What tool cuts square holes

[gt14rider 765]

Hi all, what tool is used to make the square holes, for the careage bolts. 

[DennisThornton 4,769]

There's better ways including broaches but around here that task usually gets a drill and then a triangular file.  More than two gets old quickly.

[ebinmaine 67,626]

 

 

There are metal working businesses that use a press punch. 

[DennisThornton 4,769]

I should add that I've also used a high speed rotary tool with a small carbide cutter to lessen the hand file work.  More than 4 still gets old...

[KC9KAS 4,741]

I did mine (push plow cutting edge) with a broach & a hand operated press.

Didn't take long at all. I was able to "borrow" the broach from work.

[Mickwhitt 4,642]

Ever seen a Reuleaux drill bit?

REALLY Funky piece of equipment.

Made a pair of Reuleaux ttriangleson the lathe as a machining exercise,  they are so clever. A shape that is not a circle but has a constant diameter.

 

 

[JoeM 7,874]

12 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

Reuleaux drill bit

I got drills that wobble like that but it ain't for drilling square holes......most from operator error!

[stevasaurus 22,764]

If this is for a scrapper blade for a snow blade, I went with Stove Bolts from ACE Hardware.  As much head as a carriage bolt and do not need a square hole.  They are slotted screw and you can get them in 1/2 and 3/4" if you want.

 

 

 

[DennisThornton 4,769]

13 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

Ever seen a Reuleaux drill bit?

REALLY Funky piece of equipment.

Made a pair of Reuleaux ttriangleson the lathe as a machining exercise,  they are so clever. A shape that is not a circle but has a constant diameter.

 

 

That is wild!  I even slowed it down to 0.25 speed.  

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

There are metal working businesses that use a press punch. 

That would be called an "Iron Worker" had one at the exhaust factory... Can shear angle ,T and flat iron, cut/notch square/rectangular/round structural tubing, and if course punch round or square holes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironworker_(machine)

[JAinVA 4,619]

Punch press, broach or slotter.  The punch press uses  a fixed  size punch and die. The broach is also restricted to the shaped size.  The slotter pictured can be used to cut square or rectangular holes of any size on the fly. Punch press for  production,

broach for low volume and the slotter for one offs.

Edited March 11, 2021 by JAinVA

[ebinmaine 67,626]

20 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

That would be called an "Iron Worker" had one at the exhaust factory... Can shear angle ,T and flat iron, cut/notch square/rectangular/round structural tubing, and if course punch round or square holes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironworker_(machine)

I oughtta get me one...

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

18 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I oughtta get me one...

You do that, I'll figure out a way to get some use out of it, a retired coworker from the exhaust factory actually bought a place in East Machias, Maine.

Edited March 11, 2021 by WVHillbilly520H

[ebinmaine 67,626]

19 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

You do that, I'll figure out a way to get some use out of it, a retired coworker from the exhaust factory actually bought a place in East Machias, Maine.

That's up closer to @Oldskool

[OldWorkHorse 3,045]

Deffenetly square drill bits. I mean if round ones cut round holes, square ones got to cut square holes right? 

[ebinmaine 67,626]

11 minutes ago, OldWorkHorse said:

Deffenetly square drill bits. I mean if round ones cut round holes, square ones got to cut square holes right? 

Yes. 

 

Deffenetly. 

[gt14rider 765]

I was thinking of a punch to go on a 20 ton press, looks like I'll be drilling and filing.

Thanks for all the replies

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

7 minutes ago, gt14rider said:

I was thinking of a punch to go on a 20 ton press, looks like I'll be drilling and filing.

Thanks for all the replies

It would be a matching set, punch and die.. But I don't know how well they would work in a "slow" hydraulic press vs the fast stroke of an "ironworker"

[formariz 11,987]

That is something we don’t need to do often so filing it is the easiest. A triangular file will do. There are square files that make that job pretty easy really filing all four corners at once.

 

 

[Oldskool 6,644]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

That's up closer to @Oldskool

Yup 30min from me. Actually I was there today looking at some stuff.

[Oldskool 6,644]

1 hour ago, OldWorkHorse said:

Deffenetly square drill bits. I mean if round ones cut round holes, square ones got to cut square holes right? 

I have a round drill bit that always wants to drill a triangular hole. 🤣🤣

[tarcoleo 119]

Depending on the job, there are many places where a counter sunk hole might be opened and

"squared" with a tapered square punch, or even with the intended carriage bold itself. 

On the other hand, a counter sunk hole leaves less to file to square.

[cafoose 3,355]

 

[rjg854 11,387]

10 hours ago, formariz said:

That is something we don’t need to do often so filing it is the easiest. A triangular file will do. There are square files that make that job pretty easy really filing all four corners at once.

 

 

 

This is how I did the holes for my cutting edge for the plows, doesn't take that long at all.  What is there 5-6 holes per piece, easy-peasy.  

 

[squonk 41,155]

I cut them with my LAVA VISION!!!!!!!