Re: How to cut small cork disks

[Scott Cramer]

On 04 Sep 2003, K.-Benoit Evans spake unto rec.woodworking:

I need to cut 50 disks with a diameter of 1-1/8" out of 1/8" cork gasket > material to be used as cushions on some shop-built violin-maker's > (luthiers) clamps. > > Since I don't have some sort of punch, I was thinking of cutting the > cork into rough, over-sized squares, gluing the squares to the 1-1/8" > dowel pieces that are to be padded and then trim the cork with an Exacto > blade. > > Is there an easier way? >

You could make your own punch very easily.

Find a piece of pipe with the correct inside diameter, and grind or file it to a knife edge all around. It wouldn't have to be 'scary sharp', as a sharp rap with a mallet should drive it through 1/8 cork with ease.

[Robin Lee]

First thing I'd try - tape(attach) an exacto blade (etc.) onto a 1 1/8 hole saw (or 1 1/8 OD anything) and use a drill press.

Cheers,

Rob

[Lawrence Wasserman]

Cork is pretty soft. If you don't want to buy a hole punch and the diameter is not critical maybe you can grind or file an edge on a piece of pipe or tubing that is 1 1/8" ID (or close enough) and punch the disks out with it.

[Rick]

This might be easier:

[Rick]

Don't you hate it when you find a better answer right after you sent the last one?

[Phisherman]

I have a set of cork punches, but not the size you need. The punches are made from brass tubes. You can make a punch from some soft-metal pipe. Carefully sharpen the bottom using a belt sander. Get a pipe or wooden dowel that just fits inside what you've made so you can push out the disks easily. This should work well. No power tools needed to make the disks!

[Ernie Jurick]

Well, yeah-- buy them from

They're nice folks to deal with and that size and thickness of disk is not unusual, so they'll have it in stock. Probably with a peel-off adhesive backing, even. You might also call a local hobby shop or arts and crafts place.

-- Ernie

[Charles Erskine]

Here is an picture of sheet material being cut with a punch made from pipe.

[K.-Benoit Evans]

Damn! This group is good.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I tried a hole saw and it worked except I had to be careful about tearout on the exit side. I have a 1-1/8 OD hole saw, which produces a 1" disk (too small) and the next saw is

1-1/2, which is too big.

I tried Robin Lee's idea of taping a razor knife blade to a hole saw, but I couldn't fasten the blade securely (perhaps with a hose clamp?).

The hole punch is probably the best way to go (I just wanted to avoid having to make the punch...although punching is probably quicker than drilling.

However, the suggestion that they are available ready-made is very tempting. I'm not sure I want to order them from the states, but small disks like I need are often used as cushions on the bottoms of pots, boxex, etc., so maybe I can find some locally.

That would be ideal, especially since I don't need 50 disks (as orignially stated) but 100. I'm making 50 luthiers clamps and of course each clamp has TWO surfaces that need pads.

So, its off to the store for ready-made disks or a piece of brass or copper pipe.

[Wilson Lamb]

[Wilson Lamb]

I forgot to say I would use iron pipe if possible, so it will hold the edge for your quantity. Of course if you find a thinwall aluminum tube in the right size it would save you work.

[Bill Wallace]

Most larger craft/hobby stores have little punches for paper that come in hearts, stars, moons and yes... circles. I have actually used a circle punch with about a 3/4" circle to do exactly what you are speaking about, cutting cork from the rolled up sheets of the stuff, I bought at the same craft store. If I recall, the punch was about $2.00 and they came in many sizes.

Oops, maybe it was more. My Gog searech came up with this

$8.00.

[Bob S.]

What?.......no magnets Robin.......;-)

Bob S.

[Mike Hide]

The obvious solution, we think alike ....mjh

-- mike hide

[RM MS]

Taper ream or turn into a 1" ID pipe and cut that piece off at about 6" length. Now pound on it onto the sheet cork.

[K.-Benoit Evans]

That or a plug cutter sounds like the best all around long-term solution. For now, after trying a punch made from a piece of pipe, I've gone back to the hole saw on the drill press. (While looking for a piece of pipe in the junk boxes, I found a 1 1/4 O.D. hole saw, which gives me the

1-1/8 disk I needed. Unlike the smaller hole saw I tried before, this one doesn't cause any tear out on the gasket material I'm using. So this time around, the hole saw seems to work best, quickly and without a lot of banging.