×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

(OP)
Does anyone have any creative ideas for putting a 3'' round or square hole through a 1.5'' thick cast iron in a punch press?  The hole doesn't need to be clean or any specific size, it just needs to be large enough for a stamping to drop through it.  My fallback was to chain drill it, but that is time consuming and there is not enough clearance for the drill up top, so I would have to drill it from underneath.  I was thinking I would start with a pattern to start the holes and then just chain drill it with 1/4'' holes.  

 

RE: Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

A square hole is harder to drill <G>.

Can you use a 3" bi-metal hole saw and maybe drill from each side?  They are really fast for cutting and I've used them for 1" plate.

Dik

RE: Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

Cast iron is not amenable to punching.  It will shatter.  Drilling will likely be your only recourse.

RE: Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

One drilled hole and a variable speed saber saw and some patience might do it.
 

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

I had to re-read that two or three times.  At first, it sounded like you wanted to punch a 3" hole through 1.5" cast iron.  But I gather that the hole is going to be made in a punch press frame?

Beware, you're also weakening the frame when you do that.

You can get core drills that will cut a plug, but I don't know if they're practical for your situation.  Seems like the ones I've seen were shallower.

RE: Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

JStephen....after I read your post I went back and re-read the original...your interpretation makes more sense.

A diamond core drill will do the three-inch diameter hole.  Use a concrete coring bit. You might dull the bit enough that it will be useless thereafter, so get ready for the cost of a new 3" diamond bit...about $250 US.

 

RE: Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

Correction... a bi-metal blade will not do cast... a diamond core drill is likely the only way to go. Cast is too hard for a bi-metal.

Dik

RE: Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

I have cut many many cast iron pipes with bi-metal blades over the years.
What you are doing seems like it would be a real pain with a blade.

Maybe drill four holes and connect them with a blade./  

RE: Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

You can't punch it - it will shatter as noted.  Drill, saw or flame cut??

RE: Putting a 3'' Hole through 1.5'' Thick Iron in a Punch Press

Toad... I've done 3" holes in 1" steel plate with a circle saw... much easier than cuting with a torch and smoothing... it cuts surprisingly quickly.  Even smaller holes for bolts, etc. are faster to cut with a circle cutter than using a regular large diametre drill.

Dik

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources