Cutting Holes in Frame Webbing

[Ian1932]

Not sure how this is supposed to be done but i found if you take a hole punch 1/16" smaller that the hole you need to cut. Put it in a hand drill. Wet the webbing with a spray bottle and water. The punch will center itself in the hole. With little pressure it will cut a perfect hole. Because its smaller than the hole, it wont touch the frame and mess up your paint, it will spin on the 1/32 of webbing. The bolts still push right through. Thought i would share...

 

[RalphM]

I’ve got a set of MAC hole punches that do a perfect job of that. Just have to back it up with some hard wood and the hole comes out clean.

 

[woodiewagon46]

I found that backing the webbing with wood or some other material makes a clean cut. Believe it or not I have been using a 1/4" foot square of lead and allowe's the punch to cut right through.

 

[Gary Tosel]

I have found that using a hole punch on hardwood is a good idea and I always use the end grain that allows the punch to cut a very clean hole.

 

[Elmo Rodge]

I believe Ian is talking about doing it right on the frame rail thus perfectly locating the holes. Cool idea.
Wayno

 

[Ian1932]

I believe Ian is talking about doing it right on the frame rail thus perfectly locating the holes. Cool idea.
Wayno

Yes! You double face it to the frame and just find the holes underneath. Then, just put the punch in a drill over the hole and a few spins and it just cuts a perfect in exactly the spot you want it! If you wet it with water first it works even better. The holes i just cut in the pic, the webbing was already in place! If you make sure to use a punch 1/16" in DIA smaller than the hole it wont scratch the frame, it leaves a cushion of fabric around the perimeter...just a 1/32 so you can still push your bolt through....

 

[deuce_roadster]

I put the webbing on the frame with a few plastic spring clamps, mark the holes from the underside with a sharpie then using a maple (hardwood) piece of wood like others have said and punch them all off the frame. Never had any misalignment of holes or "messed up paint". From the factory I have seen brass grommets in the bolt holes that held the webbing on the frame during its trip down the assembly line.

 

[Viv W]

I have put the webbing on the frame, then using a tapered pin punch, first push the tip thru the webbing into the hole in the frame, then a sharp tap with a hammer on the punch, it cuts a neat hole in the webbing.
If you put a bolt thru the webbing and the hole in the frame, it keeps the webbing in place for the next hole to be done. It worked a treat with no paint damage.

 

[DavidG]

I do as Mike does.