Punching Holes With Weak Hands

[AriasByMoonlight]

I have been making leather dog collars for a while now. I am small and have fairly weak hands. I started out with a basic rotary hole punch that I got at a local craft store, but I had trouble getting it to punch through the leather straps. I bought a Herm Sprenger leather punch and for about three weeks it worked great, but when I went to use it last I noticed that the punches don't line up anymore and the alignment has gotten so bad by the end of working on my collars it would no longer punch because the alignment is so far off. I am a college student, so my budget is fairly limited. I am looking for something $100 or less that will cut clean holes in leather and that my hands will be able to manage. I was considering something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Eurotool-EuroPower-Punch-Round-Pliers/dp/B003Y8R38W/ref=sr_1_14?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1361679630&sr=1-14&keywords=hole+punch

But I didn't know how it would do punching through leather. Any advice? Help!

[Catchndreams]

Buy a table top drill press, a Tandy hole punch set that you can change the size. The kind you use a mallet with. Chuck it in the drill press. Put a white cutting board under it and adjust the dept just enough to punch throught the leather. Turn your press on. Works great.

[electrathon]

The metal punch will not work properly on leather.

If you bent the compound leverage punch you were squeezing too hard.

Aaron

[AriasByMoonlight]

Buy a table top drill press, a Tandy hole punch set that you can change the size. The kind you use a mallet with. Chuck it in the drill press. Put a white cutting board under it and adjust the dept just enough to punch throught the leather. Turn your press on. Works great.

Do you mean something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/EuroTool-Benchtop-Drill-Press/dp/B0058ECQX2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361684679&sr=8-2&keywords=tabletop+drill+press

I don't know a whole lot about tools. I do have the tandy leather punch kit already, so just have to find a drill press!

[J Hayes]

Maybe this

http://www.harborfreight.com/5-speed-bench-drill-press-60238.html

And add this http://www.harborfreight.com/drill-press-extension-table-with-fence-96395.html

With the fence set properly all your holes will be centered.

That or just get a good rawhide hammer to strike your Tandy punch, or HF has a 4 pound brass hammer that'd probably work real well.

I have an old table top drill press I plan on setting up with a fence for holes and spot setting

Jeremy

[WyomingSlick]

The plain simple fact is that the sharper your punch is; the easier it is to punch with. Like any tool you buy - you should not assume it came from the factory as sharp as it could be. It also helps to periodically punch into some beeswax which not only eases the punching, but makes it easier for the plugs left in your punch to come out. In Al Stohlman's book of leather tools, he suggests resting the revolving punch on the work bench, and just pressing down on the top handle so you can apply more downward force.

[benlilly1]

I can't use the rotary punch either. Hurts my hands and it doesn't want to punch through thicker leather. So I use the mallet and a single punch. I could do that all day! I haven't tried the drill press yet...probably a lot easier and more accurate.

[TwinOaks]

Slick has hit the biggest point here: you need sharp tools to cut things. Look at picking up a few regular hole punches in the sizes you use most. The interchangeable tip punhes are really only suited to punching through really thin leather or vinyl. Look at the end of the punch, and you'll see a very pronounced shoulder to the cutting edge. That shoulder is actually preventing the ounch from getting through the leather. If you grind/ sand that down, you'll have a much easier time. Or....just get an actual hole punch in the correct size, it's a very obvious difference.

Here's a pic comparing the two...same size hole:

Once you have your hole punches with some proper angles, you'll still need to sharpen it. There's some videos on youtube that demo it very well.

Alright...punches addressed. Cutting surface: you need to have a soft surface to protect the punch's edge, and under that you need something with significant mass. The mass under your cutting surface can be as simple as some heavy lumber, a sturdy table, or a block of rock. My set up is a 'poundo' board on top of my granite slab. When I tool, I just flip them to put the padding under the rock.

So....what should you hit it with? As much hammer or mallet/maul as you can comfortably use. It's okay to hit it more than once....and that's where the mass under the cutting board come into play. The more mass you have, the more the tool will cut because the energy from the mallet/hammer isn't enough to move it. That means all of the energy is going to be used in driving the punch through the leather.

