Cutting holes in mason jar lids

[Elizabeth]

I am planning to make some of these mason jar lights:

http://www.familyhomeandlife.com/2012/03/mason-jar-solar-light.html

And I am wondering if anyone has other practical suggestions for how
to cut the holes in the mason jar lids. The utility knife sounds like
a reasonable idea, but does sound kind of tedious and exhausting. I
am planning to come by the 'Space tomorrow night, FWIW.

Thanks,
-Elizabeth

[Ron Bean]

Hole saw?

[Elizabeth]

Interesting. The project instructions call for a rectangular hole,
matching the shape of the solar panel. But I suppose the hole could
also be round. It would need to be about 2" in diameter to allow all
of the solar panel to be exposed.

-Elizabeth

On Mar 25, 9:16 pm, Ron Bean <makersp...@rbean.users.panix.com> wrote:
> Hole saw?

[Caitlin Jung]

Perhaps make a hole in the middle and then use metal shears to cut the triangles to get the rectangle shape?  Metal shears would be much easier than a knife but I don't know if the space has one.

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[Pete Prodoehl]

Just 3D print a new lid with whatever shape you want. :)

Alternately, find some thin material like wood or acrylic and laser cut new lids.


Pete

[Shane]

We have that press at the 'space. I'd suggest making a square metal die and punching them out.  I don't even think we've used the press for anything yet....

Pete isn't too far off: http://www.treehugger.com/green-home/four-open-source-3d-printable-mason-jar-lids.html

On Monday, March 25, 2013 9:47:18 PM UTC-5, Pete Prodoehl wrote:

Just 3D print a new lid with whatever shape you want. :)

Alternately, find some thin material like wood or acrylic and laser cut new lids.


Pete

On Mon, Mar 25, 2013 at 9:25 PM, Caitlin Jung <seoul...@gmail.com> wrote:

Perhaps make a hole in the middle and then use metal shears to cut the triangles to get the rectangle shape?  Metal shears would be much easier than a knife but I don't know if the space has one.

On Mon, Mar 25, 2013 at 9:24 PM, Elizabeth <odds...@gmail.com> wrote:

Interesting.  The project instructions call for a rectangular hole,
matching the shape of the solar panel.  But I suppose the hole could
also be round.  It would need to be about 2" in diameter to allow all
of the solar panel to be exposed.

-Elizabeth

On Mar 25, 9:16 pm, Ron Bean <makersp...@rbean.users.panix.com> wrote:
> Hole saw?

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[Pete Prodoehl]

Shane, you could have linked to this one. ;)

    http://milwaukeemakerspace.org/2012/08/3d-print-what-now/

[Ron Bean]

[Re: hole saw]

>Interesting. The project instructions call for a rectangular hole,
>matching the shape of the solar panel.

Oh, I thought just the clear part below it went through the lid. The
pics of the finished project are kind of dark.

I like the laser cutter idea. 3D printing would take quite a while if
you're making several.

Making a die would be a good idea if you're making a *lot* of them, but
it's a lot of work for just a few.

[Keith Voit]

Elizabeth,

You can drill about a 3/8" hole  in the corner or your sqaure and then insert a hand nibbler (MS has the model with silver handles,I have the yellow handle  model at the MS,see pics) into the hole. You then can nibble out around your square. Once you get the hang of it is quick, easy and fun.

Also the lids are not thick ithe square could be cut with a sharp cold chisel or wood chisel( I'd be happy to lend you mine,please do not use the MS tools for this).

[Tom Gralewicz]

You don't need to use the original insert, any round disk with the correct shape and size hole will do.

Now if we only had some sheets of plastic and a laser cutter.....

Tom

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Tom Gralewicz
Miller Electronics Recycling
(414) 380-1716
www.deadcomputers.com

[Brent Bublitz]

Everyone is getting a little too fancy here. Just draw your square and use a dremel with a cut off wheel. You will be able to cut a perfect square hole very quickly.

[Ron Bean]

>Everyone is getting a little too fancy here. Just draw your square and use
>a dremel with a cut off wheel.

I'm not sure that's any easier/simpler than the laser cutter.
Maybe depends on how many you're making.

For just one, use the dremel. For 10, use the laser cutter. In between,
pick one.

[David Buggs]

Drill a round hole and they use a nibbler to square it up to the proper size.  I picked up a nibbler cheap at Harbor Freight, Grainger, or most Home Improvement or Hardware stores.

Buggs

[Jim Rawson]

Should we get a Waterjet? 

[Joe Rodriguez]

There will be a cnc plasma cutter sometime at the space - I think that would do what you are looking to get done. ;-)

[Kevin Crowley]

I have a pump and motor that should be able to do a small scale one.

On Tue, Mar 26, 2013 at 8:19 AM, Jim Rawson <taxi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Should we get a Waterjet? 

