Screw Hole Punch Tools & How To Use Them

Screw-hole punches are very specialised rare diy tools used to punch holes within material using a screw process. These small products cut holes in thin materials quickly, easily, cleanly and without burrs in a few simple operations. This blog explores what they are, what they can be used for, which common type of traders use them and how they work.

What is a Screw Hole Punch?

A Screw Hole Punch Tool has 4 Parts to it. These include the Punch, the Traction Bolt, the Die and the Ball-bearing.

• Punch – The punch provides the cutting edges of the tool. This cuts into the material giving a burr-free smooth circular hole within it.
• Traction Bolt – Most traction bolts come with a MF 12 standard (12.0mm metric fine). The purpose of the bolt is to pull the die (and potential bearing) and the Punch together, causing the tension and cutting process to occur.
• Die – The die plate forms the base of a Screw Hole Puncher. This contains the cutting tips of the Hole Puncher. The amount of cutting tips available on a Screw Hole Punch can vary.
• Ball Bearing – Not all Screw Hole Punches come with ball bearing, however it is a common feature. The purpose of the ball bearing is to reduce the frictional force between the Screw and the Die and thus helps keep the torque required at a lower rate.

The ball bearing between draw-in bolt and die plate makes handling even simpler and quicker, reducing the force required by approximately 67 %.

Cutting Edges are part of the Punch of a Screw Hole Puncher, whilst the Cutting Tips sit within the Die of the Puncher Tool. There are different options of cutting tips available, including different numbers of points. Typically, Screw Hole punches have 2 or 3 cutting points with 2 or 3 cutting edges to them. Cutting Edges allow for a burr-free execution. Cutting Tips can improve the contact, resulting in less deformation of the punched parts. This helps to stop problems arising to the draw-in bolt.

Weighing in between 0.1kg – 0.3kg, these light tools are particularly suitable for use with spanners, manual or foot-operated hydraulic punches. Their diameter sizes typically range from 12.7mm to 63.5mm. Usually they are manufactured from Special Steel material.

Screw Hole Punches vs Drill Bits

Common Drill Bits such as Jobber Twist Drills and Annular Core Drill Bits could be used for making small scale holes within most materials. However, these tools have been designed for stronger, thicker and more robust materials. Using these drill bits for thinner materials can make the material prone to bending caused by the drill bit.

Unlike drill bits, a Screw Hole Puncher is ideal for thin layered materials. They can deliver a smooth clean circular hole cut within the surface material. So, sheet or step drills should only be used to make an initial hole for the tension bolt but for the final hole result a Screw Hole Punch should be used.

What can they be used for?

These Tools are suitable for Sheet Steel, Stainless Steel Sheets, Non-Ferrous Metals, Light Metals and Plastics. Most of them can manage material thickness of up to 4.0mm. Due to this, these specialised small-scale tools are frequently utilised within the plumbing industry. They can also be used by electricians, switchgear manufacturers, industry and handicrafts.

Often, Screw Hole Punches are used within sinks (predominantly Kitchen Sinks), to produce a plug hole or to allow a tap/other fitting to be installed within it.

Punching Process

First of all, a hole of at least 1.0mm in diameter larger than the tension bolt must be produced within the surface material. This involves using a drill bit (variable types of drill bits are available at the RUKO Shop UK).

Then, the two halves of the hole punch should be screwed together on either side of the hole, with the stamp half (containing the cutting tips and punch part) used from one side and the other part (containing Die, Ball-bearing and Traction bolt) slotting in the hole from the other side.

From there, use a wrench/spanner to tighten the traction bolt (from the Ball-bearing part of the hole punch) until the hole is punched out.

The result means a nice crisp hole within a thin surface material. An example of one used within a Kitchen Sink is shown in the YouTube Video below.

RUKO Shop UK offers high quality Screw Hole Punches with 3 powerful performance key features:

• Up to 70% less effort required
• More holes due to less wear and tear
• Significantly improved holes

Purchase a Screw Hole Punch here at the RUKO Shop UK.