Homemade Punch Press

A hole punch is a press designed to hold a removable metal punch. An object is placed in the punch, a button is pressed and the punch goes through the object, leaving a particular shaped hole. Purchasing an entire press for one project is not typically cost effective. If you have a drill press, however, a quick DIY project will covert the press into a homemade punch press.

Things You'll Need

• Drill press
• 1/2-inch-thick plywood
• Saber saw
• Drill
• Drill bit set
• Hole punch
• Clamps

Instructions

1. Cut a piece of 1-inch-thick plywood to the dimension of the drill press table. Use a saber saw or any other type of saw to cut out the plywood.

2. Drill a hole through the center of the plywood that measures slightly larger than the diameter of the punch you plan to use.

3. Slide the hole punch into the chuck on the drill press until the shank butts up with the inside top of the chuck. Tighten the hole punch in place with the drill chuck key.

4. Place the plywood onto the table, and pull down on the drill press lever to lower the punch into the hole in the plywood. This helps center the plywood on the table. Clamp the plywood to the table with C-clamps and then raise the handle on the drill press.

5. Place the object to punch onto the table and then lower the handle until the tip of the punch presses against the object you want to punch.

6. Grip the handle with both hands and force the punch through the material.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not forgo the plywood base. Most drill press tables have a large hole in the table to allow for large drills to exit the work material. If you press a smaller punch through an object, and it is not supported underneath, the press could break the object. This plywood supports the object you are punching and prevents breakage.