Adding Button Holes to a Control Panel

To add extra button holes to a control panel, you require a metal hole punch. These can be purchased on eBay, or at your local hardware store.

You simply drill a hole in the panel the same size as the thread of the punch, assemble the punch around the hole and then tighten the nut to bring the shears together and punch through the sheet.

Always pull the cutter through the top of the CP - the round disk goes on the bottom so any distortion or burrs are on the bottom of the CP.

it also gives you a slightly concave hole as it's pulled through that's why its better if the cutting bit goes on the artwork side.

One thing to watch out for is when you drill the pilot hole cover the top surface with some card and drill down through the artwork as it stops it from lifting and prevents any hot swarf melting into the overlay.

These are pictures from a different punch but the principle is the same.

• Punching Holes
• 
  Planning
• 
  Punching
• 
  Success

Using this method should give you a nice, clean hole without damaging your artwork.