What is a Knock-Out Punch Tool? | Electrical Knowledge

One or more punches with the appropriate tips can be found in a knock-out punch tool, which is a hand-held, power-operated, mechanical instrument.

To punch holes in metal plates and sheets is the most common application for these instruments. Knock-out punches range in size from 1/8 inch to 3 inches in circumference.

Typically, they are used to cut out circular forms, however, the size of the hole might vary according to the task at hand. You can get these at any hardware shop, or you can get them from places like Amazon and eBay online.

Connecting wires requires a knock-out punch tool, which is a crucial tool for any electrician. The best approach to deliver a knock-out blow is by pressing down on the connecting wire with the back of the blade.

This will push the wire through and create a hole on both sides, facilitating the joining of the wires.

It will push the wire through and create a hole on both sides, facilitating the joining of the wires.

The details of this useful resource are provided in this blog article.

Contents

Knock-out Punch

A knock-out punch is the most effective tool for punching a hole in an electrical box. A wide variety of options are available with this instrument, and it is ideal for making the clean holes required for wiring or device installation.

This is an alternative to drilling that can be used when that method isn’t feasible due to factors like lack of time or space around existing wall fittings.

Even while a professional electrician would prefer a knock-out punch powered by a heavy-duty hydraulic pump, homeowners can get by just fine with a manually controlled kind.

Operation

Drilling a pilot hole that’s just a tad bigger than the knock-out punch’s screw is the first step. After positioning the die on top of it so that its threads align with its own, it is threaded downwards under pressure to overcome any resistance.

After everything has been properly put into position, you should tighten it down until there is absolutely no wiggle room.

When tightening by hand using the manual technique, a regular hex head or square head with an Allen key is used for more leverage.

If you need something stronger, a ratchet wrench can come in help; they’re fast and precise without requiring a lot of work.

This apparatus has a mechanical advantage of 220 to 1, and it can make holes in a range of sizes (from 3 to 6 inches in diameter). It’s the heaviest and most cumbersome of the options, but its simplicity makes it the best choice, when compared to the time and effort wasted switching out dies with hydraulic systems.

Size Families and Shapes

These punches can be measured in a variety of ways. The two most popular sizes are those made specifically for making true, dimensional holes, as in the case of typical electrical knock-outs.

If you need to run an electrical cable or similar through the hole, you can use a 3/4-inch conduit size punch to make one around 1.1-inches in diameter (like your TV power cord).

Assume, instead, that you require a hole that is either more or less precise in size than what this one offers. Then, you’ll be happy to know that metric-specific punch sets are also commercially available for use around the world!

These punches can be measured in a variety of ways. The two most popular sizes are those made specifically for making true, dimensional holes, as in the case of typical electrical knock-outs.

A hole punched using a 3/4-inch conduit size punch will be around 1.1 inches in diameter, just right for installing an electrical cable (like your TV power cord).

Using a Knock-out Punch Set

Certain components, such as the draw stud and die, must always be used while crafting the knock-out punch. To create this robust metal hole:

Use a drill and a metal-cutting bit to bore a hole all the way through the material. If you want to use a draw stud, you’ll need to make sure the hole is big enough for it. The diameter of standard draw studs is 3/8 inches, but that of larger ones can be as much as 3/4 inches.
A pilot hole must be drilled, and then a draw stud, equipped with the correct sized die, can be inserted.
After threading the punch into the draw stud, tighten it by hand to the reverse side of your material.
With a ratchet wrench, turn the draw bolt. This pulls the punch toward the die and cuts through any material in its way.
To get rid of the tiny ring of trash stuck between the draw stud and the punch, you’ll need to take them apart. Slugs can be easily broken in two by this type of blow, hence the name “slug-busters.”

Knock-out Punch Set Tips

A step drill bit is ideal for making the initial hole. This bit, which is shaped like a cone, is designed to drill holes in sheet metal and other thin materials of varying thicknesses.

