New tool idea - hole punch

Questions about tools and jigs you want to buy/build/modify.
Post Reply
Brian Evans
Posts: 922
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 8:26 am
Location: Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia

New tool idea - hole punch

Post by Brian Evans »

I was drilling 1/4" holes for fret board dots and the depth stop slipped so one hole was a little deep. I needed to find a little shim to put under the dot. For some reason I thought of my Roper Whitney style hole punch from when I was doing a lot of sheet metal fabrication on race cars. I dug it out, put the 1/4" die in, and proceeded to punch out absolutely perfectly round, dead on size pieces of plastic and maple. Surprised the heck out of me for some reason, but now I can make fret board dots out of different stuff. Haven't tried MOP or abalone yet, may be too brittle. https://www.roperwhitney.com/our-produc ... and-punch/ Mine is a knock-off, and has around 8 or 10 different die sets.
Bob Francis
Posts: 582
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:28 pm

Re: New tool idea - hole punch

Post by Bob Francis »

Great idea!
Ed Minch
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Dec 24, 2017 1:59 pm

Re: New tool idea - hole punch

Post by Ed Minch »

Use the same drill bit you drilled the holes with, and turn it upside down in your drill press so the shank is pointed down. Use it to punch out little dots from a piece of plastic binding. It helps to touch the shank end of the bit to a grinder at a slight angle to sharpen the edges and to help it more "shear" the dot out of the blank. Great way to make colored dots to order.
David King
Posts: 2690
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:01 pm
Location: Portland, OR
Contact:

Re: New tool idea - hole punch

Post by David King »

The abrasive nature of shell I think would dull your dies in short order and probably result in a little pile of shell dust. They do make abrasive coated hole saws in many sizes that should work well with pearl and abalone in a drill press.
John Cross
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2012 11:35 am

Re: New tool idea - hole punch

Post by John Cross »

Another idea Ive used once or twice was to use a hole punch to make the fingerboard dots out of old picks. Need a tortise shell dot? Raid your old picks. I used a faux abalone pick once too when I didn't have the real thing. I can't remember which guitar it is on and I don't think I could tell you now without really close inspection (maybe not even then). There are lots of celluloid colours to choose from that have potential to look cool.
Brian Evans
Posts: 922
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 8:26 am
Location: Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia

Re: New tool idea - hole punch

Post by Brian Evans »

John, to be honest I used an old pick as my shim! International House of Guitars, NOLA, from back in the day.
Post Reply

Return to “Tools and Jigs”