Cornermate Hole Punch Tricks of the Trade

[Mark Sipes]

I have had the popular Cornermate punch for 16 years and the decrotive corners have worked like a charm. The one area that frustrates me in lining up the center holes for plates. I do lots of plates that are 1.25, .875 and .5 in width and need to find the centers . I tried scribing lines on the table but that is not accurate. Anyone have a great solution to the problem?

Thanks

[Bill Cunningham]

If your laser etching the plates, then etch the spot where the holes go. I do this with cermark when marking stainless so I can centerpunch the right spot and drill the holes.

[Mark Sipes]

Wow I guess I am the only shop with a Cornermate that uses the center hole punch on metal plates.

[Mike Null]

No, it's just that the rest of us don't have an answer. I use my tri-focals and come fairly close.

[Tony Lenkic]

This is what I rigged up for hole punching. It comes with 7 dies.

[Mark Sipes]

Well just finished making a set of jigs that install into the 1" + corner/2 hole punch slider. the fit is snug so I know I have the center of the Hole punch. Used the laser and made jigs that will center from 1/2" up to 1 1/2" plates ( 1/16" interval). Should have thought of this years ago. Necessity is the mother of ..........

[Martin Boekers]

This is what I rigged up for hole punching. It comes with 7 dies.

I have something similar just haven't made a table for it. I am thinking about just making a "centering ruler" decal
to use for alignment. Back in my old photo days I used to have a register punch for registering "litho traps" for multi image work.
They cost a fortune back then. Thanks to the digital age they are no longer needed. The one thing they had was centering guides
That would move in from both sides to center the piece. I am sure they be had cheaply now with a bit of research. You still would have to
modify a punch as the ones that came with it were for paper and film. I am surprised that Cornermate hasn't devised something.
I have an older punch. Still being made by Main Trophy, it's a strange little device. it does have a slide though for punching holes.

[Mike Null]

Mark

Let's see your solution.

[Albert Nix]

Nice Tony, I like it when folks tools that work and look well.

[Kathy Madan]

Mark,
We have that same corner punch with the same problem. I hate it for hole punching and usually drill press them. My husband likes it for one/two type plates but rarely gets them centered correctly. I would love to see your solution, or even have you make another one for me that I can buy from you.

Kathy

[Mark Sipes]

This should be fairly self explanitory.
A picture is worth a ........
Use the laser and cut the top section so it fits snugly into the part the hole/corner punch fits. the bottom of the jig is cut to the width of the plate centered to the top section. Use a piece of scrap to create a straight edge so the actual plate can be positioned centered to the hole punch. Replace jig with the actual hole punch template . "punch" flip plate end over end "punch" again...

[Kathy Madan]

Very nice! Thanks Mark, a picture IS worth a thousand words. (plus I like visual aids

[Martin Boekers]

This should be fairly self explanitory.
A picture is worth a ........
Use the laser and cut the top section so it fits snugly into the part the hole/corner punch fits. the bottom of the jig is cut to the width of the plate centered to the top section. Use a piece of scrap to create a straight edge so the actual plate can be positioned centered to the hole punch. Replace jig with the actual hole punch template . "punch" flip plate end over end "punch" again...

Ahhhhhhhh....they genius of SMCreekers!