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hole punching tools

updated sat 2 jun 12

 

Brad Sondahl on sat 26 may 12


Since I was asked what I use for hole punching, I use the old fashioned pen
nibs used for pen and ink, turned backwards so the part that secures it to
the pen is exposed (a sort of half cylinder), and secured with epoxy and
fishline onto a dowel or pencil. I may wrap some tape around the end I
turn it with to make it more comfortable to turn. A quick poke and turn
and a nice clean hole is made, of a size to be functional but not too
likely to fill when dipping in glaze (or I blow them out immediately if
they fill with glaze).
I did try mounting one on a metal screwdriver bit to use with a cordless
drill, but didn't find it to be significantly faster, not to mention more
unwieldy, particularly in drilling on the inside of colanders...
Brad Sondahl sondahl.com

Paul Lewing on sun 27 may 12


Best hole punch I've ever found is a brass rifle cartridge. Get one
that's necked down like a .30-06 or a .270 and cut the back end off.
Of course, I'm talking about one that's been fired. If you just use a
straight brass tube, it takes too much force to push clay all the way
through it. But with the necked down cartridge, it only has to go a
half inch or so and it no longer has any resistance. Clay just falls
out the back of it. Just hold one finger behind the clay, push it
through and twist a bit. Perfectly clean hole every time.

Paul Lewing
www.paullewingtile.com
www.paullewingart.com

Des & Jan Howard on sun 27 may 12


Brad
For smaller holes. A telescoping metal car radio
antenna, collapsed & sliced at an acute angle with a
fine saw. Several sizes. No handles necessary.
Des

On 27/05/2012 1:44 AM, Brad Sondahl wrote:
> Since I was asked what I use for hole punching, I use the old fashioned p=
en
> nibs used for pen and ink, turned backwards so the part that secures it t=
o
> the pen is exposed (a sort of half cylinder), and secured with epoxy and
> fishline onto a dowel or pencil.


--
Des & Jan Howard
Lue Pottery
Lue NSW
Australia
2850

02 6373 6419
www.luepottery.hwy.com.au
-32.656072 149.840624

Nancy Gallagher on sun 27 may 12


On 5/27/12 7:16 PM, C Sullivan wrote:
> I had read somewhere that if you take a piece of bamboo and shave the end
> off in a slanty angle, (so it will penetrate the clay smoothly) it will
> make nice holes. The size of the hole is determined by the diameter of
> the bamboo you are using.
> Tried it and it works like a charm.
> Chae
>
>
I like this one - one tool for any size hole you want and the plug of
clay doesn't get stuck in the tool.

http://vangilderpottery.com/vgp_store.html#hole

--
Nancy Gallagher
http://www.gallagherpottery.com
Want to adopt a basset hound? Visit http://www.dailydrool.com

Jeff Lawrence on sun 27 may 12


When I was making light fixtures with decorative perforations and designs,
my best perforators were artist scalpels for linear holes (way less drag
than exacto or fettling blades) and short lengths of brass tubing sharpened
with a file for round holes.

Lee on sun 27 may 12


In my teacher's workshop, we used a metal strut from an umbrella.

--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue

C Sullivan on sun 27 may 12


I had read somewhere that if you take a piece of bamboo and shave the end
off in a slanty angle, (so it will penetrate the clay smoothly) it will
make nice holes. The size of the hole is determined by the diameter of
the bamboo you are using.
Tried it and it works like a charm.
Chae

jd.steveni@COMCAST.NET on mon 28 may 12


Hi All,

I could use some tips as to how to make a tool which would countersink the =
hole in once glazed colanders. I see a small grommet in my future, and a sm=
all dowel. Perhaps it's Lee's umbrella strut. My reference can be found on =
p. 97 Single firing the Pros and Cons by Fran Tristram. Going to venture in=
to some single firing on some ware and I really admire Andrew and Joanna Yo=
ung's work. Currently use a sort of half round piercing tool which I turn t=
hrough a circle and remove core, like umbrella strut Lee Love suggested, an=
d blow like mad after glazing bisc to clear holes and then follow up with a=
tapered brush tool which I dampen, wipe on sponge to remove excess water, =
insert to clear blocked hole and then swish to clear brush and repeat. It =
works. It's routine on some jobs. I like the idea of piercing after once gl=
azing and the look of the countersunk diameter showing the light body again=
st a dark glaze is very, very nice.

Dinah
Mount Vernon, WA.
www.dinahsnipessteveni.com
www.dinahsnipessteveni.wordpress.com
www.etsy.com/shop/DinahSnipesSteveni
dinahsnipessteveni.tumblr.com

Des & Jan Howard on wed 30 may 12


Dinah
I use a cytobrush, an endocervical sample collector.
Got a few packs left over from a GP clinic I worked in
years ago. Also handy for cleaning glaze out of squirt
bottle nozzles.
Des

On 29/05/2012 7:51 AM, jd.steveni@COMCAST.NET wrote:
> ...blow like mad after glazing bisc
> to clear holes and then follow up with a tapered brush tool
> which I dampen, wipe on sponge to remove excess water,
> insert to clear blocked hole and then swish to
> clear brush and repeat.


