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Martin H. Eastburn Martin H. Eastburn is offline
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Default How to make a large hole in a steel plate

That could be watercut cnc job -
That could be lasercut cnc job -
That could be Plasmacut cnc Job -

The plasma would slice through - and if kept moving wouldn't distort
the plate. That small hole in a big plate won't give much possibility
for a warp.

Circle cutting is typical (drill press), but you need a deep throat.

Plasma torch can be guided between or around (inside is best) a wood circle.

Lots of ways.
Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/


Joe AutoDrill wrote:
wrote in message
...
I need to make a two inch hole near the center of a four foot square
3/16" steel plate. It doesn't need to be perfect, could be slightly
irregular. Would a cutting torch be OK, or would the heat permanently
distort the plate?

What other methods would work? A plasma cutter sounds good to me, but
I don't have one. I guess I could take it somewhere and pay to have
it done.


Best option: Very large radial arm drill press... Find someone with one.
Has to have a 24" or greater throat.

Second best: Magnetic mount drill with an annular cutter - See
www.hougen.com or a similar manufacturer.

Third best: Really good geared down, two hand hand drill with a hole saw,
annular cutter, etc. Lots of prayer...

They might just make hole cutters for electrical panels that work too...
The kind you drill a small hole for then put a device that "shears" it's way
through as you tighten it like a bolt...

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com

V8013-R



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