Best tool for making square/rectangle holes in plywood or similar material

[Red Squirrel]

Say you want to make holes in something to put controls, like LCD panel, breaker switch, that type of stuff, what is best tool for making decently precise cuts in plywood? Drill + jig saw is kinda overkill or too hard to maneuver for small holes. Making a bunch of holes then use dremel to sand it is kinda messy.

I'm thinking one of those dremel oscillating tools, can you just plunge that in wood and cut away? I'm talking plywood that's maybe like 1/8th thick or so, but possibly as thick as 3/4". I want it mostly for general purpose. Sometimes I work on electrical/electronic projects where I need to mount something like a small LCD panel or rectangular switch. Some switches are round so I just drill a hole but some are square, like those mini breakers that light up.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd use a drill and handsaw and/or a knife/chisels. Might not be the best way, but it works.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'm talking about small holes, like a few cm small, can't really fit a hand saw in that. Maybe a hacksaw blade on it's own though...

 

[lxskllr]

I'm talking about small holes, like a few cm small, can't really fit a hand saw in that. Maybe a hacksaw blade on it's own though...

Coping saw if the board isn't big. You can also use a handsaw that takes jigsaw blades. Hacksaw blade should work well too, and they make handmounts for those.

 

[twinrider1]

They do make corner chisels and square punches, but I'm not sure how they'd work on plywood.
Drill and a fine hacksaw/jigsaw blade for the smaller holes. Not sure why that would be a problem.
For bigger holes I'd probably try a palm router.

 

[Humpy]

The best tool?

Laser cutting machine.

Or, teach yourself how to use a handsaw.

 

[Greenman]

Oscillating tool will do the job. A jig saw will also work but they tend to tear up plywood. I use an oscillating tool to cut outlets into cabinets, easy to get a nice straight cut without beating the material to death.

 

[paperfist]

Oscillating tool will do the job. A jig saw will also work but they tend to tear up plywood. I use an oscillating tool to cut outlets into cabinets, easy to get a nice straight cut without beating the material to death.

What kind do you have Greenman? I find my Dremel hard to control.

 

[paperfist]

The best tool?

Laser cutting machine.

Or, teach yourself how to use a handsaw.

They have those for wood now?

 

[Greenman]

What kind do you have Greenman? I find my Dremel hard to control.

Right now I have a Ridged. It's actually held up better than I thought it would. When it dies I'll get a Fine. Good quality blades make a huge difference as well.

 

[Humpy]

They have those for wood now?

I think they've always been able to cut wood.

The smaller ones comfortably cut 1/4" material that can then be laminated into something thicker if needed.

I bought an Epilog Mini at work. I don't really know how to use it, I'm just the purchaser. The problem is it cost ~$15K complete for the small one so I was half kidding when I posted about it.

 

[master_shake_]

get a flush trim bit

doulbe sided tape

and a router.

make up a template.

and you could have these results.

every single hole i cut was started by a drill or jigsaw and then using the above tools a template was made and everything was straightened by the flush trim bit.

even the holes for the controls.

of course i mounted my router in a table and used the vacuum attachment for the mess.

 

[NetWareHead]

Oscillating tool. I have a Fein and they are great. Powerful with minimal vibration allows for precise control.

 

[shortylickens]

Have fun:


http://imgur.com/gallery/v1CT5

 

[Red Squirrel]

Also forgot to mention that often this is "in place". Ex: I have a wood panel in my server room where I may want to add more switches and dials over time as required. you can't physically fit a hand saw in any kind of way to make holes like I'm talking about, though something that takes hack saw blades but does not have the "bow" part going to the other end of the blade would work.

Think I'm going to go ahead and look at the oscillating tool. I forgot about the Fein ones, I think those are considered better than Dremel. I'll have to see if Canadian Tire or Home Depot carries them.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Have fun:


http://imgur.com/gallery/v1CT5

I came. Actually I forgot about routers, those are fun too, another tool to add to my list of tools that I don't have but probably want to buy at some point.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I came. Actually I forgot about routers, those are fun too, another tool to add to my list of tools that I don't have but probably want to buy at some point.

