# What kind of equipment punches holes in plastic? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 17, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274 "2010-02-17T01:29:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/1 "2010-02-17T01:29:46Z")
I am looking to buy a tool that will punch out custom shapes from thin sheets of plastic and need to know the name of what I’d be shopping for. Basically I would want a half dozen or so specific, different, semi-elaborate shapes, each approximately 8x10, so I’m thinking some kind of press with interchangable plates or something. Does such a thing exist? What should I search for? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/2 "2010-02-17T01:37:58Z")
It sounds like you’re describing a die cutter, but getting the dies made to your semi-elaborate custom design is going to be the problem. I’m unclear on whether the quantities you’re describing are the number of different possible shaped cutters you want, or the number of shaped finished plastic parts you need. If the latter you might be better off getting an engineering company to cut them for you with a water jet or laser cutter. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/3 "2010-02-17T01:47:16Z")
Depending on the size and complexity of the shapes, you might be able to use a [steel rule die](http://www.accutecgroup.com/steel_rule_die6_large.gif). These can be fairly inexpensive, especially compared with a punch and die set. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/4 "2010-02-17T01:57:00Z")
The thread title really made me want to reply “a 30-06”, but I restrained myself. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/5 "2010-02-17T02:22:16Z")
Another alternative, if the shapes are simple, is some kind of stencil template that can be used with a router. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/6 "2010-02-17T02:40:59Z")
What’s your budget? [This product](http://versalaser.com/products/desktop-series/) will cut sheets up to 18.75” x 14.5”. The price isn’t given, but I read an article about it in PC Magazine seven years ago that said it cost under $10,000. It may have come down in price since then. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/7 "2010-02-17T03:05:40Z")
Some sort of laser cutter like the one in Dewey Finn’s link is probably the way to go. A decent one isn’t cheap, so if you’re after a small quantity look for a local provider of laser cutting services. ---
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/8 "2010-02-17T03:56:16Z")
Wow, thank you all! Exactly the info I needed. I think a die cutter is what I had in mind, but the laser cutting service (which was not on my radar at all) would be ideal to get me started. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/9 "2010-02-17T03:56:35Z")
Depending on the thickness of the plastic, this machine might do the trick. [Cricut Shop](http://www.cricut.com/shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?id=123&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1) Mine will cut 1/16" vinyl or 1/8" chipboard (with the heavy blade). There are a lot of cartriges available for your shapes. ---
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/10 "2010-02-17T04:07:28Z")
I was looking at the cricut in a store and wasn’t totally clear on how it worked. I would have to use their shapes though, right? I need a very specific custom shape. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/11 "2010-02-17T04:52:28Z")
What sort of plastic? The “steel rule” dies or “clicker” dies are great for soft things like leather - odds are extremely high that the individual pieces of the shoes you’re wearing were punched out on a clicker. They will not cut hard materials like Plexiglass or Perspex - the stuff will just shatter. About all you’ll be able to do with a clicker is thin and relatively pliable stuff like what credit cards are made of. If this is an appropriate process for your material, having the tooling produced is not horribly expensive. IIRC, about ten years ago, a punch for something roughly hand-sized cost about $100 to make, and you can pick up a used press for a few thousand. The main gotcha would be the power source - these are industrial machines, and often need to run on three-phase power. If you just need a few, laser cutting is probably a more economical option. A business description to look at is “rapid prototyping” services - they specialize in one-off or really small runs of items. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/12 "2010-02-17T09:41:16Z")
> [@Elret](#): > > I was looking at the cricut in a store and wasn’t totally clear on how it worked. I would have to use their shapes though, right? I need a very specific custom shape. Yes, they are limited to the cartridges that are produced by the company. If you look online, you can see the shapes available for each one and might find what you’re looking for, though. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/13 "2010-02-17T11:46:38Z")
Do not be tempted to go for tools that are designed for cutting metals. High speed cutting of plastic sheet material generates a lot of heat, and this is all transferred to the cutting tool rather than the workpiece. In no time at all you will find the cutting tool will get so hot the metal goes blue. This is when is has exceeded the working temperature and in effect you are tempering the tool, only it will not be as hard and will not hold an edge. The other problem is that plastic waste clogs up the tool, so you end up using more force to push it through thematerial, which exacerbates the heating problem. Plastic cutting tools have a differant edge profile, so that they clear the waste material better, and run at differant speeds. If you have ever used something like a jigsaw for cutting plastic, you’ll have come across this, but the same applies to drills, routers, planers and cutting discs. You’ll find that anyone who stocks tools for shop fitting may have what you need, don’t try to use engineering equipment. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/14 "2010-02-17T12:55:02Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > High speed cutting of plastic sheet material generates a lot of heat, and this is all transferred to the cutting tool rather than the workpiece. > > In no time at all you will find the cutting tool will get so hot the metal goes blue. This is when is has exceeded the working temperature and in effect you are tempering the tool, only it will not be as hard and will not hold an edge. > > The other problem is that plastic waste clogs up the tool, so you end up using more force to push it through thematerial, which exacerbates the heating problem. > > Plastic cutting tools have a differant edge profile, so that they clear the waste material better, and run at differant speeds. > > If you have ever used something like a jigsaw for cutting plastic, you’ll have come across this, but the same applies to drills, routers, planers and cutting discs. This can be decided on a case-by-case basis, depending on material type and thickness. I have cut 1/8" thick nylon on a 10" table saw with a 90-tooth woodcutting blade without any difficulty, but greater thicknesses of nylon will melt and bind. OTOH, I have cut 1.25-inch thick HDPE using a table saw, router, and high-speed drill press with absolutely no problem whatsoever. Delrin cuts pretty good, too, more like the HDPE than the nylon. If you get to the point where you are bluing the cutter, then your plastic is probably on fire. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-equipment-punches-holes-in-plastic/529274/15 "2010-02-19T09:26:29Z")
> [@missred](#): > > Depending on the thickness of the plastic, this machine might do the trick. [Cricut Shop | Lowest Prices of the Year on Machines & Materials](http://www.cricut.com/shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?id=123&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1) > > Mine will cut 1/16" vinyl or 1/8" chipboard (with the heavy blade). There are a lot of cartriges available for your shapes. For something more flexible than a CriCut, you could look at the [Black Cat Cougar](http://www.thymegraphics.co.uk/) - it’s a 13" computer controlled vinyl cutter, but will cut card and hardboard in the same way as the Cricut does. It is a really cool machine, but it will depend on the thickness and strength of the plastic that you are trying to cut. Si