[dapoopta]

I am currently looking for a cost effective way to put 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" holes through copper. The stock is 1/2" x 1" x 60-100" . There are about 20-30 holes along the bar.

I've looked at a boschert machine. It seems like a good way to do what I want. Boschert CU-PROFI Copper Buss Bar Punching Machine

I've also looked at a Gantry Router, like a GR510 from Haas. The gantry router would also add other abilities that aren't only drilling/punching holes. The only thing is creating fixtures to hold multiple parts down. I was thinking air actuated type system.

Any ideas?

Scott

[keebler303]

If all you want to do is punch copper bars, the Boschert machine is gonna blow away the router from a speed perspective. If you don't need high speed and the router would fulfill other needs, it may be closer to a wash. For a fixture I am imagining a wood or aluminum sheet with grooves in it to hold the bars. You could have hold downs that swing parallel to the bars so you can insert the parts, then rotate the hold downs 90 degrees and tighten them down. The hold downs would be placed between holes. Drilling is probably the most effective way to do the holes on a router but you probably need a high torque low speed spindle whereas most routers have a high speed relatively low torque spindle.

Matt

[dapoopta]

Just got a quote on the Boschert... ~$175k. OUCH. The Haas is only ~$110k with all the bells and whistles.

When you say high torque... the machine comes standard with a 10,000rpm spindle, but they have the option to change to a higher torque 5000rpm model.

Scott

[dapoopta]

are there any alternatives to the Boschert that anyone can think of? Or to the router? I just want to put holes in bars at various lengths and sometimes different y positions.

Thanks!

[jimhurlburt]

If all you want is to make holes in bars, a purpose built setup might be the idea.
One would need to know what precision you need in the holes, both the hole and the location.

How many holes per day/year are we talking about?

If you need tape measure accuracy, a linear feed past a drill or punch would do just fine. If you need .005, perhaps a tiger stop or some such -- in fact a tiger stop and a drill press would do just fine if you need a few tens per day. Beyond that, a drill cycle and power feed, then on to a stack loader if you need lots of bars drilled every day. A hydraulic punch would up the drilling, but lose a little on hole quality. If you need more yet, a mechanical punch with a power feed althoug some where along there, the boschert is probably a better idea.

What I have outlined would run from two or three thou maybe for the tiger stop and a drill press with a power feed, on up thru a few tens of thou for the more elaborate machines.