Maybe I'm just slow, but I finally discovered a way that works. I touch my soldering gun's tip to where I want the hole - bingo!

Drilling doesn't work - the cloth gets wrapped around the bit. Cutting with an X-acto knife is a laborious process.

:Maybe I'm just slow, but I finally discovered a way that works. I touch my soldering gun's tip to where I want the hole - bingo!
:
:Drilling doesn't work - the cloth gets wrapped around the bit. Cutting with an X-acto knife is a laborious process.

I use a simple hand paper hole punch like this one:

http://www.hobbylobby.com/site3/hpprojects/2006/3/images/roundpunch.png

Be sure it's new and sharp.

Chuck

The soldering iron trick is great for synthetic mat'ls, but doesn't work well with organic (cotton) types. I've successfully used my xacto knife to cut a relief around the hole on many, but do keep an Arkansas stone nearby for maintaining it's edge. Even mat'ls glued down will sometimes get twisted into the screw threads, which I noted several months ago in a similar post. I keep a shallow paper cup of parafin wax on my bench, and a hot iron will melt it quickly, then dip all screws into the wax before installing. This might help a bit, and although I haven't tried it, a thin coat of wax in the hole and surrounding cloth might keep the screw from grabbing the mat'l too. A hole punch would be my last choice, because mine rarely works well on paper, and how would I sharpen it anyway.

marv

::Maybe I'm just slow, but I finally discovered a way that works. I touch my soldering gun's tip to where I want the hole - bingo!
::
::Drilling doesn't work - the cloth gets wrapped around the bit. Cutting with an X-acto knife is a laborious process.
:
:I use a simple hand paper hole punch like this one:
:
:http://www.hobbylobby.com/site3/hpprojects/2006/3/images/roundpunch.png
:
:Be sure it's new and sharp.
:
:Chuck

According to the web site of a company that sells grille cloth (I cannot remember which one)they recommend the use of an awl to form a hole for screws. I tried this and it worked. I have since used this method on six or seven radios with very good results. The awl simply pushes the individual threads apart without breaking them so there is no chance of runs or unraveling.

Steve,
Used the same approach numerous times, but the cloth still seems to get wound around the screw during the installation. Still recommend a relief cut around the screw or the other methods described in my earlier post.

marv

: According to the web site of a company that sells grille cloth (I cannot remember which one)they recommend the use of an awl to form a hole for screws. I tried this and it worked. I have since used this method on six or seven radios with very good results. The awl simply pushes the individual threads apart without breaking them so there is no chance of runs or unraveling.