Cutting an oval shape into a thin metal cabinet door

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Hi guys first and foremost apologies if this post is in the wrong section however it is a tooling question im asking so decided it best fit in here.

Ok so I have some IKEA cabinets I have purchased. They are made of thin metal, similar to that of lockers and filing cabinets.

I need to add some simple euro cam locks to these cabinets but am struggling ith cutting the perfect hole.

I have installed some locks on some of these cabinets and drilled the hole using a hole saw however the lock stem (notched on both sides i.e. looking like an oval shape) spins unless I use the key in the lock as a holding device, thus tightening the bolt on the other end, making sure too much pressure is not applied so that the key bends. Of course this werent the best way about it but I have managed to get by. Now however I have decided to make sure I cut an oval the same shape as the lock so it sits in place and i can easily tighten the bolt on the other end.

Do you guys have any suggestions as to how this may be possible. An example of what im trying to achieve is linked below.

Thanks in advance guys

http://capitolindustriesinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Cam-Lock-Schematic-2.jpg
 
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Something like a qmax punch will do it

They tend to be expensive so maybe a 16mm round hole filed to fit?
 
Last edited:
I were thinking cutting a 16mm and then filing the hole wider but i have to do 45 of these over the weekend (o the nightmare). Likewise was wondering if there is an alternative way others would do this
 
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I have fitted a few of these types of locks to various panels, normally I would just drill a 16mm hole using a hole saw HSS, then file out a little on top and bottom, a bit laborious, but you get there in the end use a 12mm (half inch round coarse file to file out.

Seems like you have been cutting a 19mm hole and so the lock goes into it but can turn around when tightening and you have to hold it in position using the key, what if you had an open end spanner 16mm and held that across the flats whilst tightening the nut with another spanner of the size for the nut. This way you could tighten it really well, and even apply a bit of thread lock to surfaces to stop it coming lose.

Once you have tightened it fully, you may be able to give it a final position setting using the spanner and turn the body from flats.
 
If the problem is just doing up the locking nut, as its fitted to a round hole, hold the body of the lock with a spanner across the flats, while you tighten the nut with a larger spanner, doing everything from behind. As long as its tight enough it should stop the lock ever spinning in use.
When fitting these I tend to drill undersize and file the hole to suit the lock.
 
you can get a special washer (intended for use in wooden cabinet doors) with little teeth that sink into the door as you tighten the nut, and prevent the cylinder from subsequently turning. I think I have also seen them with a hole to pin the washer to the door.
 

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