Perfectly aligned holes in your project box - without measuring

Perfectly aligned holes in your project box - without measuring - Jack sockets

Рет қаралды 10,483

Күн бұрын

A novel way to accurately find the drill centres for holes in your project box.
When your circuit PCB is inside the box, it's not easy to find out where to drill from the outside. This method allows accurate placement of holes WITHOUT MEASURING!
This video shows how to drill holes for two 3.5mm PCB mounted jack sockets.

Пікірлер: 29

@chuckmuziani6262 3 жыл бұрын

Good idea! I'd also attach a paper clip at the crease to keep the plastic aligned and install at least one screw to secure the circuit board to the bottom of the case for extra accuracy.

@richardlangner 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your feedback. I didn't screw the board into the box as I had built it so that after inserting the Wemos D1 mini, it was an exact fit. See the video on maiking a USB-micro socket hole - kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jLFkrdKG17TMm4U.html By the way, the USB template tool was made at the Sheffield Hackspace, and was proof of concept. When the Hackspace closed due to the pandemic, I had to devise an alternative method to align holes as I am hopeless at measuring. Glad you liked it!

@KCBhandy 3 жыл бұрын

Worked for this one, but I'd still rather use the vernier

@uther10 3 жыл бұрын

Super cool easy way to get holes cut in!

@richardlangner 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you

@FrankGreggmusic Жыл бұрын

Excellent procedure! Thanks for posting.

@richardlangner Жыл бұрын

You are very welcome.

@videolabguy Жыл бұрын

Well done! A great idea.

@simontay4851 Жыл бұрын

Now thats clever! I think i will use this method. I often get holes slightly misaligned. Won't always work for some things though.

@richardlangner Жыл бұрын

Thanks Simon. Before i thought of doing it this way, my boxes were alway a mess. Now I can even make a hole above an internal LED or a reset switch, with ease like I never could before - see my other videos for these.

@randyosgood4729 3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant!

@cwrigh13 2 жыл бұрын

great idea

@MegaCadr 2 жыл бұрын

Nice one!

@Silen725 2 жыл бұрын

Very Good!

@WaschyNumber1 Жыл бұрын

Very interesting 🤔 👍

@precisionguesswork5394 Жыл бұрын

just use masking tape. put the tape across the bottom of the board and over the connections. Rub over the contact area with a pencil to leave a witness mark./place the board in the box and scribe a line at the top edge of the box. Now remove the tape and align it on the outside of the box.

@richardlangner Жыл бұрын

That's interesting, could I ask for a bit more detail please? I'm always willing to learn, but I didn't quite picture what you suggested.

@Billkwando Жыл бұрын

Great idea! Except I have a pot and a jack, so there's no way the jack is going to reach the blue tac hahahaha.

@ovalwingnut Жыл бұрын

Thank you. p.s. Can I use a orange-juice bottle instead? I'm asking for someone else.

@richardlangner Жыл бұрын

I've not tried orange-juice (or any other flavours), but I would think any *plastic* bottle would work just as well ;-)

@longdongsilver4719 2 жыл бұрын

Over complicated.

@richardlangner 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment, I would be interested how you could simplify the process for someone who cannot measure accurately - prior to this method my accuracy was abysmal!

@Andrew-rc3vh Жыл бұрын

@@richardlangner Digital calipers are useful. They will do 0.1mm. Another trick is to use a set square. You can often use the top of the box as a reference point. You can sometimes transfer the measurement with one.

@richardlangner Жыл бұрын

@@Andrew-rc3vh I did use calipers before I came up with this method. The difficulty arose when the jack socket was fully in the box and I couldn't accurately find the centre of the jacks' hole. Measuring vertically to the top of the jack socket and then calcuating the centre was not accurate (for me) and the horizontal position was just a guess. I appreciate your comments and hope you give my method a try and get back with your results.

@Andrew-rc3vh Жыл бұрын

@@richardlangner I must admit your method is one of the most ingenious solutions I have seen so far. It was fun watching it to figure out how it was going to solve the problem.

@richardlangner Жыл бұрын

@@Andrew-rc3vh Thank you so much!

@wa4aos Жыл бұрын

Sorry, but in the time you spend cutting plastic and squeezing stick-on, you could have easily taken 4 measurements with a micrometer, popped the holes and been done. I have done it this way for decades and never been off. In your method, a slight flex of the plastic or the fold off a little will wreck your measurement. However, if it works for you, have at it !!

@richardlangner Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback. If you saw how hopeless I am at measuring, you'd understand why this method works best for me and friends!