2-Minute Tuesday Tip: How To Get A Hole-In-One (Paper Punches)

I certainly wish I were writing a blog on how to get a hole-in-one on the golf course; having never made one, I’m not exactly an expert in that field. Nope, we’re talking about putting actual holes into your printing project – whether it’s paper, cardstock or laminate.

So here’s the deal – the tool you use to put a hole in your project all comes down to capacity and diameter. How much of that material do you need to hole-punch? And how big does the hole need to be?

If you’ve got just a few sheets of paper or laminate – say an individual tax return or ID Badge – you’re best off ‘punching’ the paper. For ‘every now and then’ use, buy a handheld hole-punch from your office supply store – cheap and easy.

Note: most hole-punches (3-hole or handheld) in retail locations use a 5/16” diameter hole.

Now what if you want a punch with a little more ‘umph’? Or maybe you want a few more options for the hole size? If that’s the case, you’ll want to check out a heavy-duty single-hole punch like the FP-1 or FP-1XLS. These little hole-punching machines can go through 300 sheets of 20lb. paper and have four different hole sizes. The SFP-II is a high-capacity 3-hole option that can save plenty of time by punching all three holes at the same time.

But what if you’re doing some series hole-punching? Your arm is going to get extremely tired using one of those manual punches – it’s time to start drilling. Paper drills can drill up to 500 sheets of 20lb. paper! Rather than punching a hole in the paper, you’re now drilling the hole with a hollow paper drill bit, which increases capacity AND makes it effortless. This is bad news for your biceps, but good news for productivity. Additionally, paper drills handle many more diameters – from 1/8” to 9/16”.

Now you tell me – how do I get that hole-in-one on the golf course? What are some of the cool projects that you have put a hole in?