Drilling & UV / powder coat finishing

jessenator

Well-known member
Please don't take this the wrong way—I'm directing this towards the community at large, and am genuinely curious:

Why do you folks who do get powder coats, prints, etc. from Tayda and not use the drill service? or do get it and not use actual/final hole diameters?

I'm seriously, genuinely curious. It's $4.50 USD, which isn't too dear. The drilling happens first, so there's no danger of them drilling the finish off. The printed drill markings just seem unnecessary. Anyway, I'm not trying to shame, I just don't get it, and want to know your reasons. Is there something I'm not getting?
 
I'd do it if it was cheaper. To me 4.50 USD + tax is kind of steep for just a couple of holes, when I can just do it myself for free with satisfactory results. Also, to guarantee continuity between jacks, pot housings, etc. and the enclosure, you'd have to scrape off the paint around the holes or pay another buck for masking. That may also be why some do drill templates with too small hole diameters; no masking service necessary because drilling to final hole size gets rid of the paint inside the drill hole.
 
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I'd do it if it was cheaper. To me 4.50 USD + tax is kind of steep for just a couple of holes, when I can just do it myself for free with satisfactory results. Also, to guarantee continuity between pot/switch housings and the enclosure, you'd have to scrape off the paint around the holes or pay another buck for masking. That may also be why some do drill templates with too small hole diameters; no masking service necessary because drilling to final hole size gets rid of the paint inside the drill hole.
That's what I always assumed. I use the drill service, but I have some oval and square-shaped holes that are near impossible by hand, and I also buy in bulk so the price per unit comes down a bit.

I wondered for a while why I saw so many people just getting hole guides printed and drilling afterward, but I realized if you only need 5-6 holes on the face and 3 on the top, an extra $4.50 per box to save yourself 2-3 minutes of work didn't make a ton of sense, especially if you're only building a couple at a time.
 
Why do you folks who do get powder coats, prints, etc. from Tayda and not use the drill service?
Tayda's alignment between the UV print and the enclosure drilling is usually okay, but I've also received enclosures where the alignment was off enough that I feel that I would have been better off drilling the enclosure myself.
 
I wondered for a while why I saw so many people just getting hole guides printed and drilling afterward, but I realized if you only need 5-6 holes on the face and 3 on the top, an extra $4.50 per box to save yourself 2-3 minutes of work didn't make a ton of sense, especially if you're only building a couple at a time.
You certainly overestimate my drilling skills. Sure it only takes a few minutes, but you also have to consider the huge gash in the UV print.
 
I dont do uv prints, but powdercoats i stopped
Doing the predrilled because i ussuallt just buy 20 powdercoated enclosures or so and decide after whats going in them. I also if have someone looking for a particular build like to give them the choice if color
 
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