Foam is easy to cut. You wouldn't want to take bites that big out of wood unless you had a really hefty machine.

 

[Greenman]

Also forgot to mention that often this is "in place". Ex: I have a wood panel in my server room where I may want to add more switches and dials over time as required. you can't physically fit a hand saw in any kind of way to make holes like I'm talking about, though something that takes hack saw blades but does not have the "bow" part going to the other end of the blade would work.

Think I'm going to go ahead and look at the oscillating tool. I forgot about the Fein ones, I think those are considered better than Dremel. I'll have to see if Canadian Tire or Home Depot carries them.

Honestly, the Ridged is probably good enough for what you're doing, a Ryobi might even do the trick. I picked up a Ryobi router a while back and felt it was a good enough tool or occasional use.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Foam is easy to cut. You wouldn't want to take bites that big out of wood unless you had a really hefty machine.

Yeah was thinking more for other types of projects like making nice edges on stuff. for my case a router is kinda a niche tool though, unless I really get into wood working.

I'll have to check out HD and CT and just pick an oscillating tool. The Fein ones are more expensive so depends how spendy I feel, I may very well go with just the Ryobi or something. I know the tool will come in handy for other things too so I tend to splurge on the higher end stuff.

 

[MongGrel]

The best tool?

Laser cutting machine.

Or, teach yourself how to use a handsaw.

Laser would be best if you have one laying around I imagine.

Just a ribbon die with a hydraulic press would work too, but of cost that is also cost intensive.

Just whacking something out with a saw on wood and squaring it up isn't that hard to do accurately if you have any skill with a file and have some decent ones available.

Wood is a lot easier than steel.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Yeah was thinking more for other types of projects like making nice edges on stuff. for my case a router is kinda a niche tool though, unless I really get into wood working.

I'll have to check out HD and CT and just pick an oscillating tool. The Fein ones are more expensive so depends how spendy I feel, I may very well go with just the Ryobi or something. I know the tool will come in handy for other things too so I tend to splurge on the higher end stuff.

I have something called a Shapeoko. It's cheap and lightweight, but it works really well if you're conservative with speeds/feeds, keep it clean, and calibrate it regularly. Have made some pretty cool stuff.

The one drawback to routers (cnc or otherwise) is that the bits are round - you can't actually get a perfectly square cutout/pocket. (You'd have to finish it off with a square file or something.)

You might also look at mortising jigs.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Ok so I bought a Dremel Multi Tool, figured it would come in handy for other stuff too and it did, great for sanding edges of plywood and such. It worked for what I wanted to do but the blade that came with it was too wide so I could not really do a clean plunge cut and had to use the corner and do it at an angle. I saw those hand saws that have hack saw blades though. while those are more for metal I imagine it would work for wood too, I'll probably try that next time as it was still hard to make a precise enough rectangle hole. Basically in this case it was to mount a toggle switch that has a rectangular body. I ended up making the hole kinda jagged and a bit too big so I just put it in and put a bunch of construction adhesive, that's what I did for the other buttons the first time. For these type of panels I think I'd also be better off finding some kind of sheet metal or thinner wood as some switches were not long enough to mount properly.

 

[WHAMPOM]

Say you want to make holes in something to put controls, like LCD panel, breaker switch, that type of stuff, what is best tool for making decently precise cuts in plywood? Drill + jig saw is kinda overkill or too hard to maneuver for small holes. Making a bunch of holes then use dremel to sand it is kinda messy.

I'm thinking one of those dremel oscillating tools, can you just plunge that in wood and cut away? I'm talking plywood that's maybe like 1/8th thick or so, but possibly as thick as 3/4". I want it mostly for general purpose. Sometimes I work on electrical/electronic projects where I need to mount something like a small LCD panel or rectangular switch. Some switches are round so I just drill a hole but some are square, like those mini breakers that light up.

An X-acto blade, just keep scoring the cut-out until you cut through. On thicker material I would drill pilot holes and square it up with a wood chisel.

 

[microAmp]

Square wood punch?

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=square wood punch

 

[DrPizza]

Why not a rotozip, plus for rectangular holes, it'd be a cinch to build a jig.