I recently started retro-fitting items with anderson power pole connectors after picking up a set of dies for my coax ratchet crimp tool.  Along the way I had picked up a couple of the power pole mounting plates for the 15/30/45 amp housing and got to thinking about making my own version.  

I had some scrap 3/4"x3/4"  1/16" aluminum angle stock left over from an earlier project.  The thickness is pretty much a match for the commercial mounting plates.  My first efforts were done with a couple of files, with the stock mounted in a bench vise, a large file for initial material removal & a smaller file for final touchs.  They came out usable, but took some time to produce.  After knocking out a few variations, I remembered I had a hand "nibbler" tool I had acquired back in the 70's for doing panel openings.  Turns out to be pretty much perfect for doing the slots.  The tooth is a hair narrower than the final size, so a little touch up with a file can fine tune the center "pin" (if you are building a mount for a  connector pair).  On the ones I made, I made the slots deep enough for the full depth of the housing, rather than 1/2 depth like the commercial version.


A commercial mounting plate can be seen next to one of the home brew mounts for comparison.


A commercial mounting plate with the nibbler tooth in a slot. Despite appearances, it would take a couple of "bites" for the nibbler to create a slot the depth of the commercial mount's.


The take-away should be that 1/16" thick aluminum stock can easily be used to make whatever mount configuration you need, using only one or more files, or a panel nibbling tool.

Nick

Nice!

I had one of those tools.. no idea where it went. Now I need another one and can't find any at the hardware store. I need to mount a piece of perfboard holding a USB B socket to an enclosure and the nibbler would be perfect to square up the hole.

What looks to be pretty much the same tool is < $16 delivered if you have Amazon Prime
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002KRACO/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687742&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0000CBJCT&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=15ECC5S795HBEXGCN6GZ

Nick

Nice way to make custom brackets.

I never thought to use the nibbler. I need to look thru my Greenlee punches and see if I have one the might make the whole slot then slit the material. I can't recommend anyone buy a Greenlee punch just for doing this due to the expense.

Now I need to find out if I can do stainless instead of aluminum. I have a place I need some but the surface is textured stainless (think of it as golf ball dimpled) and a polished stainless bracket would look great.

Great idea!

I know I have some material lying around, and possibly even some of that aluminum angle. I also have a nibbling tool. I have used it for several projects and it really is nice to have. They also work on plastic sheets. I have built a few things out of kydex using a nibbling tool as well, though kydex isn't a great material for things that might be left in a hot car or in full summer sun. ABS sheets are cheap enough and more heat resistant.


Sometimes the clear polycarbonate bubble packs that a lot of stuff comes in nowadays are thick enough to be re-purposed for small projects too.


I looked at the price of some of the power pole mounting plates and was really turned off by the price. They shouldn't cost much more then the knock-outs from a steel junction box.

Ordered!