Cutting lots of holes in box section

[Welderpaul]

We have nigh on 200m of fencing to fabricate and fit. Top and bottom horizontal rails from 50x25 RHS. 25.4 dia ERW passing through. Lots of holes to drill/cut - around 5400nr.

I'm thinking of making a sliding jig for the plasma cutter to cut em out. Jig moves up in 125mm increments.

Going to be time consuming and messy. Any better ideas? No to hole saws Big drill? Not that will drill 1" holes!

 

[oilcooled :)]

mag drill with inch broacher, be tidyiest would imagine it to be the fastest though?

 

[astro_al]

Floorstanding drill. Jig. Clamp. 26mm mag drill broach. Cutting fluid.

I would also have a compressed air gun handy, so that of the slug from cutting through the top surface gets in the way when starting the cut on the bottom surface you can give a blast of air up the tube to scoosh it out of the way.

I recently did 1000 holes with a mag drill cutter on a pillar drill. Monotonous. Don't give the whole job to just one guy. (I was working without a jig, so yours will be a bit easier).

Solidity of machine / clamping and lubrication are the key points.

Al.

 

[tomb]

Parkers are advertising their Tube Laser service for profiling hollow section min tube dia 20mm and tolerance of +/- .3mm max tube length 6.5m. Could be a option, no idea of cost. There is a video of it in action on their web site.

 

[weldingscotty803]

i'm guessing your only drilling through one side. if so why cant you just weld them to the face of the box? make a jig up out of 6 or 8mm flat bar with holes drilled in the increments you need, slice it down the centre lengthwaysthen you have your 2 cradles . lift to correct height for centrestack on bench and your away
or shall i just shut up!

just re-read. are they going to have a central support (horizontal)

 

[Welderpaul]

Parkers are advertising their Tube Laser service for profiling hollow section min tube dia 20mm and tolerance of +/- .3mm max tube length 6.5m. Could be a option, no idea of cost. There is a video of it in action on their web site.

That's who i am ringing in the morning. Nice find. Thanks all.

 

[Hitch]

Laser cut the only way to do that many imo.All holes will line up, nice neat holes, no gaps, might cost to get cut, but time saving on the fabrication...