How to Punch 1/4 Inch Square Holes in Steel Strips
Punching a 1/4-inch hole in a steel trip requires force beyond a standard hand punch. Therefore you will need to use a mechanical punch with a 1/4-inch square die to punch the hole. Punching the hole into the steel strip is only part of the problem, because you also will need to keep the hole square with the sides of the steel strip to allow the steel strip to be installed properly. The steel strip will sit out of alignment when the fastener is set and tightened into the 1/4-inch square hole.
Things You'll Need
- Mechanical punch
- 1/4-inch top and bottom punching dies
- Safety glasses
- Combination square
- Steel strip
Instructions
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1
Put on your safety glasses. You don't want to take any chances with your eyesight.
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2
Insert the top and bottom punching dies according to the manufacturer's operating instructions. Before you operate the mechanical punch, manually lower the top punching die to ensure that the two dies line up. If the dies do not align, the top die will snap and could cause you serious injury.
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3
Set the backstop of the mechanical punch to the depth needed to place the 1/4-inch square hole on the steel strip. Measure the distance from the back gauge to the center of the 1/4-inch square die to ensure that you have the correct dimension for the 1/4-inch square hole.
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4
Set the combination square against the back gauge and measure the distance from each corner to the blade of the combination square. If the dimension from each corresponding corner is the same, the back gauge is square to the face of the die.
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5
Place the steel strip against the squared back gauge and depress the control pedal of the mechanical punch to punch the 1/4-inch square hole into the steel strip.
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6
Measure the distance of the 1/4-inch square hole to ensure that the hole is in the proper location and the finished hole is square to the steel strip.
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