slots, instead of cutting it away.
||
|| The clearance available for getting any tool into position is a 6mm
|| wide strip around the slot perimeter.
||
|| I want to avoid metal filings, so I can avoid having to take
|| electrical parts out of the computer case.

What you need is a Hole Punch. these come in round and square shapes. they
consist of a sharp cutter and a Bolt tightner.

--
Grouch

Jan wrote:
|| I have a slot (cut in the case of a fully assembled computer) about
|| 90mm x 10mm. I need to extend the slot to about 94mm x 10mm.
||
|| Is there a tool that would do this cleanly, without making any metal
|| filings such as would be caused by a metal sawblade or drill bit?
||
|| If necessary, I could get away with making two 4mm-long slots at one
|| end of the existing hole, and just bending the metal between the two
|| slots, instead of cutting it away.
||
|| The clearance available for getting any tool into position is a 6mm
|| wide strip around the slot perimeter.
||
|| I want to avoid metal filings, so I can avoid having to take
|| electrical parts out of the computer case.


They look like this. these are pricey so a good second hand tool shop is
your best option.
http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/images/Q-Max/q-max.jpg

--
Grouch

Jan wrote:

I have a slot (cut in the case of a fully assembled computer) about 90mm x
10mm. I need to extend the slot to about 94mm x 10mm.

Is there a tool that would do this cleanly, without making any metal filings
such as would be caused by a metal sawblade or drill bit?

If necessary, I could get away with making two 4mm-long slots at one end of
the existing hole, and just bending the metal between the two slots, instead
of cutting it away.

The clearance available for getting any tool into position is a 6mm wide
strip around the slot perimeter.

I want to avoid metal filings, so I can avoid having to take electrical
parts out of the computer case.



Possibly a pair of "notching" metal snips, like these:
http://www.heimerdingercutlery.com/c...KEN=2 3995945

I've used such a tool, but you need a good ratchet action pair to get
through the tough steel used in PC cases...
They will still leave metal swarf of course, but it tends to stay
"attached" until you break it off.

Lee
--
To reply use lee.blaver and ntlworld.com

Jan wrote:


If necessary, I could get away with making two 4mm-long slots at one end of
the existing hole, and just bending the metal between the two slots, instead
of cutting it away.

Decent pair of ordinary wire cutters might suffice, if it's only 4mm you
need to cut...
Mine will just about cope with PC cases, but it's hard on the hands

Lee
--
To reply use lee.blaver and ntlworld.com

Lee wrote:
|| Jan wrote:
||
||| I have a slot (cut in the case of a fully assembled computer) about
||| 90mm x 10mm. I need to extend the slot to about 94mm x 10mm.
|||
||| Is there a tool that would do this cleanly, without making any
||| metal filings such as would be caused by a metal sawblade or drill
||| bit?
|||
||| If necessary, I could get away with making two 4mm-long slots at
||| one end of the existing hole, and just bending the metal between
||| the two slots, instead of cutting it away.
|||
||| The clearance available for getting any tool into position is a 6mm
||| wide strip around the slot perimeter.
|||
||| I want to avoid metal filings, so I can avoid having to take
||| electrical parts out of the computer case.
|||
|||
||
|| Possibly a pair of "notching" metal snips, like these:
||
http://www.heimerdingercutlery.com/c...t_ID=139&CFID=
1495711&CFTOKEN=23995945
||
|| I've used such a tool, but you need a good ratchet action pair to get
|| through the tough steel used in PC cases...
|| They will still leave metal swarf of course, but it tends to stay
|| "attached" until you break it off.
||
|| Lee
|| --
|| To reply use lee.blaver and ntlworld.com

If I'm right don't think he will be able to use them in the area intened.
:-P

--
Grouch

Grouch wrote:

Jan wrote:
|| I have a slot (cut in the case of a fully assembled computer) about
|| 90mm x 10mm. I need to extend the slot to about 94mm x 10mm.
||
|| Is there a tool that would do this cleanly, without making any metal
|| filings such as would be caused by a metal sawblade or drill bit?
||
|| If necessary, I could get away with making two 4mm-long slots at one
|| end of the existing hole, and just bending the metal between the two
|| slots, instead of cutting it away.
||
|| The clearance available for getting any tool into position is a 6mm
|| wide strip around the slot perimeter.
||
|| I want to avoid metal filings, so I can avoid having to take
|| electrical parts out of the computer case.

What you need is a Hole Punch. these come in round and square shapes. they
consist of a sharp cutter and a Bolt tightner.


This is definitely the best option, if you have enough access to use
them and you can get them in the right shape.
Ain't cheap though

Lee
--
To reply use lee.blaver and ntlworld.com

Grouch wrote:

Lee wrote:

|| Possibly a pair of "notching" metal snips, like these:

If I'm right don't think he will be able to use them in the area intened.
:-P


Lol, I was thinking the same thing about the punch

Lee

--
To reply use lee.blaver and ntlworld.com

Jan has brought this to us :
I have a slot (cut in the case of a fully assembled computer) about 90mm x
10mm. I need to extend the slot to about 94mm x 10mm.

