Altoids Tin Speaker

Step 4 Preparing the Altoids Tin

The tin needs two sets of holes. I use a metal punch to mark the hole locations and brad point bits (for wood) to drill the holes. The brad point bits have a center point and two cutting edges. They won't skate and the edges cut slowly through the metal. Brad point bits are available from Lee Valley (among other places).

The first is a set of 1/8" holes directly over the speaker in the pattern of your choice. I mark out the pattern on 6 x 6 graph paper and tape the paper onto the lid of the tin roughly located over the speaker. In order to prevent pushing the top of the tin in, support the inner part of the lid on a small block of wood when punching and drilling the top. With the paper and wood in place, I dimple the tin using the punch. When drilling, go slowly at first. The cutting edges of the brad points should make an even circle. Drilling with the bit anything but perpendicular to the surface may result in the bit grabbing and tearing the metal.

The second set consists of two 1/4" holes on the left side of the tin for the switch and audio jack. Space these fairly wide but so far apart that they fall on the curved part of the tin. Center them vertically on the portion of the side visible when the lid is closed. Mark with punch and drill very carefully. The caution about the bits grabbing the tin applies more strongly with the bigger bits.