How to make ventilation grilles from sheet metal
The housings of power plants, radio equipment, electrical appliances and other similar products must have perforations for ventilation or cooling, otherwise they may overheat and fail due to the heat generated. Making blinds is not difficult and you don’t need anything scarce or expensive.
To make blinds, we will stock up on the following materials and products:
We will have to work with a jigsaw, mini-grinder, drill, clamp, grinder, hammer, etc.
First, we will make a matrix from multilayer plywood. To do this, we cut out two rectangles of the required sizes with a portable jigsaw and process them around the perimeter with a manual mini grinder.
In accordance with the thermal calculation, we determine the number and dimensions of the blinds. We transfer this data to one of the pieces of plywood using a ruler and marker.
Along one edge of the workpiece, according to the markings, we drill holes with a drill in an amount equal to the number of blinds.
We install a jigsaw file into the holes and cut out the contours according to the markings so that we get the required set of jumpers.
We apply PVA glue on them and along the contour and cover them with a whole piece of plywood.
Place a weight on top and wait for the glue to dry.
Using the matrix as a template, we mark the metal sheet intended for making blinds. We lay it on a piece of plywood with a smooth edge and, pressing it with a clamp, use a grinder to mark the slot.
We clean the sheet with slots on both sides with a hand mini grinder.
From a piece of plywood we cut off a piece of width equal to the length of the blinds. We process the cut part around the perimeter and round the corners on one measured side.
We fix the two glued parts of the matrix with screws to the surface of the workbench. In this case, the part with jumpers should be on top. We lay a metal sheet on it so that its first slot coincides with the outer edge of the matrix slot.
We press the sheet to the matrix with a weight, install a plywood “punch” along the slot in the sheet and hit it with a hammer. As a result, the edge of the metal will bend down to the depth of the matrix. We repeat this operation for all the slots in the metal sheet.
We unfold the sheet of blinds horizontally by 180 degrees and lay it on the matrix. Alternately pressing each jumper with a “punch”, we straighten them with a hammer.
We paint the grille with an aerosol can and our product is ready to be installed in its place.
You can also make a welded matrix using a round or profile pipe, rod, wire rod, etc. It can be for a specific product, but any number of blinds can be made on it, shifting the workpiece one step. The main thing is that the exit edge of the matrix is equal in width to the pitch of the blinds.You can also make two or more rows of blinds by placing the sheet under the next row.
Will need
To make blinds, we will stock up on the following materials and products:
- a sheet of multilayer plywood;
- PVA glue;
- thin sheet of metal;
- wood screws;
- a can of aerosol paint.
We will have to work with a jigsaw, mini-grinder, drill, clamp, grinder, hammer, etc.
The process of making blinds in sheet metal
First, we will make a matrix from multilayer plywood. To do this, we cut out two rectangles of the required sizes with a portable jigsaw and process them around the perimeter with a manual mini grinder.
In accordance with the thermal calculation, we determine the number and dimensions of the blinds. We transfer this data to one of the pieces of plywood using a ruler and marker.
Along one edge of the workpiece, according to the markings, we drill holes with a drill in an amount equal to the number of blinds.
We install a jigsaw file into the holes and cut out the contours according to the markings so that we get the required set of jumpers.
We apply PVA glue on them and along the contour and cover them with a whole piece of plywood.
Place a weight on top and wait for the glue to dry.
Using the matrix as a template, we mark the metal sheet intended for making blinds. We lay it on a piece of plywood with a smooth edge and, pressing it with a clamp, use a grinder to mark the slot.
We clean the sheet with slots on both sides with a hand mini grinder.
From a piece of plywood we cut off a piece of width equal to the length of the blinds. We process the cut part around the perimeter and round the corners on one measured side.
We fix the two glued parts of the matrix with screws to the surface of the workbench. In this case, the part with jumpers should be on top. We lay a metal sheet on it so that its first slot coincides with the outer edge of the matrix slot.
We press the sheet to the matrix with a weight, install a plywood “punch” along the slot in the sheet and hit it with a hammer. As a result, the edge of the metal will bend down to the depth of the matrix. We repeat this operation for all the slots in the metal sheet.
We unfold the sheet of blinds horizontally by 180 degrees and lay it on the matrix. Alternately pressing each jumper with a “punch”, we straighten them with a hammer.
We paint the grille with an aerosol can and our product is ready to be installed in its place.
You can also make a welded matrix using a round or profile pipe, rod, wire rod, etc. It can be for a specific product, but any number of blinds can be made on it, shifting the workpiece one step. The main thing is that the exit edge of the matrix is equal in width to the pitch of the blinds.You can also make two or more rows of blinds by placing the sheet under the next row.
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