Hole Punches, (Small ones) Options

[Aslomov]

Hey guys! This has probably been asked a good few times around here, but does any one know if hole punches go lower than 2mm because I cannot seem to find any online!

I recon that 2mm would just be too big for most things and I do not want to have to cut up my plastic rods to make hundreds and hundreds of rivets, that would take forever! The kind of hole punches that I am after is the ones that come with more than one size. It would save me SO much time and hassle in the long run. The smaller the better!

Also it would be great if I could order it from inside the UK as I live in the far north of Scotland.

Thanks guys!

[Elaric]

5 minute ebay search came up with the same one I use;

Link

At the size you are talking about, they all seem to be one size, but at that price, buying several in different sizes shouldn't break the bank.

[ramshackle_curti...]

I bought a cheap rotary one, went to punch through 1.5mm plasticard and the handle bent!

[lord_blackfang]

I bought a rotary one too and it was horrible. Went back to cutting up rod. It's honestly not any slower.

[Mad Mek Snowfyre]

well
I rarely use hole punches... if I do I try to do I try to use a thumbtack.... (with limited success.)

then again, to make rivets a dab of liquid greenstuff in a small blob actually looks great.

[MaddaMek]

then again, to make rivets a dab of liquid greenstuff in a small blob actually looks great.

I use wood glue

Anyway, You may try to "sculpt" circles in putty, simply by dabbing putty with small pipe



Also small metal washers, just fill hole inside and push out when ready.

You can even go hardcore and use "straighten" syringe needles.

[pete1000]

Hi, like Ramshackle Curtis I bought a hole punch from Wilkinsons (shop in UK) with a rotary head, the smallest was about 1.5mm. After 30 or so rivets it broke by twisting. Wilko's replaced it for free. One thing I was told a week or so later is never to just put a single sheet of plasticard in the hole punch and punch it directly onto the metal platten of the punch, always put another piece of scrap plasticard over the platten as a packer - it worked a lot better and I made a good number of rivets. I just wish I could find one with a 1mm diameter hole.

regards

[Murrdox]

I bought a rotary one too and it was horrible. Went back to cutting up rod. It's honestly not any slower.

I second this. Cutting rod works pretty well. Fortunately I found a good supplier of plastic rod at a local railroad hobby store.

[Dibble]

I bought the Draper rotary punch from Hobbycraft (another UK shop) and I'd have to hit it really hard with me biggest hammer to bend it.
It punches out rivets from 2 mm to 4 mm, and even a cack-handed git like me would struggle to break it. 2 mill does not look out of place3 on my builds but for smaller rivets, I have a couple of hole punches I picked up whilst accompanying the boss on her regular shopping sprees in card making shops.
("Yes dear, that's nice dear, certainly dear. Oooh look, a new hole punch )

[Aslomov]

Thank you Elaric! But isn't 1/16" 1.5mm?? I think that 1/322 is more what I am after.

[Badfang Brassaxe]

Thank you Elaric! But isn't 1/16" 1.5mm?? I think that 1/322 is more what I am after.

Either that's a typo for 1/32 or you did double check your measurements and you really do mean 3 thou (in which case you're probably looking at a syringe ). Have you thought about going the water filter route? Haven't tried it myself but the Forgeworld Masterclass book reckons that you can get them with 'millions of very small balls' which 'vary in size but most are under 1mm in diameter'.

[Aslomov]

That was a typo! Hah! Yeah, I was just reading that in the Model Masterclass book like 2 night ago Not a bad idea to be honest.

[anythingbutaone]

I haven't seen it but i've heard of peeps using the restractable pencils as punches.

Simply remove the lead, sharpen the lead end and punch until it starts filling the pencil.

doesn't work on anything thicker than .5mm pasticard though.

But you can get the pencils from 1mm to .5mm for your rivets.

[TheSnake]

I haven't seen it but i've heard of peeps using the restractable pencils as punches.

It does work look around post #20 in this thread: http://www.the-waaagh.com/forums/?showtopic=49177

[Babyblue_d]

hop over one thread to http://www.the-waaagh.com/forums/index.php...=2&t=51216#
for pics and this might be better for you

As for the tiny riveitz I'm sure I posted it in the past but it myst be one of thone little gems now hidden in the depth of the forum. So here we go again

The punch is made from the head of a 0.5mm mecanical pen. I sharpened the tip using a dremel and a file. After that all you have to do is make an handle (brass tube in that case) and there you go. You can make hundreds of rivitz in no time using a little 0.25mm plasticard sheet.

[anythingbutaone]

It does work look around post #20 in this thread: http://www.the-waaagh.com/forums/?showtopic=49177

Thanks TheSnake, knew i'd seen it somewhere