Mounting help: Drill guides for NEMA stepper / OLED display

[LarryD]

• Avoid twist drills when making holes in plastic !

• A step bit works well, a D bit works well too.
  

  

• Slow drill speed is needed, let the bit do the work.

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Sometimes, drilling plastic can be difficult. An: engraving/end mill/spoon/D bit can make this task easy and safe. Chuck your bit in an electric drill or cordless screw driver. At slow speed, advance the bit into the plastic. These bits cut clock wise. (looking from the drill to the hole) The single fluted bit cuts thin shavings as it advances. Since the bits are tapered, you can drill smaller holes than the bit diameter, if you drill partly through the plastic. However, the hole will be …

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If you do not have access to a CNC machine, you can manually drill accurate ‘Project Panels’ by following this discussion. Plastic panels are best drilled manually using ‘Step Bits’ as they do not auger into the panel as regular bits do. Using your favourite template drawing software, make a 1:1 layout of your panel. Print the template on ‘Sticky Backed’ label paper. (Regular paper may be used and attached with tape.) Attach the template to the plastic panel. You can avoid center punching h…

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• Make a hole pattern template from scrap material to confirm the motor holes are correctly placed.

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Mounting Hardware on Panels, Chassis, etc. It is almost inevitable that when you measure and drill holes in surfaces to mount motors etc., you never get things perfect. The following procedure should give great results to get holes in the correct position. Measure the hole locations needed for your motor, transfer these to a graph paper template Use this template to make a rough pattern on a piece of scrap material Make the holes in this pattern oversized with the motor still being ab…