# Lee Valley Square Hole Punches



## doordude

nice review,i'll keep this tool in mind for a project this winter.


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## a1Jim

super review unique product. I just use a cheep set of mortising bits I bought on sale.


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## redryder

The instructions I received with mine gave a caution to: Avoid using a steel hammer, as it will deform the top of the punch body.

Good review, tips and tricks. Thanks….......


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## ShopTinker

Great review, and using the carriage bolt is a great tip. Thanks for sharing.


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## BrandonW

This is a model review! Thanks for posting it.


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## Karson

Great review and a great looking set of punches. Looks like it beats using a mortise chisel to do them.


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## mafe

I could not help to enjoy the details here.
Your crisp work, the tape measure with a photo (daughter yes), and those wonderful chisels.
Thank you for the review and the good thoughts of how to use them.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## woodklutz

A truly great informative review. Thank you.


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## DMIHOMECENTER

Thanks for the review. Added to wish list for sure.


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## Dusty56

*100% Outstanding review : )* Thank you for including all of your tips on their use as well !
Did you try a "dead-blow" hammer with them yet ?


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## jacen68

at 129.00 you're already a 1/3 of the way to get a bench top Mortiser.


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## Rickfisher

Nice review..

I have a set and use them for Greene and Greene style work. They are amazing tools.. I wish they where a bit easier to keep square, but its just a patience problem I have.

The great part of them is they can be used after the project is assembled.. A mortiser would do the same thing, but after changing the bit and setting it up .. the punches are 10x faster.. And you can add ebony plugs after the item has been assembled.

I am just finally finishing a fir staircase with black Wenge plugs for decoration.. the homeowner is marking all the spots he wants 1/2 " x 1/2" square plugs on an assembled staircase.. Its no big deal with these punches.


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## ShaneA

Nice review, I have been thinking of just using cheap mortising chisels like Jim said, great pictures, and detail. Thanks for taking the time to write it up.


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## Bigrock

It is a great set. I use them for square plugs on mortise & tenon joints all the time. 
It came plastic tubs and I added a plastic box to store them along the correct size drill bits so I don't have to go looking for a drill bit.
Thanks for the tip about the carriage bolt.


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## pintodeluxe

With Woodcraft selling their benchtop mortiser for $229, I doubt Veritas will sell many of these units. It would be nice to square up the occasional hole though. 
Nice review, thanks.


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## JimK

I believe these punches were designed with input from one of our very own LumberJock's - Darrell Peart. Darrell shared the prototypes during a class I took from him down at William Ng's School of Woodworking. We were building the G&G style blanket chest. The chest required about 70 ebony plugs and his prototype punches worked pretty well. I bought a set as soon as they came out. Kudo's to Darrell and I'm hoping he still gets a cut of the proceeds.

Jim K


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## BillG

Good job on the review. I have a set of these punches which I use for my Green and Green pieces and really like them. I agree with the issue of the square holes getting a bit bigger on the corners. In the beginning, I made the pegs exactly to size which left slight gaps in the corners. My fix for it is to make the pegs slightly larger and then use a chisel to back bevel them. When pounded into the hole, they fit without a gap. Since I usually work with very hard woods for the plugs (ebony, macaranduba, oak) and have made a concave setting tool for the pegs, they never get damaged by being pounded in. Besides, the are not that much bigger (maybe .008 - .010"), so the pounding force is not great. I generally round the top of my pegs, but occasionally make pyramidal pegs. For these pegs, I use a thick felt pad (1/4") on top of the peg to pound.

Bill G
West Springfield, MA


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## Darrell

Great review! Very well thought out!
I have a different method of using the punches than the Lee Valley instructions.

Before I drill the hole, I line the punch up with a square and just tap it in so it registers and stays in place.
Next, with the punch in place I drill the hole

I now tap the punch down to about a depth of 3/8" - after each tap I slightly wiggle the punch ( makes it easier to withdraw)

Next, I run the drill in one more time - this clears out all the crud that was produced from the initial cutting action of the punch.

Now I remove the punch. It should be completely finished at this point - no chisel work to do -a clean hole.

I use a steel hammer on my punches the "mushrooming" does not interfere with the function of the tool. 
Lately I have been using one of Lee Valley's square saddles to square the punch up - it has more of an edge to make registration easier.

The advantage of the punches over a hollow chisel mortiser is that it gives a more consistent clean cut and is much faster when you need to change sizes. The HC mortiser is not made to produce visible holes - the bit will often swing slightly wide of the chisel and produce a crescent shape outside the square. It also does not give consistently crisp solid edges - sometimes the edges are mashed or crumbly.

With practice, you should be able to drive the punches into the stock without going at an angle - even the larger sizes. In addition to wiggling the punch as I drive them, I also sometimes spay it with a little Dycote - this aides greatly in easy removal of the tool from the hole.

I did a video on the use of my punches - can be seen at ;
http://furnituremaker.com/Squarepunches.htm

Marlen Kemmet at Wood Magazine also did a very informative online reveiw of the punches:
http://community.woodmagazine.com/t5/Info-Sharing/Square-Punches-for-G-amp-G-Furniture/td-p/55907


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## EPJartisan

I was given a cheaper set of these for Christmas about 8 years ago. At first I was really excited and then I started to use them. I hated the results almost instantly, out it away and forgot about it. I am in a creative funk lately, so I weill play with them again and with your methods above. Thanks for the review and tips.


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## vipond33

I am remiss to replying to questions sometimes so I'll make late amends.

Dusty56 asked "Did you try a "dead-blow" hammer with them yet ?" Well after you asked, yes I did and found it much, much better to use. No bounce with more force and quieter to boot. I use this one,








a mainstay in my daily tool kit. It has a nylon end for real heavy whacking and a rubber end that can be used on high gloss black lacquer without leaving any marks. Seriously. 
It deserves a review of its own but I think I just did it.

Beyond that I am also very embarrassed for not saying thank you for your compliments on the review. I enjoy putting them together and am glad you enjoy viewing. Thanks to all who added their own tips on usage.
gene


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## Dusty56

I'm glad the dead blow worked out better for you , Gene : )
Have a great weekend !


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## vipond33

From my latest project, showing how the initial run of 7/16" holes had to be expanded (with great difficulty) to 1/2" because I neglected to use a straightedge for alignment. Live and never learn.
gene


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## vipond33

In shop use, preparing to insert 3/16" square chrome wire frames in the door of a liquor cabinet.


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## Bluzman

Well I've been struggling to figure out how to make some 1/2" square holes in a project for several days without any luck. Then I decided to check here, should have checked here first. This is a very good review and instruction on how you used them, IE drill hole slightly smaller first, invert the bit, slide the hole punch down over it with a square to position it…..

It's a 9 year old post but still very useful today and i imagine for years to come. Thanks for posting


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