Crafty Question

[tamaranth]

I want to burn a fairly small hole through several (?many) layers of paper. 'Burn' can be chemical or flame. Have experimented with matches / lighter but can't control size or depth of hole. Suggestions?

Comments

[mr-tom.livejournal.com]

Punch the hole out first, then burn out the inside of it. Profit!

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

hmm, that might just work. Thanks!

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

Electricity? Or, if it's singed edges that you want, poke a wire through the paper to make the whole, then connect it to power so that it heats up and singes the edges.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

I cannot believe you are seriously advising me to play with electricity. Eeeeeee! *fizzle sputter bang*

I could just apply latexiron of course.

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

I cannot believe you are seriously advising me to play with electricity. Eeeeeee! *fizzle sputter bang*
Fair point. [grin] I was thinking artistic solutions, rather than safety. How about a soldering iron?

I could just apply latexiron of course.
You could - but I'd suggest that you provide him with the materials and let him get on with it elsewhere. Although I suspect the plasma cutter might go through paper like ... well, a plasma cutter through paper ... I'm not sure what size hole it would create. An arc-welder spark might do the job ...

[drasecretcampus.livejournal.com]

Assuming a pin or needle doesn't do it, patience, a sun and a magnifying glass.

[akicif.livejournal.com]

Nope - once the paper starts charring, heat transmits faster within layers than between them. I think a (very) hot needle may be the best bet.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

this would actually give it a far more interesting look. Shall experiment. Assuming I can get ingredient #2 (or even #1).

[johannes-d.livejournal.com]

Soldering iron, if very small heat needle in gas flame until red hot. (hold needle in pliers)

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

hold needle in pliers
Great footnote!

[damienw]

Heat up a wire in a gas flame. Apply judiciously.

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

A soldering iron is probably your best bet; if you're careful, and do it in a stop-start way, you should be able to singe the hole through without any flames, which will make it more controllable.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

Soldering iron is likely the way I'm going to go. I used to have one -- wonder if I can find it ...

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

Red-Hot steel nail.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

How would I heat the nail?

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

With a blowtorch and pliers. The gas ring on a cooker won't be anywhere near hot enough... Unless you're just using the nail to scorch the edges of a predrilled hole.

This sounds like a job where some kind of frame to hold the workpiece would be handy... And a CO₂ extinguisher: I can see this going horribly wrong.

[drplokta]

http://www.felesmagus.com/pages/lasers-howto.html

[cleanskies.livejournal.com]

Do you have an awl? Heat it in a gas flame (cooker) then push through slowly. That would only make a very small hole, though. Maybe the head of a nail? It won't heat up as well as an awl or a lab needle will, though.

[damienw]

Sparklers! The clue is in the icon!

[del-c.livejournal.com]

1) Find Hero with "burn holes" superpower

2) Slice top off head and steal brain

[pennski.livejournal.com]

Beautiful!

[gingersnapps.livejournal.com]

Wand.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Hot pointy things sound good.

You are going to let us know how this goes, aren't you?

[frostfox.livejournal.com]

You need my pyrography pen.

FF