Drilling painted cases

    Home   » Construction & manufacture » this page

Construction Hints & Tips Includes:
Practical hints & tips overview     How to make twisted pair wire     How to drill cases that are painted     How to use heat shrink sleeving     How to tidy wiring with looms     How to straighten kinked connecting wire     Bending & forming axial component leads    

One of the problems with home built electronic projects is in obtaining a really good professional looking finish. One way to help achieve this is to use one of the many ready painted cases that are available from the electronics component stockists.

While ready painted cases may look very good when bought, holes need to be drilled and other metalwork may need to be done to enable the front panel and rear panels to take the controls and connectors. While this work is being undertaken, it is very easy to spoil the finish of the panels and this will detract from the final look of the project.

It is possible to protect the vulnerable areas it is possible to use masking tape. This can be used to cover the panel, for example in a number of strips, possibly overlapping each strip to ensure complete coverage. This tape will then provide good protection for the panel.

A further advantage of the masking tape is that it can be used to draw on to mark out the holes and areas that require work. In this way the panel can be planned and the work completed without the need for extreme caution to protect the panel.

Normally the tape should be removed within a week or so otherwise it becomes hard and difficult to remove. If the project is delayed and the tape either leaves a residue or it becomes difficult to remove, then white spirit, used for cleaning paint brushes can be used. It will help soften any of the adhesive used and will enable residues to be wiped off easily. If the tape has hardened and cannot be removed, then the white spirit should be left to soak in for a while. It will then be possible to remove the tape and any residues.

When using white spirit be sure to follow the instructions on the container.

More Construction Ideas & Concepts:
Soldering     SMT component soldering     ESD - Electro-Static Discharge     PCB manufacture     PCB assembly    
    Return to Constructional Techniques menu . . .