Panel building Tips and Tricks

[jtashaffer]

Anyone got a cheap way for cutting din rail besides chop saws, band sawa or a hack saw

 

[TConnolly]

A few years ago the board members compiled a very long thread with a couple of hundred posts listing lots of tips and tricks.

Here is the link to the thread:

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=18737


edit, I see it has been linked already. It will be well worth your time to read it, it is packed full of information.

 

[TConnolly]

Anyone got a cheap way for cutting din rail besides chop saws, band sawa or a hack saw

If you cut lots of rail then use a din rail shear.

 

[TWS]

Like this:http://www.dinrail.com/

 

[rQx]

We have one similar to this, if you build control cabinets you can't live without a DIN rail cutter ( ? )

 

[dploof23]

We have one similar to this, if you build control cabinets you can't live without a DIN rail cutter ( ? )

I agree, this tool is awesome! I have a Phoenix Contact model that we found on Ebay.....luckily. They are very pricy!

Dave

 

[rQx]

I agree, this tool is awesome! I have a Phoenix Contact model that we found on Ebay.....luckily. They are very pricy!

Dave

Pricy but very time saving

 

[bulletin blues]

I seem to run into some issues where I need to knockout a hole to add a a connection, but the Panduit filled with wires is about an inch away from the side of the panel, so I need to stick a board in there to make sure the drill doesn't hit the wires. Maybe punch out a dozen spare holes and put fills in? I remember someone mentioning labeling the Panduit covers at each corner, so they could be easily put back on. I thought that was a good idea. Also, what's the trick to pulling Panduit covers off/on. Sometimes I need to fight with them. I think I'm missing a simple procedure. Any hints?

 

[dploof23]

I seem to run into some issues where I need to knockout a hole to add a a connection, but the Panduit filled with wires is about an inch away from the side of the panel, so I need to stick a board in there to make sure the drill doesn't hit the wires. Maybe punch out a dozen spare holes and put fills in? I remember someone mentioning labeling the Panduit covers at each corner, so they could be easily put back on. I thought that was a good idea. Also, what's the trick to pulling Panduit covers off/on. Sometimes I need to fight with them. I think I'm missing a simple procedure. Any hints?

I don't believe there is any "trick" to remove wire duct covers. Maybe the ducts are too full? That would hinder removal/installation of the covers.

Dave

 

[Tark]

Anyone got a cheap way for cutting din rail besides chop saws, band sawa or a hack saw

Multi-function din rail cutter
http://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2429-21xc

 

[ndzied1]

Anyone got a cheap way for cutting din rail besides chop saws, band sawa or a hack saw

If you use a lot of DIN rail you may be able to get a free shear. Phoenix Contact ran this last year. Might be worth asking your distributor if they extended the offer.

https://www.phoenixcontact.com/asse...promotion/2014_Free_DIN_rail_cutter_offer.pdf

 

[jtashaffer]

It would be nice but I don't need 500 sticks of din rail. I doubt my employer would go for that.

 

[ndzied1]

It would be nice but I don't need 500 sticks of din rail. I doubt my employer would go for that.

Like I said. It depends on how much you use. We go through that in a few months so it worked out for us.

 

[OkiePC]

"I will use self drillers for panduit, sometimes for din rail...." The next time you do that, remove the panduit and or din rail and look at the metal shavings trapped between the panduit or din rail and the back plate.

I layout all of the components, mark the mounting holes, remove the components, drill and tap the mounting holes, CLEAN the back plate (including the layout and mounting hole marks) and then mount the components.
Somewhat OCD but it does make for a nice product!

I am with you. I do take them back loose and blow out the shavings. If I am building something big, and I have the time to lay it out thoroughly in CAD, I use the preferred method of measuring marking, drill and tap all holes first, clean it up real good and THEN start populating it.

When I had access to a gigantic plotter, I would plot the drill holes for the back plate 1:1 and tape that drawing on the backplate and center punch all the holes through the paper.

That is in the ideal world. In the real world, I occasionally have to get it done, delivered installed and commissioned yesterday, So I lay out the panel with parts I have on hand, snap a photo and do the cad work after the fact.