[Elizabeth]

I would like to use the original lid inserts, because the rubber
around the rim will make the jar a little more weather-tight than if I
were to replace it with another type of disk. I assume the laser
cutter works on wood/plastic but not metal? I am planning to do 12 of
them. So the utility knife and dremel are both time-consuming,
although the dremel would require less arm muscle. Punching them out
with a press or a chisel sounds faster.

-Elizabeth

[Brent Bublitz]

The laser will not go through metal. I would be very concerned about the chisel and punch deforming the tops. The metal is not thick and will bend easily with stress. The dremel would take less than 2 minutes a disk and we have the tool on hand. The nibbler would be my second choice in this case, but it is a lot slower.

Unless we have a scroll saw with a metal blade in the shop somewhere?

[Elizabeth]

I was also concerned about deforming the tops, so I'm thinking the
Dremel really is the most practical approach. Brent, will you be
around later tonight? I assume that I would need a member to check me
out or supervise me on the Dremel. I don't think I've used one
before. I don't want to be breaking any rules.

-Elizabeth

[Shane]

I will agree that the Dremel is probably the best combination of ease-of-use, speed, and simplicity.

I will give one note of warning about cut-off discs: make sure that you are wearing safety goggles and make certain that there is no one in the immediate area.  When those things shatter, the shrapnel flies everywhere.

> > email to milwaukeemakerspace+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

[Tom Gralewicz]

You can buy a punch and die if you know what size you want your holes.

http://www.medfordtools.com/metalproaccessories.html

The dies sets are toward the bottom of the page.

How are you going to seal the light to the hole you cut?

Look for the old mason jars with the rubber washer seal instead of the built in seal.

http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/store/index.php/shop.html

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[Brent Bublitz]

I think the dremel falls below the "check off" cap in terms of tool size. I may not be able to make the meeting tonight as I'm picking up the wife at the airport, but there should be plenty of other members to get you setup and going.

[Keith Voit]

Elizabeth,

frankly, if it is was me, concerned with hand production rather than hand craft I would use Photozz's  idea of the Dremel but not with a rotory saw or abrasive disk bit but a Zip bit. I like the idea of a die, but only if it used as a  square jig.The jig would secure the lid and have a built-in square pattern so your shape could be cut out like a router pattern. Each lid would take under 30 seconds.

Otherwise I would talk to Steve P. ask him to program the CNC router to cut the square, make a jig to do 4 at a time  and cut  with carbide machine tooling.

My choice of method and technique, like most cases of production, are determined  by the level of skill  at hand (unintended pun) versus fit and finish desired.

(I am still inclined with the chisel idea,-possibly used with a jig, because yes, it would deform the cut, but I would use that curl-over deformation, for a tight fit around the light, also I would make separate round gaskets for each lid with an undersize square hole placed under the lid.If this light would be used outdoors this gasket it wood keep condensation from forming inside, and keep water, dust, and bugs out. for me it would be satisfying  pro-touch.)

[Eric Berna]

I would use a clear material cut in discs with a rubber washer as a seal. This would be much easier to seal than perforated metal lid. 

I would test the clear lid material with the solar cells to check if the material is sufficiently transparent to the wavelengths of light used by the cells. If acrylic or plastic work I'd cut them on the laser cutter. 

If I was lucky and found the style of mason jars with rubber washer seals I'd be set. Or I would cut them from rubber sheet on the laser cutter. 

Eric Berna

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[Keith Voit]

Eric,
 
I think the clear diffuser sticks down into the jar, whilst the solar cell sits a top. The stick part is removed. I thought, prior to reading your post that  the jar was a used asa globe around the light and the stick was stuck in the ground like and  landscape lights- but no. These are kind of like lightning-in a-jar type of thing. Part of the appeal of this design  is the light is suspended by the lid.I can't follow how the clear lid would hold the light-explain.

You could replace the lid with same diameter rubber and  the square hole could be avoided all together by cutting an undersized  circular hole that  grabs the round solar cell. The light could to placed in position by installing the light from the underside the lid and pushed up and into the hole.then the hole thing place on the jar lip and the cap tightened,  The light would be airtight : held in place like a tennis ball in a knit sock. You could call it knit'n yahoo.. or with the right jar knit'n yoohoo.

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[Ed Hagopian]

I think I have a spare air nibbler if the space doesn't have one, and it is ridiculously awesome for sheet metal.

[Elizabeth]

I was able to complete 1 mason jar light tonight, with everyone's
help. Here's a photo:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/athena_altera/ERWmasonjarlight.jpg

It's not as bright as the example in the instructions page, but I'm
not surprised. I got these lights from the dollar store. A flat of
12 Ball mason jars is about $10 at Pick N Save, I paid another $2 for
spare lids in case I screwed up, and the lights were $1 each. So I
should be able to finish all of them for about $2 per unit. Pretty
cheap patio decoration / emergency lighting.

-Elizabeth