--
Des & Jan Howard
Lue Pottery
Lue NSW
Australia
2850

02 6373 6419
www.luepottery.hwy.com.au
-32.656072 149.840624

Lili Krakowski on wed 30 may 12


Ages ago in London I learned to harvest the spokes from broken =3D
umbrellas, sharpen up one end, and use as hole punches! My friends =3D
gathered broken umbrellas whenever--quite often--there was a howling =3D
wind and heavy rain.

In NYC at a cork store, I learned how to make a hole punch for corks. A =
=3D
punch I have used for clay.
Cut the end off a copper pipe of the type uses as inlet for sinks. =3D
(About 3/8" OD)
Make the cut at a about a 45 degree angle Not too hard if you thread =3D
the pipe over a dowel of same size and clamp gently. When the pipe is =3D
cut file the
longer end from the outside so as to sharpen it. With dowel removed =3D
drill a hole through the top of the pipe about 1" down. Take a big nail =
=3D
and stick it through the holes.

Your cutter now is kinda a T. The nail helps you turn the cutter as you =
=3D
make the hole..either in clay or in a cork.


Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage

marci Boskie's Mama =3D^..^=3D on thu 31 may 12


Ive been away teaching and havent had a chance to read all of my
Clayarts.... so if this has been mentioned already , I apologize...
but I use straws....push in and twist and they make a nice clean cut.
I cut them into shorter lengths.... and they come in all kinds of
sizes from HUGE for frozen drinks to tiny for coffee stirrers.

After it fills up with clay, I just grab another one.... and set
the used ones aside to let the clay inside dry .. Then I roll them
with my rolling pin to crush the dried clay inside , dump the dry
powdered clay into my slurry container... and the straw piece is good
to go again .

marci the chinapainter

David Woof on fri 1 jun 12


Hi all=3D2C=3D20
=3D20
as is so often the case=3D3B this thread seems to have wandered from "makin=
g =3D
holes" to "cleaning holes." (No quarrel from me=3D3B it just shows how o=
ur=3D
individual minds work and wander about in the collective.)
=3D20
When I want to protect or keep a hole clear during glazing=3D2C I pack a bi=
t =3D
of damp sponge (i favor grout sponges) into the hole and contentedly glaze=
=3D
=3D3B trusting that the sponge will effectively stop the glaze from enterin=
g =3D
where I don't wish it to be=3D2C and in the fire burn away leaving no disce=
rn=3D
able trace of having been there. And consequently a smooth transition from =
=3D
glazed to unglazed surfaces.
=3D20
A bit of very thinned glaze=3D2C R.I.O=3D2C or a complimentary stain=3D2C a=
pplied=3D
first=3D2C makes the transition less abrupt if this were to be a visual is=
su=3D
e.
=3D20
David Woof....
=3D20
...it's 2:50 AM...time to go back to bed for a couple more hours...the jave=
=3D
lina are bumping the outside walls=3D2C as javelina usually do when a drift=
e=3D
nters the courtyard to eat the dropping mulberries. They have been changing=
=3D
their foraging times to evade the puma who was hiding there last week to a=
=3D
mbush them. =3D20
=3D20
After he played "cat and mouse=3D2C peek-a-boo" front to back of the jeep w=
it=3D
h my son=3D2C i had an intimate conversation with him (the cougar) as to ju=
st=3D
whose courtyard it is. He hasn't been back in the courtyard=3D2C but the=
j=3D
avelina's behavior tells that he is still hunting in the area.=3D20
=3D20
We all get along just fine. I am the Alpha who can walk softly on two legs=
=3D
=3D2C carry a big stick=3D2C and pee higher on the bush than they can. So n=
ow s=3D
ince I've established that I am Lord of my kingdom=3D2C I'm going to send m=
e =3D
off to bed.
_________________________________________________________________________-
=3D20
17a. Re: Hole punching tools
Posted by: "Des & Jan Howard" djhoward@HWY.COM.AU
Date: Wed May 30=3D2C 2012 9:29 am ((PDT))=3D20
=3D20
Dinah
I use a cytobrush=3D2C an endocervical sample collector.Got a few packs lef=
t =3D
over from a GP clinic I worked inyears ago. Also handy for cleaning glaze o=
=3D
ut of squirtbottle nozzles.Des=3D20
=3D20
On 29/05/2012 7:51 AM=3D2C jd.steveni@COMCAST.NET wrote:> ...blow like mad =
af=3D
ter glazing bisc> to clear holes and then follow up with a tapered brush to=
=3D
ol> which I dampen=3D2C wipe on sponge to remove excess water=3D2C> insert =
to c=3D
lear blocked hole and then swish to> clear brush and repeat.
=3D20
--Des & Jan Howard
Lue PotteryLue NSWAustralia2850 02 6373 6419www.
luepottery.hwy.com.au-32.656072 149.840624 =
=3D