How to punch zip ties?

1

1pet2_9

Well-known member
This might be a dumb question.

But besides letting Boscoyo do it,.what's a good/best way to punch coro (and specifically, this grade of thick coro that we use to make props), such that you can run a zip tie through it? I've been using a pocket knife all this time, and it works, but I wouldn't say it qualifies as a good way.
 
I wonder if a leather punch tool would do it? It's a pliers tool with a flat on one side and a rotating tool on the other (rotates to select different size holes). If it works it seems like a pretty quick way to punch holes.
 
Leather punch might be good (I don't have one). I hate that the zip ties like to go down the flute in the middle instead of out the other end. Punching it inward from both sides might help.
 
The leather punch pliers are available in many places. I've seen them at Home Depot, Harbor Freight, hobby shops in general, and even yard/garage sales occasionally. Harbor Freight has them for $7 or $8. If you need larger holes they also have hollow steel punch sets that you use a hammer and a piece of plywood (or some other hard surface) to do the punching. The punch pliers are good for along edges and the hollow steel punches could be used for holes out in the middle of the coro.
I've never done this myself (don't have any coro props so far), it just popped in my head as something I though might work.
 
I imagine it would probably be a good idea to experiment on a scrap piece of coro first though. It might be that too many holes punched with these type of punches could distort the shape and it might not come out flat when you're done.
 
As far as "leather punches" go, look around. In my earlier days (read - Scouting) I was able to find oblong punches. They were wide enough but didn't take out a circle. This was great for lacing around the edges of leather straps, ties of multiple layers, etc. These same punches would be great if making holes for zip ties. Then again, you may want a round hole. Your decision.

BTW - they came in plier and straight punch versions.
 
It never occured to me that putting a hole in coroplast was so complicated. 😂 Seriously, a hole is a hole when all you're gonna do is put a wire tie through it. To me, a single hole that both sides of a wire tie went through, made the most sense. Two holes might be stronger, in the case of wind, but also would tend to apply boeing pressure over time.

The props that I found not to have mounting holes were discovered only after the pixels were punched. I wasn't gonna get any type of leather punch in there wih out turning the process into a Laurel and Hardy comedy. A simple #2 Philips required an entire second to create a useful wire tie mounting hole.

I did try a drill bit initially but found it also gave me something else to clean up. I hate cleaning, so...
 
I know it's not complicated. I've been using a pocket knife. I just know there has to be a better way. A boring bit on the drill does work quite easily, if (and I just learned this) you insert the zip tie in the same direction as you drill. If you try and go the opposite direction, it's harder and you need a bigger hole. The zip tie likes to go inside and down the flute instead of out the other end. Also the visual damage seems to be a little less if you drill from the public-facing end and out the back. Problem is, the zip tie has to go in one way, and out the other. That's opposite directions. So the leather punch would seem to make sense, if I had one. At least, near the edges. And obviously the color of the zip tie has to match the paint.
 
I have a couple of 10mm punches. I used them on 4mm coro to install pixels around my yard tune to sign for Marquee effect.
I burned smaller holes with soldering iron for all of the AC Mini LED lights for my letters and numbers.
I've never tried punching through 10mm coro. Wellllll......... I did try one time. I bought some Imperfect Candy Canes from GE.
Some of the pixel holes were not completely cut out, of not cut at all, on one side. Punch was not working good so I used a step bit, drill bit
to open it up. Did make a mess, but worked best for my case use.
 
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