If you try to punch holes on something flimsy like a card table, you'll notice a lot of bounce, and te hole may not be struck through.

[Matt S]

Are you stitching with thread or lace? Thread holes shouldn't be punched, despite what Tandy might say. You need a diamond awl. Layout with a pricking iron will help but is not essential.

[AriasByMoonlight]

No, I don't do any stitching or anything like that- just punching holes for the buckles and to put rivets or conchos through. I think I will have to try the drill press- might talk to my dad and see if he has one I can try before I purchase one. I appreciate all the advice!

[Matt S]

Ah understood. Sorry for the confusion.

[Catchndreams]

Maybe this

http://www.harborfre...ress-60238.html

And add this http://www.harborfre...ence-96395.html

With the fence set properly all your holes will be centered.

That or just get a good rawhide hammer to strike your Tandy punch, or HF has a 4 pound brass hammer that'd probably work real well.

I have an old table top drill press I plan on setting up with a fence for holes and spot setting

Jeremy

Yes,This will work great.

Do you mean something like this?

http://www.amazon.co...top drill press

I don't know a whole lot about tools. I do have the tandy leather punch kit already, so just have to find a drill press!

harbor freight will work better

[WyomingSlick]

OOPS Forgot to mention that if you are cutting holes for buckles, you should use oval punches in the approprite sizes for a more professional product . These are usually only availible in the hammer/mallet driven punches. Hate to say it: but avoid the Tandy ones, and try to get Osbourne or some other quality punch. I bought a Tandy one and the cutting edge "curled up" on me.

[bdt46]

If you will get Osbourne spring punches and don't try to muscle the punch through, but rotate it back and forth as you squeeze, they will punch the leather easily! I have a set of Osborne spring punches that I had over 40 years and they still punch through saddle skirting with ease. Just an occasional light sharpening keeps them working great. I have never even had to replace a tube!

[AriasByMoonlight]

Definitely going to try the Osborne! Just ordered one. Thanks so much!

[Dwight]

Arias, you said your dad has a drill press. That means he has some kind of a small shop. Have him help you build a simple lever press like the little drawing here. It should take a good half hour to make, . . . make it out of one 8 foot long 2 x 4 and a half dozen bolts and screws.

The key to making it work right is the back post, . . . it has to be made so it will allow you to adjust for longer or shorter punches, . . . and/or you can make it for the longest and use scrap wood to lift up the punch surface for shorter punches.

As soon as I get my new shop set up, . . . I'm making one of these especially for my maker's stamp.

Anyway, may God bless,

Dwight

[billymac814]

You could also get an arbor press, they are cheaper than a drill press. Harbor freight usually has them in the 30.00 range. You may need to have the ram drilled out to accept the punches or you can just place it under the punch. If your dad has a drill press he can drill it out or any machine shop should be able to do it. You can also have them add a set screw to hold them in place. They work great for makers stamps and a bunch of other things as well.

I had each side of my ram drilled with different sized holes so if I need one or the other I can just flip it. I also stuck a little ball of beeswax up in the hole to hold the tool in place instead of the set screw.

[WoodBoneAndStone]

The odd time I use a rotary punch I put another piece of leather behind the one I'm punching. It is easier to penetrate all the way through the first piece of leather without putting undue stress on the tool. It also prevents dulling the edge of the punch on the anvil side of the tool.

I prefer interchangeable tube punches that screw into a handle over one piece drive punches. For larger holes I have a great set of English made wad punches.

[billymac814]

I must be the odd man out because I almost always go for my spring handled punch before anything else. Only exceptions being belts bc I use an oval punch and everywhere the spring punch can't reach and when I have a lot of punching to do. Mine are the Osborne ones that are fairly expensive. I also used to use a cheap one from harbor freight, I like that it catches the holes and for lighter weight stuff it worked well but it doesn't stand up to heavy punching and will break.

I've been looking at a punch set like that, I like that they are self centering.