hole puncher for up to 6mm steel

[owas]

Hey
Need a tool to make my life easier.

I need to drill around 40 odd 14mm holes in 80mmx4mm thick box and was trying to find a tool that can punch holes that size in box section?
Only been able to find american sites but im probably not searching properly.

I hate drilling .

 

[balmerchris]

I've never seen box section punched before. Would it not just collapse?

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

You're not gonna punch that very easily at all. Much better plasma cut. You need a mandrel/die inside it and a lot of shear angle on the punch. Our 65 ton cnc punch is maxed out on a 15 MM hole on 5MM hr4. Dead easy to plasma. Drill or machine a hole in a piece of plate the hole size plus half your Nozzle diameter and keep the torch tight to the inside of your jigs hole.

 

[owas]

Thats why I thought there might be something out there for box section, seems easy to pop out holes in thick steel on there.

Not too clued up on machinary to be honest.

 

[mangocrazy]

Wouldn't laser or water jet cutting be an option?

 

[dannyp]

for 40 odd holes id just drill it, for a half decent radial or pillar drill not really an issue

 

[ukracer]

for 40 odd holes id just drill it, for a half decent radial or pillar drill not really an issue

I drilled 80 8mm holes with one drill no sharpening and I only have a bench startrite drill. Took about 45 mins if I remember correctly. Its my next purchase if i can find one at the right price. I need one with a 3 morse taper but to be fair my bench drill was sweet cutting those 80 holes.

 

[owas]

40 odd holes per length for a total of 4 lengths per power rack (4 post weightlifting thing)
I want to start building and selling them so wanting to make quite a few ,did have a look at laser cutting but was around £100 for the 4 lengths or for 1 length, cant remember now ... adds up if I make a few.
I do have a drill press .. was just hoping there was a quicker way tbh.

I might just get a mag drill, seems pretty usefull to have around.

 

[dannyp]

mag drill incorparated into a jig would do it, mag drills don't cling onto box to well

 

[Hitch]

You wont punch it with one of those machines....the die needs to be in contact with the back of the material, try punching through two thicknesses makes a hell of a mess, let alone with a gap between them.

What tools do you have? What are the holes for?
Drill shouldn't be too much bother, even a pistol drill if you havn't anything better.

If they dont need to be perfect plasma would be much easier....

Or mark it out and just get someone to drill it for you....