Tool for Square Holes in Metal

[Jmellc]

Sometimes I see a need for a square hole in metal, smaller than easily cut with a saw. A good example would be to use a carriage bolt for a metal part. What is the best tool for this?

 

[The KickStand]

Die filer. Very specialized tool but awesome to have around the shop!


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[Stephenw]

Easiest way is to drill close to size and then use a file. More complicated is a square broach and a press.

 

[matt_i]

The very best tool is a hydraulic ironworker. Pull the handle or step on the pedal and BAM, DONE!
However that's expensive.

Thickness makes a difference....a chassis punch does decent work in sheetmetal.

You can drill the center out and hand-file to layout lines if you are motivated and have sharp files.

 

[lis2323]

The very best tool is a hydraulic ironworker. Pull the handle or step on the pedal and BAM, DONE!
.

Agreed. My mechanical IR pictured. Keep your hand out of the way as guaranteed the hole will NOT be square.[emoji6]




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[readhead]

What size hole and what gage metal?

 

[SeisMec]

Best tool probably mostly depends on how many holes in what thickness metal.

For the occasional hole in 1/4" or less mild steel, a square file would be my choice.

 

[Jmellc]

Die filer. Very specialized tool but awesome to have around the shop!


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How expensive are these? I wouldn’t use it enough to spend a large outlay. Boss might consider one for the team if not too high.

 

[topcok88]

Rotary broach is one of the more efficient ways to add complex holes in material on a VMC/HMC/TC. They are less expensive than they used to be and a pretty nice tool to have around.


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[SeisMec]

How expensive are these? I wouldn’t use it enough to spend a large outlay. Boss might consider one for the team if not too high.

Don't know. But never having heard of one before I went looking and found

Die Filer or Bench Filing machine

A die filer is one of those tools that you see pop up from time to time in magazines or construction manuals. The owners of these machines always speak very highly of them, yet commercial manufacture of these tools ceased a long time ago. I had been looking for one on Ebay for years, and had even considered fabricating one from scratch, before finding this option available as a kit from Andy Lofquist at Metal Lathe Accessories.

...

--- from http://www.clickspringprojects.com/die-filer-or-bench-filing-machine.html

 

[MJD1]

Greenlee punch

 

[RTM]

I was thinking chassis punch, but they are usually lightweight. All of my screw type punches are round, wouldn’t have thought of those, much heavier gauge usually

 

[scooterbum46]

Harbor Freight air file

 

[theoldwizard1]

Easiest way is to drill close to size and then use a file. More complicated is a square broach and a press.

Broach more complicated ? That depends on a lot of things.

Access to a press, even just an arbor press ?
Type of stock ?
Thickness of the stock ?

If you have a square broach that can cut all 4 sides after making a round hole, it is pretty simple.

 

[Jmellc]

Greenlee punch

I have Greenlee knockout cutters from 1/2 inch to 2 inch conduit sizes. I’ve never seen a punch of theirs for square holes.

 

[MushCreek]

I've been making 5/16" square holes in 1/8" flat bar for a project I'm working on. I'm just using a fine tooth blade on my jigsaw. 5/16 is about the smallest you can to that way, though. I drill a 5/16 hole, then carefully saw the corners out. Sometimes kinda ugly, but the head of the carriage bolt covers it up. I've also used a square file in the past.

 

[bugnut]

as others have said depends on what you're doing

Stud-Driven Square Hole Punches check mcmaster

 

[WhoWhatNow]

Rotary broach

 

[lilredex]

For sheet metal, a tapered square shank will do it...with a few hammer blows.

Next step up is a big square file.

 

[PZ 1]

Harbor Freight air file

This is the answer. For the price and for what you want to do, it can't be beat. I have had one for 30+ years. In many other situations, it works better than a rotary tool.

 

[SeisMec]

This is the answer. For the price and for what you want to do, it can't be beat. I have had one for 30+ years. In many other situations, it works better than a rotary tool.

This particular HF air file? A different model HF air file? Or someone else's air file?

 

[RTM]

That rotary broach is cool stuff. Had never seen one before. Thanks for sharing the idea and video. Learned something good this weekend.

 

[lis2323]

That rotary broach is cool stuff. Had never seen one before. Thanks for sharing the idea and video. Learned something good this weekend.

Agreed. Totally cool but it’s so slow I think I’d wanna shoot myself.

Good for those machinists getting paid by the hour, but us retired guys got stuff to do![emoji23]


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[PZ 1]

This particular HF air file? A different model HF air file? Or someone else's air file?

Yes, that is the same one I have. It works fine. The supplied files have round shanks, but I have used regular files in it with no problem.
With rotary tools, the rotation makes it hard to control. I was recently using a die grinder to enlarge a hole, and it wasn't going well with the bit gouging in. So I got the air file which is easy to control and make a neat, round hole.

 

[topcok88]

Agreed. Totally cool but it’s so slow I think I’d wanna shoot myself.

Good for those machinists getting paid by the hour, but us retired guys got stuff to do![emoji23]


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What are you talking about slow? A 17-4PH material with a broach the size of 1/32”-1/2” can be machined at 800 RPM with a feed rate of 0.003” IPR. Tell me what other process besides EDM can cut detailed broached holes as clean and as fast as a RB?


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[lis2323]

What are you talking about slow? A 17-4PH material with a broach the size of 1/32”-1/2” can be machined at 800 RPM with a feed rate of 0.003” IPR. Tell me what other process besides EDM can cut detailed broached holes as clean and as fast as a RB?


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No one mentioned “detailed broached holes” up til now, but......

Mechanical Iron worker. Any hole size / material thickness within the capability of machine. 2-3 seconds.


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[Jmellc]

This is the answer. For the price and for what you want to do, it can't be beat. I have had one for 30+ years. In many other situations, it works better than a rotary tool.

I saw it on their website. Might be just right for our shop.

 

[bob15]

I have Greenlee knockout cutters from 1/2 inch to 2 inch conduit sizes. I’ve never seen a punch of theirs for square holes.

Greenlee

Square punch line-up: https://www.greenlee.com/us/en/non-round-punch

and here is their rectangular punch line-up: https://www.greenlee.com/us/en/rectangular-punches--dies