How to Use a Horizontal Slot Punch
Horizontal slot punches are used to punch horizontal slots through different materials such as paper, card stock, laminate, leather and plastic. People use horizontal slot punches across various industries to make horizontal slots for reasons that range from attaching metal or plastic cord clips to ID cards to threading ribbon or straps through materials in craft projects. Punch manufacturers produce several types of slot punches. No matter your project or slot punching needs, you can use a hand-held or tabletop style punch to make horizontal slots.
Instructions
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Hand-held Slot Punch
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1
Pick up the hand-held slot punch in your dominant hand.
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2
Slide your punch material into the gap on the punch under the die with your other hand in the same way that you would slide material into the gap on a hand-held hole punch.
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3
Align the material in the gap as desired. For example, to punch horizontal slots into photo IDs, center the top of the laminated ID in the gap.
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4
Punch through the material to create a horizontal slot by firmly gripping the handles together until you feel the punch go through the material. Release your grip, pull out the material and then repeat as desired to make additional slots in the same piece or through other pieces.
Tabletop Slot Punch
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5
Place your tabletop slot punch on a flat surface.
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6
Lift up the top handle (if applicable to your model) and position your punch material on the punch's base under the die. If your punch's handle doesn't lift, slide the material across the base into the gap beneath the die.
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7
Align the material using the alignment guides---lines or ruler grid---provided on the base or on the sides of the base. If your model has guides on the sides, align your material under the die as desired and then slide the guides into place on both sides---locking the material in place and creating an alignment reference should you need to punch the same spot through identical pieces of material.
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8
Press or pull down on the handle to punch through the material. Repeat as needed with the same or additional pieces.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If the punch doesn't go through the material on the first try, realign the material carefully in the gap and try again as it can take two or more attempts to punch through certain materials such as thick plastics and leather.
If you have the push-handle style of hand-held slot punch, choose a bit in the slot size you need. Push the bit into the open end of the handle and lock by turning the bit (if applicable to your model). Place your punch material on a cutting mat. Position the head of the bit on the material and then simply push down hard once or twice against the surface.
To empty your horizontal slot punch, access the chad reservoir (if applicable). If using a metal hand-held model, pull off the plastic cap and shake the punch over a trashcan. If using a tabletop model that has a rubber or silicone backing, hold over a trashcan and pull off the backing.
