Feedthru or Grommet or... something
 

I'm looking for something to fill a large hole in sheet metal but with a small hole in the middle of it.

I'd like something that looks like a rubber grommet around the outside, with an OD of ~ 1" (i.e. the hole in the sheet metal I want to fill is 1" dia.)

but thru the center of it I want to run a tube 1/4" in dia. (or I could cut a hole that size if the thing is solid)

this is for an electrical wiring run I'm doing in a VW Vanagon - I had to drill 1" holes so I could get polyethylene tubing run (it protects the actual 12 Ga. wire from harm, shorting etc.)

so, what are these things called and where (what type of store) would carry an assortment of them?

thanks!

Grommets, Ace

Best,
Tom

Look at the aircraft spruce Webb site and search for firewall grommets. like this one:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1274073073.jpg
Or you can fab something like that. That one covers a 1 1/4" hole.

Yep. Grommets. There are two of them just about how you're describing that hold the license plate wiring on the rear bulkhead of a 914. Think Ace might be your best bet because I know Lowes and HD don't have near the stock of those items that they should.

ok, True-Value does not have them.

I found pics of things that will work - called cable grommets, or feed-thrus

I am looking for something with a mostly filled-in interior - regular grommets ("thin") won't work.

I'll try the local electronics store & see what they have.

I don't see anyone saying "your FLAPS will definitely have these"....

your FLAPS will definitely have these"....

Best,
Tom

Use a 1 inch rubber sheet metal plug, cut your center hole, and put a 1/4 inch grommet in it.

that would be fine IF I could find a rubber sheet metal plug anywhere in this town...

wasted entire AM on this

ID = 3/8" ; OD = 1 3/8" and rubber or other flexible material with a groove that will fit sheet metal - why is that so hard to find around here?

I'm looking for essentially the same thing - rubber grommets for where a brake line enters and leaves the passenger compartment. Can't find them yet. May have to order online.

You can get them here McMaster-Carr

thx, but none of those meet the ID & OD specs.

I discovered a new term to spend time on searching... "body plug"

Here's what I have to get: Product Detail

AutoZone, and presumably other auto parts stores, has packs of random sized grommets. I'm going in just a minute and will look for your specs.

Why do you keep posting questions here? You act like you know everything already?

hmmm, brake line grommets -- that's an idea

I was at AutoZone, Napa, & 2 other FLAPs this am; also 3 fastener houses and a couple of hardware places...

part of the problem may be that the clerks can't think beyond a particular "name" for the time - i.e. can't think of it

unfortunately, the days of open bins are about gone

I'll try a VW and misc. parts place on the other side of town tomorrow & maybe hit some autobody shops...


Joe - please go back to PARF

5/8" was the biggest at AutoZone.

Mcmaster has one in the "push in military spec grommets" #9307K76

fills 1" hole in panel, with a 1/4" opening. Will that not work? Pack of 5 is $5.34

unfortunately, I need one for a 1 3/8" dia. hole...

and then the ID has to be 3/8"

Try page 3748, snap in grommet #63595K33

thanks! that's the closest thing yet

You could just use 1" conduit caps that they use on Schedule 40 conduit. The plastic will be large but will deform enough to fit 1" hole. Then drill or hole cut a 3/8" in the middle. If you wanted to get really artsy, you could pop rivet an aluminum plate to the bulkhead and hole cut the 3/8" in the middle of that.

Look for PCV valve grommets at an auto parts store. There are some that fit 1" or larger holes. The i.d. won't be as small as 1/4", but not clear that you need a "snug" fit around the wire, since you're not trying to "seal" but simply to "protect" from chafing, etc. I used these when ran fuel hose through holes in the firewall of my Vanagon.

If you absolutely want the i.d. to be an exact, snug fit - hmm, get sheet metal hole plugs and drill the right i.d. hole.

http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Flush_Sheet_Metal_Plug_Plastic_1_Hole_Black_p/a11749.htm
http://www.nutsandbolts.com/38-hole-size-plastic-flush-sheet-metal-hole-plugs-qty-100-p-816.html#googlebase

You know, it'd better not turn out that you're building some sort of chemical/biological weapon and making us all accomplices by providing part sources . . .

He is not smart enough for that...

- you must have already seen my burrito diet comment, eh?

I am guessing that every one of the FLAPS asked what type of car you were working on.

oh yeh - one had an older guy who knew what was up, but he was crippled by working for a large co. that does what they all do -- carries the high profit, high turnover items & not the 'junk' people need sometimes

this AM, went to Brooks - the local VW hotrod place that is also an old-timely sort of place; local, run by a local family (surely of - ah - Appalachian Origin, {jes' like both sides of mah own family}), has all sort os bins of stuff, carries 55 gal. drums of fill-your-own oil, 3 gens. of family work the store & the women know more than most franchise auto parts clerks, etc.

- well, they had a few things that I think I can make work, so today's task is to make 'em work (not to mention Sawzalling out some small slider windows downstairs, reviewing a bunch of scientific journals, and at 6 pm an important drinkin' event)

bug shops are the best for odd stuff....they are odd cars :)

What? You don't have a roll of duct tape? :p

Knockout plug. Standard knockout hole for 1 inch conduit connectors is 1.375 inches in diameter. Knockout plug fits very tightly against sheet metal. Drills easily. Cheap as sin.

Heck ,they even make non conductive ones now, and sandwich style ones with rubber (waterproof), all sorts of options. And your FLAPS will NOT carry them :p

mission accomplished - the quality is intermediate between the duct tape level and the true-blue perfect Pooshey level (perhaps fitting, as it is on a VW Vanagon)

now I gotta wire it up

Here's another alternative...
Seals-It

Randy, I saw these when I was looking at some recent pictures of Wayne's 959.

Shouldn't cost too much. :)


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1274408585.jpg

We use the seals-it brand for racecar firewalls and such. They are stupid expensive but do a great job...

Don't those also require some extra, smaller holes for bolts or something?

The thing I wound up using tends to pop out of the hole, so I'm still in search of better solutions...