I want to punch out some foam plugs greater than 1/2 " diameter. I use copper tubes and my drill press only holds up to 1/2". I can’t seem to figure a way to do some sort of adaptation to use a 1/2" shaft but adapt to a larger punch size. Anyone???
Somewhere we aquired a set of small circular saws for use on a drill press. Though they proved too chincey for our application, they should do fine for foam cutting…if not too thick. 
Could you punch them out by hand?
I recently punched out the holes in a pair of replacement soles for my Chota STL wading shoes. I made a 3/4" punch out of a piece of 1/2 rigid pipe and made it REAL sharp. Then I just put the sole material on a piece of thick rubber mat and twisted the home made punch. It cut through like butter.
I would think foam would be a whole, (or is that hole), lot easier.
[This message has been edited by Bamboozle (edited 01 April 2005).]
Plug Cutters
I have the lee valley set of 4, but I"'ve only used them for wood to date.
[url=http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=42292&cat=1,180,42288:c81fa]http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=42292&cat=1,180,42288[/url:c81fa]
Have fun
Paul
The easiest way I have found is to get a large bullet shell like a 50 caliber or larger from the Army-Navy Store. Then, cut it off at the “shoulder” and drill out the primer. Slip in a 1/8" bolt and tighen down a nut on the back of the bullet. You now have a very good punch for use on a drill press or hand held drill. I use them in all sizes from 22 caliber up to 50 caliber and even 20mm. Total cost is about $1.50 for the large size shells and pennies for the regular sizes like 30-06 or 357.
Good luck.
Jim Smith
ducksterman
Find a plumber or AC tech get some caps for the end of your tube, drill a hole in the center and put in a bolt (inside the cap) put two nuts on the outside of the cap, leave about 1 inch of bolt to secure in the drill press. Have the plumber or AC tech solder the cap onto the end of your tubing and you will have what you need. Might even get away with epoxy instead of soldering, tell the plumber or AC tech to use silver solder (much stronger)
Good luck
Harold
[This message has been edited by Harold Hattaway (edited 01 April 2005).]
Doyou ar anyone you know have any experience sweating copper pipes. I made several different sizes of plug cutters by soldering different size unions (1/2" x 3/4", 3/4" x 1", …etc). Start with a 1/2" tube and work up.
Hey Duck,
I picked up a set of hollow core punches
for $5.50. 1/8" to 3/4". I gave a machinist a dozen poppers to turn down the
three punches that were greater than 1/2".
Warm regards, Jim
When I first started fly tying Jim Hatch gave me a set of those punches that he just posted about, it cost me a dinner to have mine cut down to fit the drill press, but they do work great.
Harbor Frieght carries them I think.
Harold
[url=http://www.maineflyfish.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1625:1708b]http://www.maineflyfish.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1625[/url:1708b]
scroll down to the end.
Find a dowel that fits the inside diameter of the pipe. Bore a 1/4" diameter hole thru the center of the dowel. Insert a machine bolt and epoxy the dowel in place.
This fellow makes cutters just for fly tiers and also sells the foam and glues needed. I have a few of them and they work great. Ron
[url=http://www.jvlnet.com/~swinters/products.html:6ff12]http://www.jvlnet.com/~swinters/products.html[/url:6ff12]
I make all my own plug cutters for foam. I went to the hardware store and bought a length of 3/8" rod that I cut 4" sections from. Next find a piece of conduit that fits your needs aprox 6" long. Then take masking tape and wind it on the rod until it fits snug inside the conduit. Repeat this about an inch up the rod. Insert this into the conduit to just before the second wind of tape goes in and fill with epoxy, then push all the way in and let dry. Then with a dremel cut a section out of the conduit about an inch up for removing the cut plug. I also create teeth in the end of the conduit to help it cut better.
There cheap and work great, hardest part is finding the sections of conduit.