# CUTTING CORK QUESTION?



## JohnGray (Oct 6, 2007)

*CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*

I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


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## BigTiny (Jun 29, 2010)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


Find a plumber that works with 3 inch pipe and get a short piece from him. sharpen the edges and you have a 3 inch punch.


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## scrappy (Jan 3, 2009)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


Agree with BigTiny. Sharpen pipe should work well.

Scrappy


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


You can use a compass and replace the pencil with an Xacto knife or a scalpel. Use the veneer cutting technique - do not cut all the way thru the first cut. 1st cut scores the wood, second cut follows the same groove, third cut finishes the cut.

Lee


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## ellen35 (Jan 1, 2009)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


Check out Blick Art Supplies.
I picked up a cutter that allows for infinite sizes and it cuts through cork with a sticky backing like "a hot knife through butter" to use an old saying!
I paid about $10 for it.
I tried all the other methods and they frayed the edges or I couldn't get it quite round enough.
Ellen


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## Jimthecarver (Jan 14, 2008)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


you could sandwich the cork between 2 thin pieces of wood cut them out on the band saw.


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## Lenny (Sep 28, 2008)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


Hi John,

Some great ideas suggested above. The only other thought I have is a 3" hole saw mounted in your drill press. You might have to sandwich the cork like *Jimthecarver* suggests. Good luck.


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## 4thumbs (Oct 14, 2009)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


I've done this with a sharpened pipe as BigTiny suggests; has worked well for me.


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## dkirtley (Mar 11, 2010)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


I would use a rotary cutter. They make circle jigs for them. Look in the craft or fabric stores.


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## JohnGray (Oct 6, 2007)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


Thanks Ellen I looked at Dick Blick's X-Acto Compass Cutter for $8.40 plus shipping and it should do the trick I hope. *;-)* 
http://www.dickblick.com/products/x-acto-compass-cutter/
I also like the suggestions of using pipe that has been sharpened. I think 3" exhaust pipe would work it could be chucked into the lathe and sharpened with a file at low speed. The "sandwich idea" sounds interesting too.

Thanks everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*But I'm still open to more ideas.*


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## Maclegno (Jan 6, 2010)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


It might be sufficient to glue the cork to strong paper or thin cardboard (or even thin veneer). this should stop the cork tearing and will be hidden under the cork when it is fixed to the coaster. 
I think scissors are less likely to tear as they have a shearing action rather than a slicing one,
Merry Christmas
Gerard


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## RonStewart (Jul 18, 2011)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


Nothing like replying to a ten-year-old post, but here goes. I just posted a blog article describing how I cut cork circles with a Dremel and circle cutting jig.

I was faced with the same problem recently, and Google led me to the original post. Maybe Google will lead someone else here, and my article will help them.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


I always go searching on Amazon, gazillion sizes and shapes, adhesive back, only a few or a huge roll.

The exhaust pipe punch sounds quick and easy however 8^)


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## RonStewart (Jul 18, 2011)

JohnGray said:


> *CUTTING CORK QUESTION?*
> 
> I'm making turned wooden coasters for Christmas presents and having a real problem cutting sheet cork for the inside bottoms. Hobby Lobby sells 3 1/2" pre-cut cork disks but I need smaller ones like 3". I've tried cutting with scissors and with a new X-Acto blades and they seem to always tear before I get a circle cut completely. You can buy smaller cork cutting punches but not in 3" size that I can find. Any ideas? *HELP!*


Yes, the sharpened pipe would be great if you needed a bunch of disks of the same size, like the original poster.

So far, all of the disks I've cut have been on-offs (pads for canisters so theY won't scratch the countertops if we slide them, etc.).


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