Wall plate maker for my service truck

[Coppersmith]

So I was looking back at some old posts and I came across this one where I talked about my need for a device that would make custom wall plates. There are just so many possible wall plate configurations and colors that it would be nice to make them as needed. I carry tons of them on the truck and still don't have the ones I need when I need them.

There are several ways to do this: 3D printing; tiny CNC with a Dremel router; but I think the most practical and inexpensive model might look like a manually operated punch with interchangeable dies for the various devices. Just insert a non-breakable nylon blank cover and punch. There would be registration marks for multi-gang covers as well.

If this product exists, someone please tell me where to find it. If it doesn't exist and you want to become a multi-millionaire, please start manufacturing this device. I believe a large market exists for this product. I only ask that you cut me in on the profits by a small percentage.

ETA: I have been giving away my multi-million dollar ideas for many years now and nobody has run with one. If you got excited when you read the title of this thread hoping to buy one too, you are the person to run with this idea.

 

[texie]

Yes, they are called sectional plates. Just kidding, I know sectional plates are a dirty word for most.

 

[Coppersmith]

Yes, they are called sectional plates. Just kidding, I know sectional plates are a dirty word for most.

Sectional plates are fugly. I won't use them unless the plate I need is not made and cannot be ordered.

 

[texie]

Sectional plates are fugly. I won't use them unless the plate I need is not made and cannot be ordered.

Yep, That's why they invented Kyle's Switchplates. Sometimes the only alternative to a sectional.

 

[Coppersmith]

Yep, That's why they invented Kyle's Switchplates. Sometimes the only alternative to a sectional.

Very interesting site. Thanks!

 

[Todd0x1]

So the question becomes:
Do you spend a few thousand on a machine or do you spend a couple hundred on a noah's ark of wallplates? The time to make the wallplate has to be considered as well. Machine amortization + time to make the plate could cause the plate to be >$100.

 

[Coppersmith]

I was imagining the machine retailing for $599 with a useful life of 10 years. It would be fairly small and would fit easily on a shelf in my truck. That amortizes to $60 a year plus supplies which I would gladly pay to have every type of plate available on the truck. Avoiding just one extra trip to the supply house due to a missing plate would be more than that.

 

[Todd0x1]

I was imagining the machine retailing for $599 with a useful life of 10 years. It would be fairly small and would fit easily on a shelf in my truck. That amortizes to $60 a year plus supplies which I would gladly pay to have every type of plate available on the truck. Avoiding just one extra trip to the supply house due to a missing plate would be more than that.

I can't imagine the machine selling for $599. For the punch youre talking about tooling alone would cost $1500 or so. $599 could get you a little toy CNC router but you would be looking a slow process to cut out wallplates -plus the machined edge on a nylon wallplate is not going to be very crisp.

 

[Coppersmith]

I think the machine is just slightly more complex than this. It just has to have interchangeable cutters. It's only cutting nylon blanks. They aren't that hard to cut through.

 

[oldsparky52]

I'm trying to understand the need for carrying so many plates in the first place. If it's a new construction job then you should have enough from your order to the supply house. If it's service work, then you shouldn't really need a plate because they are existing.

Where do you use these "needed" plates?

Nice idea though (I think it'd be a hard sell, except for you )

 

[winnie]

The Walter Whitney company makes lots of different manual punch systems. I am sure one of their systems could be configured to do what you describe.

But the punch tooling for a basic toggle, a decora, and a conventional duplex would easily be $400 per tool. Non-round punch tooling is expensive.

Jon

 

[Todd0x1]

I think the machine is just slightly more complex than this. It just has to have interchangeable cutters. It's only cutting nylon blanks. They aren't that hard to cut through.

The press is relatively easy, its the tooling that will get really expensive.

 

[Coppersmith]

If it's service work, then you shouldn't really need a plate because they are existing.

Are they?
* Plate is missing when I arrive.
* The existing plate is broken.
* I replace the device and the old dingy plate looks terrible so I replace it too.
* I replace a duplex receptacle with a GFCI in the middle of a three gang box.
* I change a one gang toggle to a two gang with an added decora fan controller. (And the plate is brown.)

