Realized that a steel golf shaft makes a source for punches for flip flops and other foam sources…just one of many sources of course… but you can buy used golf clubs at thrift stores for as little as a buck…or talk your golfer friends out an old club…or a local golf course.
The metal shafts are tapered [some are stepped…no problem]…butts for men are 5/8’s of an inch on average and they taper to the tip…ok, ok, I was going to delete that phrase but I know nobody will go there…[G]…you can cut them into segments at whatever diameter you desire.
Lots of things will work. Old antenae, golf club shafts, old ammo casings, brass tubing. They ALL will ‘work’.
However, Harbor Freight sells a ‘set’ of punches that go up to 1/2 inch for less than $10 (I think I paid $5.99 for my set).
Chucked into a drill press or hand drill they ‘expell’ each plug as you cut the next one out of hole in the side, and you can easily catch them in your hand. You can make sizes from 1/8 inch up to 1/2 inch. You can cut hundreds of foam plugs in just few minutes.
They come sharp. They cut ‘clean’. You don’t have to ‘cut’ or bevel, or go through any other evolutions to get your punches. They come in a handy pouch, and each is marked with it’s size right on the punch…
It’s one of those ‘so easy everyone overlooks it’ solutions to a requirement. You need something that will punch out foam clyinders? Buy a set of cylinder punches…
I’ll triple the motion on gasket punches. I got my set at a flea market and got 12 punches up to 3/4 inch for $7.00. Work like a charm. Also got some big fingerhole forceps ($2.50) and reverse tweezers ($2.50)
These are the ones that when you release the pressure the jaws close. Actually bought several pair for on the tying bench and on my vests.
Flea Markets are great places for lots of things for fishing and tying.
Chuck
I have a ‘big’ drill press that has a 3/4 inch chuck available to me, and I used it for the larger punches for a while.
The one in my shop has only a 1/2 inch chuck, though.
When I got tired of not using the larger punches ‘at home’, I just turned down the ends. You do need a lathe to do this. Any machine shop can do it also for not much.
You can always just go back to Harbor Freight and buy a bigger chuck for the drill press, I think they sell a 3/4 inch imported chuck that’s not expensive with the proper morse taper on it.
I like the hole in the side of the tube. That’s better than what I used to do, ‘fill’ the tube then dismount it and push out the plugs…
I’ve not had trouble with the smaller 1/8 inch punch, but I don’t go much longer than about 1 1/2 inches on the damsel fly tails I punch. I’m not sure you could punch really long ones with the HF set. Might tear or break due to the centrifical force.
Gotta love that foam. Great material and we’ve probably only scratched the surface of what it can do…
Adding my support for the hollow core punch
idea. I’ve been touting in for a couple of
years. I found a set at the flea market,
cheap new tools from china. Even so, will
take me a couple of lifetimes to wear out.
Mine go to 3/4 inch. A machinist friend/
fly fisherman turned mine down to fit my
little drill press for a dozen dremel bugs.
Good deal for the both of us.G Warm
regards, Jim
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