- January 11, 2023
Hole Cutting Tips For Eyelets And Grommets
Hole cutting in order to install fasteners and grommets requires a special set of tools called hole cutters. These tools help canvas workers to punch holes in canvas or sailcloth. You need experience to use these tools to cut a clean hole. Often, even experienced canvas workers struggle to use their hole cutters effectively. So, if you are having a hard time, remember that it is crucial to make the right size hole and use the correct method depending on the material you are working with.
Let's take a look at some of the tips for cutting an effective hole for your eyelets or grommets.
Have The Correct Hole Cutter for the Material
These are the tools that help you drill, punch, pierce or cut holes in fabric, leather or plastic so that you can install eyelets and grommets.
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- Fabric Drills: This is one of the simplest hole cutters. You first need to determine the size hole that you need. You can use the Inside diameter of the hole in the washer that you are using with your grommet or 4 to 10 thousands of an inch larger than the barrel diameter of your eyelet. Fabric drills are used in very puncture resistant material or thick plastics or rubber. These fabric drills are inserted into an electric hand drill and can drill the proper hole in very hard to pierce materials. Just select the proper diameter hole for your application.
- Grommet or eyelet hole punch: This tool is manufactured specifically for this purpose. This is usually a hollow tube with a sharp cutting edge and it is used in conjunction with a punch block made of delrin so while cutting the hole in your material the cutting edge is not dulled. This type of punch is used on material that does not have any elasticity. If you punch a hole in a piece of elastic material or material that stretches, the eyelet or grommet will pop out of the hole because the hole may double in size as soon as pressure is applied to the material. Elastic or stretch material requires another type of punch.
- Pierce Point or Bodkin Point Cut/Set Die: This type of hole cutter actually does not cut a hole, it pierces a hole. The hole is made by pulling the material down over a sharp point that pierces the material. This makes the smallest hole possible and is used when the material is stretchy or has a loose weave.
If you are looking for the right set of cutting tools for your project, contact Siska Inc.
Mallet
A mallet is the most preferred tool to use with a hole cutter than a hammer. Why? A mallet will send the right amount of force to the cutting tool and they are usually made from rubber or leather and will not damage the cutting tool.
Have A Cutting Block Underneath
A cutting block is very handy during hole making as it protects the fabric drill or the grommet hole cutter from hitting a hard surface and dulling the cutting edge. The cutting blocks range from wood to plastic. The best cutting pads are made of Delrin.