 

[oldsparky52]

Are they?
* Plate is missing when I arrive.
* The existing plate is broken.
* I replace the device and the old dingy plate looks terrible so I replace it too.
* I replace a duplex receptacle with a GFCI in the middle of a three gang box.
* I change a one gang toggle to a two gang with an added decora fan controller. (And the plate is brown.)

I guess the difference is that I don't have the expectations that I should carry everything I need for every possible scenario.

I hope someone makes your machine.

 

[Fred B]

I could see a use for it, I've gotten more than a few where different components under same cover, ie. toggle decora or GFCI or even more complex when getting into 3 or 4 gang or a 2g with LV connections either cat or coax. Not available or even readily available. Could definitely have used such a device when I had an obsolete GE Remote Control lighting panel that the switch covers were damaged and not available. Cost/benefit would be the big issue to get the return on investment from the purchase of the equipment. 3D printing would seem to be an option, units are small enough to fit on service truck, just not sure how smooth of a face it would give. Could use for covers on unconventional surfaces such as brick, stone or log would allow contouring wall edge to the surface for tight finish fit.

 

[winnie]

Was thinking on this overnight.

For some reason I got focused on cutting _metal_ plates, which the OP is not asking for.

With plastic plates some sort of 'desktop' CNC router makes better sense. But I think it would still exceed the OP's price point by a large margin.

But what do you think of a completely manual jig for a 'roto-zip' type tool? I think you could have a 'base' that has cut-outs that hold blank plastic plates, and has pins to register stencils, and then a set of stencils for guiding a hand held tool.

I bet the base and stencils could be cut from plywood (perhaps using a large CNC router at a 'makerspace') and registration done with cut-outs or with pins hammered into the base.

I don't think this would make huge $$, but it could be done inexpensively and solve the OP's problem.

-Jon

 

[Fred B]

Was thinking on this overnight.

For some reason I got focused on cutting _metal_ plates, which the OP is not asking for.

With plastic plates some sort of 'desktop' CNC router makes better sense. But I think it would still exceed the OP's price point by a large margin.

But what do you think of a completely manual jig for a 'roto-zip' type tool? I think you could have a 'base' that has cut-outs that hold blank plastic plates, and has pins to register stencils, and then a set of stencils for guiding a hand held tool.

I bet the base and stencils could be cut from plywood (perhaps using a large CNC router at a 'makerspace') and registration done with cut-outs or with pins hammered into the base.

I don't think this would make huge $$, but it could be done inexpensively and solve the OP's problem.

-Jon

Problem with using blank plates is mount holes are not in locations to be used for cutting out for other applications, I've tried for even GFCI or decora holes are not right.

 

[Todd0x1]

Problem with using blank plates is mount holes are not in locations to be used for cutting out for other applications, I've tried for even GFCI or decora holes are not right.

Good point. The other issue is the blank plate could have bosses or something on the back which would interfere with the device. The machine being discussed would need to start with completely blank plates, or have a stock of blanks with each of the two screwhole locations.

 

[Todd0x1]

Was thinking on this overnight.

For some reason I got focused on cutting _metal_ plates, which the OP is not asking for.

With plastic plates some sort of 'desktop' CNC router makes better sense. But I think it would still exceed the OP's price point by a large margin.

But what do you think of a completely manual jig for a 'roto-zip' type tool? I think you could have a 'base' that has cut-outs that hold blank plastic plates, and has pins to register stencils, and then a set of stencils for guiding a hand held tool.

I bet the base and stencils could be cut from plywood (perhaps using a large CNC router at a 'makerspace') and registration done with cut-outs or with pins hammered into the base.

I don't think this would make huge $$, but it could be done inexpensively and solve the OP's problem.

-Jon

That's a pretty good idea. Only issues I can think of there are how clean the cut edge would be and being able to have a small enough cutter to do tight radius corners like for a decora device.

There are some little 'toy' desktop cnc routers that could do it, but you're looking at 30+ minutes to cut a plate and I don't know how clean of an edge it would give.

 

[Todd0x1]

even more complex when getting into 3 or 4 gang or a 2g with LV connections either cat or coax.

There are straps that hold a bunch of keystone jacks and use a decora plate. Those have saved me on many occasions.