|
cutting 2" holes in 1/2" metal plate
QUESTION:I am in the process of buliding a CADDigger821 towable backhoe which
consists of cutting some 2" holes in 1/2" plate metal. The holes need
to be fairly precise and clean.
There are a number of holes that need to be cut ranging from 2" to
3/4" into metal ranging from 1/2" down to 1/4" thick. Any help would
be appreciated.
ANSWER: Sure, anyone who works on tractors and ag equipment has to do this
all the time. For use where a bushing is pivoting on a pin, what I do
is find a piece of pipe that has the proper inside diameter, cut off a
half inch thick ring, blow a hole in the piece of plate, and then weld
in the ring.
Pipe comes in varying wall thickness depending on the pressure
rating, and with a little luck you can come close enough to some bolt
size to make a good pin and bushing.
Of course you can always bore the ring to exactly the I.D. you want
on a lathe....but contrary to a lot of what you hear on this website,
it isn't necessary at all to have machine tools to enjoy metalworking!
In fact, if I had to get rid of my metal-working tools one by one I
think the last things to go would be the torches, vise, hammer, and
hacksaw, and a couple of files....
I'd like to hear how you progress on making the 'digger. I drew up
plans to make a similar one for myself (I like hydraulic things) when
suddenly a quick-detatch 3-pt. backhoe came up for sale at a ridiculous
low price in the paper..That was the end of my backhoe-building
project; but it sure is a sweet little backhoe.
|
|
|
|
