If you are interested in printing and cutting out many of the paper toys from Paper Poseables, a 5/8" hole punch is something you will absolutely need!
Right now, the best way to buy these hole punches is direct from www.uchida.com. Each punch is $6.00 + shipping.
Read on for more information about these essential Poplocks tools!
How To Use:
When I'm punching holes out of paper, I remove the sliding collection tab on the bottom of the Uchida hole punch. Since the punch is not being used to cut out holes from paper willy-nilly, the sliding tab is just in the way. With the tab off, I turn the punch upside down and peek through the opening so that I can line up where the circle will punch out. Paper circles fly everywhere up into the air, but just think of it as a confetti!
As a general rule, I line up the hole punch so that the circle is perfectly centered - this always leave a bit of black line around the edge of the punched hole.
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| Hole punch with collection tab removed |
Care For Your Circle Punch:
Don't punch through more than one sheet! Uchida punches aren't made of hardened steel and trying to take a "shortcut" will just dull your punch faster! The metal that makes up the die and punch mechanism inside the circle punch is great for cutting 65 lb. card stock and will cut sharply several hundred times before dulling. Cutting thicker paper or cutting more than one sheet at a time will test its limits and dull the cutting edges quicker.
Other Ways:
If you are unable to procure a 5/8" hole punch, I will be posting a tutorial showing a couple of easy approaches to cutting out small circles using a simple #11 craft knife blade and sharp-tipped scissors.
Why This Size?
I chose the 5/8" size for Poplocks for a few reasons. One is that I wanted to design toys in as small of a scale as possible - because tiny toys are way cute! With a small size for the hole, that meant I could design pieces that were an inch or 1.25" wide and still have enough paper surrounding the hole to allow it to work. Also, 5/8" just happened to be one of the sizes I used for my Flat Axle disk joints for toys like Sweet Robo!
I would gladly pay $25-30 for a hardened steel, 3" long-reach 5/8" circle punch if one were available (hint, hint!).
Another note: Currently, the Marvy Uchida 5/8" circle punch may be the only circle hole punch of this size that has a reach which is deep enough to reach into the middle of a 1.25-inch-width Poplocks Free Forms piece. EK Success is another brand that I need to try. My Jewelry Shoppe 5/8" hole punches (from Hobby Lobby) will only work with some parts from Poplocks Super Combiners and other toys on Paper Poseables where the width of parts is generally 1 inch wide.
1 comment:
Great advice! I have a couple of different 5/8" punches I use.
Just recently we found a Fiskars Anywhere Punch at a thrift store!!! but alas it only comes with a 3/4" hole punch. trying to find different dies for it online....
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