Electronic Hombrewer's "Hints & Kinks"

WORKSHOP PRACTICES DOING THE METAL WORK -- LINE-UP

Tapping Holes #1 1 BENDING THE METAL

BEND HERE
NOTCHES

Buying a couple of tap drills, taps

and a tap driver can greatly ALUMINUM
enhance your metal-working OR ANGLE
ME
capabilities. The most common IRON AC ICE
V o.
sizes for electronic work are 4-40 OR C
and 6-32. Drills are $1, taps $2 Drill pilot ½ X 1"
MAKE NOTCHES WITH FILE
hole using TO MARK BEND LINE -- HELPS HARD
HINT: Use drop of oil to the TAP DRILL MAKE A STRAIGHT BEND. WOOD
lubricate tap bit BEND ALUMINUM ON SMALL BENCH VICE USING
Tap Bit ANGLE -IRON OR WOOD "EXTENDERS"
#2 #3 2 PREPARING TO DRILL
FOR ALUM. OR COPPER
COVER FRONT CLAD DRILLING
PANEL WITH
MASKING MASKING
TAPE TAPE

Tap Driver LAYOUT "TAP"

(or Tap Chuck) Remove LOCATION OF HOLES WITH
Insert tap into tap by THE FRONT PANEL TAP PUNCH
hole and slowly turning CCW. Remove CONTROLS AND MARK OR FINISH NAIL
turn clockwise. any burrs on far side WITH BALL-POINT PEN
Tap will thread the hole. Use that might jam tap.
proper tap drill ... a smaller sized
A couple of applications
3 THE DRILLING 4 FINISHING TOUCHES
drill can cause tap to jam ONCE TAPPED ... USE DEBURRING
and snap-off. for tapped holes DRILL HOLES USING TOOL OR A
m A SMALL DRILL FIRST
i nu re -- THEN
LARGE DRILL
m u
#4 Alu clos
E n P.C
.B.
INCREASING TO
DESIRED SIZES.
DRILL AGAINST A
BIT TO
REMOVE
METAL
BURRS
WOOD BLOCK.
T
R ONEL
F N 2x4
Machine screw can PA CLEAN HOLES
OR SHAPE TO
now be inserted Tapped SIZE WITH A
Hole ROUND FILE
DRILL SIZES
Size Tap Drill Thru Drill
2-56 .070" #50 .086" #44 Flat head Tapped USE
machine FILE FOR
4-40 .089" #43 .116" #32
screws Hole "C"
6-32 .107" #36 .144 #27 SHARPENING CHAIN
CLAMP SAWS FOR SMALL HOLES