You need a tool called a 'Nibbler'. These take clean bytes out of thin
metal of about 2mm x 5mm each time you squeese the handles. Tandy used
to do them and I suspect Maplin electronics will stock them. They look
roughly similar to a pair of pliers, have a sort of anvil and moving
post with a hooked end which takes bytes.

--


--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.org

Lee wrote:
|| Grouch wrote:
||
||| Lee wrote:
||
||||| Possibly a pair of "notching" metal snips, like these:
||
||| If I'm right don't think he will be able to use them in the area
||| intened. :-P
|||
||
|| Lol, I was thinking the same thing about the punch
||
|| Lee
||
|| --
|| To reply use lee.blaver and ntlworld.com

Well I think he wan'ts to extend the PC slot at the back of the Comp so
there should not be any difficulty with the hole punches. :-)

--
Grouch

In article , Jan
writes
I have a slot (cut in the case of a fully assembled computer) about 90mm x
10mm. I need to extend the slot to about 94mm x 10mm.

Is there a tool that would do this cleanly, without making any metal filings
such as would be caused by a metal sawblade or drill bit?

If necessary, I could get away with making two 4mm-long slots at one end of
the existing hole, and just bending the metal between the two slots, instead
of cutting it away.

The clearance available for getting any tool into position is a 6mm wide
strip around the slot perimeter.

You can get a "nibbler" for a few pounds from Machine Mart (amongst
other places). This shears the metal without distortion.

--
Frank Erskine

"Jan" wrote in message
...
I have a slot (cut in the case of a fully assembled computer) about 90mm x
10mm. I need to extend the slot to about 94mm x 10mm.

Is there a tool that would do this cleanly, without making any metal
filings
such as would be caused by a metal sawblade or drill bit?

If necessary, I could get away with making two 4mm-long slots at one end
of
the existing hole, and just bending the metal between the two slots,
instead
of cutting it away.

The clearance available for getting any tool into position is a 6mm wide
strip around the slot perimeter.

I want to avoid metal filings, so I can avoid having to take electrical
parts out of the computer case.


===========
Look at: www.machinemart.co.uk Look for 'hand nibbler'.

Cic.

On Wed, 10 Mar 2004 21:55:46 GMT, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:

Jan has brought this to us :
I have a slot (cut in the case of a fully assembled computer) about 90mm x
10mm. I need to extend the slot to about 94mm x 10mm.

You need a tool called a 'Nibbler'. These take clean bytes out of thin
metal of about 2mm x 5mm each time you squeese the handles. Tandy used
to do them and I suspect Maplin electronics will stock them. They look
roughly similar to a pair of pliers, have a sort of anvil and moving
post with a hooked end which takes bytes.

That was about what I was going to suggest Harry. I have a pair (black
body with silver handle) and have used them for exactly what the OP'r
intends.

I think I bought mine from a Model Engineer Exhibition a few years
back .. one of those 'they look handy' things ;-)

Also have the version that goes on an electric drill.

To stop the bits getting caught up in the PC's PCB (If I can't be
arsed to strip the box) I make up a sort of 'dam' using masking tape
and do the job with the bit I'm cutting at the bottom (spanned across
a gap between two wooden stools etc)

All the best ..

T i m

Thank you all for your most helpful responses. I have followed up the links
you have given, and I shall have a go with either a Q-Max type punch, or a
hand-held nibbler; I’ll have a good look at the layout of the case in
daylight tomorrow and decide which it is to be. Many thanks.



Regards



Jan

On Wed, 10 Mar 2004 23:24:46 -0000, "Jan"
wrote:



Thank you all for your most helpful responses. I have followed up the links
you have given, and I shall have a go with either a Q-Max type punch, or a
hand-held nibbler; I?ll have a good look at the layout of the case in
daylight tomorrow and decide which it is to be. Many thanks.

This is the hand nibbler at Machinemart ..

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=040212700

(not the same as my one though. Mine cuts on the end and 'punches'
rather than 'shears')

and the drill version .. (this 'punches' and fast!)

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=060722500

It still might be 'safer' to take the PC to bits just-in-case a metal
fragment get's stuck under a component etc?

All the best ..

T i m

In article ,
T i m wrote:
It still might be 'safer' to take the PC to bits just-in-case a metal
fragment get's stuck under a component etc?

If you use a proper nibbler like a Niblex, there are no fragments - just
waste the width of the blade which has to be broken off with cutters, etc.

The neatest way would be with a square or rectangular Q-Max. RS do a
square one which is 9.43mm for 18.51 plus VAT, or 13.7 x 11.1mm for 24.59.

--
*Would a fly without wings be called a walk?

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn