need a better way to punch holes!

[leatheroo]

I am sick of punching holes for lacing. I use a rotating hole punch and i find this makes my hand very sore after about 50 holes!! I have tried using one of those hole punches that has four prongs that is used with a hammer but i cant find one that is spaced just right. I recently saw a photo of one of the members using a small hand held drill. Has anyone had much experience using one of these? It looks like a good idea, especially if the leather is thick and many holes are need. What would you put underneath to stop the drill going into your bench....the kitchen table in my house!!

thanks.

[Beaverslayer]

Leatheroo, I hear you load and clear about punching holes...LOL... I also saw that picture of the drill being used. I myself would never use such a method for the simple fact that there is a possibility that the leather may "catch" and go flinging out of your hand, and then spin wildly around the drill bit.

Are you just punching holes into veg tan leather, or is it also like garment leather?

I have a set of punches by Al Stohlman that I use, but I punch each hole individually. Some items like a vest have in excess of 800 holes. For my hats I use the same 4 prong punch that you have described, and a hat has about 260 holes.

There is a member here that had a custom made air opperated hole punch made for him by some people in the US, they made it and sent it to him without him even knowing about it. He had complained on a Biker Forum just like you are now, and some of them got together and did this for him.

His name here is Gremlin, and maybe if you sent him a PM, he would show you pics on how it was made. Just a tought, tell him I told you about the hole punch.

Ken

[Beaverslayer]

Leatheroo,

Check this out, I found the link to the pics he posted on the Biker Forum.

Hole Punch

Ken

[leatheroo]

Awesome air hole punch, i can only dream. A shed or garage to put it in would be nice too. The kitchen table gets a workout! Its not so much the table, but i have to get everything out and then put it all away and then repeat the process the next session. I have told my 13 year old son as soon as he moves out, his room becomes my workshop....probably in 10 years time..!!!

thanks guys.

[bruce johnson]

OK, This tip paid for my dues on another group years ago. People still are amazed at it. I astound those who come to my shop. I rarely hit a round punch anymore, even for one hole. I chuck a normal mini-punch or maxi-punch into a benchtop drill press. Sixty bucks for a basic at Harbor Freight, a hundred gets you a cool one at Sears/Orchard Supply. Put a piece of cutting board plastic on the table. Turn on, pull the handle. It effortlessly spins its way through the leather and backs out with equal ease. Even on thin goat or thick wet sticky skirting. It leaves the hole CLEAN on the bottom, and slightly burnishes the hole. With a keyless chuck, changes are a snap. These punches are also cheap enough you can have 2-3 of the common sizes set up, and then just change the whole punch handle/tube out. Don't have to worry about one handle and changing tubes. Some of the more high tech presses have laser crosshairs to line up on your registration marks, and a fence to set and keep the holes centered down a strap or edge.

Standard warning - WEAR eye protection. Once the tubes fill up, subsequent punchings are ejected in random directions. I find them in coffee cups, casing water, etc. Open mouth once when talking.

Edited October 23, 2007 by bruce johnson

[ghstrydr164]

Use burrs instead of drill bits; they will not grab the leather and twist it. If you need very small holes ask your Dentist for some used burrs, they will work fine for your purpose. A Dremal tool works well with the burrs also.

Cyrus

[Jordan]

that is a great tip. sittin here with and mini punch and a mallet in my hands, and there is a drill press on the other bench, dang, never connected the two in my head!

[DCKNIVES]

I have been using a drill press for years on my sheaths.I have a small Craftsman that is dedicated for leatherwork.I sharpen the shank side of various sizes of drill bits and mount them reversed in the chuck. Then while running I punch through, and nice clean holes.I also made up a table for my vise, that helps in moving the article being drilled around.It's made from aluminum plate and UHMW ( a slick plastic, similar to nylon). For doing my sheaths I use a piece of 1"x4" notched for the belt loop to keep the sheath flat for punching holes. Hope this helps.Dave

Here's a pic

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e359/DCK...pg?t=1193801115

[ghstrydr164]

The Leather Crafters & Saddlers Journal ran the results of a test (late 90s’?) on seam strength done with drilling as opposed to awl holes for hand stitching and the seams that were drilled were much stronger than seams formed with an awl.

[greg gomersall]

If I recall correctly the test you are refering to in the Journal was disproven because the people doing the test DID NOT angle their awl correctly thereby were encouraging the seam to be weak. comman sense will assure you that when hand sewn correctly using an awl your thread will hold the seam whereas when you are drilling or punching your hole you are removing material and there is nothing left for your thread to lock into. Learn to hand sew properly and your work will have a sleek clean professional look to it whereas using prepunched or drilled stitching holes will leave your work looking amateurish no matter how nice you tool it. Greg