While a pilot hole isn’t required to use self-tapping or self-drilling step bits, anybody who has tried drilling into metal knows that it’s sometimes necessary to start with a smaller hole and drill gradually larger ones until they reach the appropriate size.

Knock-out punch sets eliminate the need for a regular ratchet wrench and socket.

If you ever need to quickly unplug an old pipe from one hole on a spool of wire but just have a single pipe in your possession, the input is always close at hand. Furthermore, knock-out punches are useful since they can make holes of varying sizes (from half an inch to two inches).

You need a punch and die, a draw stud, and something to pull the stud with in order to have a functional knock-out tool.

You can use the tools for mild or stainless steel, and you can use them for a wide variety of tasks, such as punching holes in aluminum, fiberglass, or plastic. A standard hole punch may create a hole anywhere from half an inch to six inches in diameter, making it useful for a wide variety of projects.

Conclusion

The knockout punch is a mechanical weapon that is powered by the user’s hand. The most common use for these tools is to make holes in metal sheets and plates. The diameter of knockout punches can be anywhere from 1/8 inch to 3 inches. Create holes of varying sizes using a punch set (from 3 to 6 inches in diameter). Commercially available punch sets designed for use with metric systems are also widely used internationally.

Standard draw studs have a diameter of 3/8 inches, while larger ones can be as large as 3/4 inches. The use of a standard ratchet wrench and socket is superfluous when you have a knock-out punch set. Slug-busters are so called because a blow of this nature can easily split a slug in half. The diameter of the hole produced by a common hole punch can range from half an inch to six inches.

Content Summary

One or more punches with the appropriate tips can be found in a knock-out punch tool, which is a hand-held, power-operated, mechanical instrument.
To punch holes in metal plates and sheets is the most common application for these instruments.
Knock-out punches range in size from 1/8 inch to 3 inches in circumference.
Connecting wires requires a knock-out punch tool, which is a crucial tool for any electrician.
The best approach to deliver a knock-out blow is by pressing down on the connecting wire with the back of the blade.
Connecting wires requires a knock-out punch tool, which is a crucial tool for any electrician.
A knock-out punch is the most effective tool for punching a hole in an electrical box.
Operation Drilling a pilot hole that’s just a tad bigger than the knock-out punch’s screw is the first step.
If you need something stronger, a ratchet wrench can come in help; they’re fast and precise without requiring a lot of work.
This apparatus has a mechanical advantage of 220 to 1, and it can make holes in a range of sizes (from 3 to 6 inches in diameter).
The two most popular sizes are those made specifically for making true, dimensional holes, as in the case of typical electrical knock-outs.
If you need to run an electrical cable or similar through the hole, you can use a 3/4-inch conduit size punch to make one around 1.1-inches in diameter (like your TV power cord).
Assume, instead, that you require a hole that is either more or less precise in size than what this one offers.
Then, you’ll be happy to know that metric-specific punch sets are also commercially available for use around the world!
A hole punched using a 3/4-inch conduit size punch will be around 1.1 inches in diameter, just right for installing an electrical cable (like your TV power cord).
Certain components, such as the draw stud and die, must always be used while crafting the knock-out punch.
To create this robust metal hole: Use a drill and a metal-cutting bit to bore a hole all the way through the material.
If you want to use a draw stud, you’ll need to make sure the hole is big enough for it.
The diameter of standard draw studs is 3/8 inches, but that of larger ones can be as much as 3/4 inches.
After threading the punch into the draw stud, tighten it by hand to the reverse side of your material.
With a ratchet wrench, turn the draw bolt.
To get rid of the tiny ring of trash stuck between the draw stud and the punch, you’ll need to take them apart.
A step drill bit is ideal for making the initial hole.
Knock-out punch sets eliminate the need for a regular ratchet wrench and socket.
Furthermore, knock-out punches are useful since they can make holes of varying sizes (from half an inch to two inches).
You need a punch and die, a draw stud, and something to pull the stud with in order to have a functional knock-out tool.