Best drill bit for drilling a hole in an LTT desk pad?

[butchbottom]

recently bought an LTT desk pad, and its amazing, but it (literally) gets in the way of some of my cable management aspirations. I need to drill a hole through the pad(and desk), and was wondering if anyone has done anything similar and if you guys have any recommendations.

thanks!

[Needfuldoer]

A drill bit is just going to make a jagged, frayed mess if you try to use it on something made out of foam and cloth. Use a knife or punch instead.

[mike_seps]

Might want to look into a Punch kit like this one. Meant for outdoor canopies and coverings, but would likely work better than a drill.  Or take it to something like a clothing alteration shop and they could maybe cut the hole, and even add the edging back on for you.

[DominusFaber]

I used my leather punches. A drill will wreck it. Heating up an awl or ice pick might work too.

[OhioYJ]

In things like leather I've always just used a punch on top of a piece of wood and good smack with a hammer. However usually with something foam or material like I tend to get a piece of pipe and angle the edge some to sharpen it. Doesn't need much, then again smack with a hammer on top of a piece of wood. Last thing I used was some copper plumbing pipe to cut some foam to make some battery holders. I'd imagine a similar trick would work on a mouse pad. Probably be what I would try to get a round hole.

[tkitch]

A punch is the idea solution.

 

If you're doing a larger hole (1" or so,  or bigger) you could cheat some:

Get a thick piece of non-currogated cardboard (Or milk jug wall, or similar plastic), and cut the circle into it.  Make sure it's fairly clean.
Clamp that on top of the deskpad, with a board or something very stiff under it.  

Trace the circle with a very very sharp knife.  X-Acto or similar, and make sure it's a fresh blade.
Cut the fabric first, don't try to do it all in one pass.
Repeat the circle and cut through the foam in a pass or two.
Carefully clean up any jaggies from cutting.

After it's done, use a small paintbrush or something, and brush some PVA (White) Glue across the edges of the fabric, and any potential jaggy foam, to help prevent future tears.

 

.

If you *have* to resort to a drill, you can reduce the damage to a minimum by taking a few steps:

1) have a fresh / sharp drill bit
2) Pre-Drill a piece of wood (1x minimum thickness) with the target drill bit size.

3) clamp drilled block of wood on top, and an undrilled one below, the pad.  
4) Clean up any jaggy edges, and glue to seal as above.

 

Good luck!

[dizmo]

Sharp knife. A drill isn't the tool for the job.

[butchbottom]

Thanks for all the tips yall! Can't wait to destroy my new LTT desk pad!! 

[inund8]

Pen knife or hobby knife in a pencil compass. Make sure the blade is aligned properly. Spin till you win. 

[Strickk]

I used a Cable Prep CPR-4375 to punch a hole in an old deskpad years ago. It's a hollow carpet cutter, like a punch, used to cut carpet then drill a hole in mobile homes for coax. Works great on anything that would fray, and cuts a 3/8ths hole just big enough for a USB plug. It's $50 USD on techtoolsupply but I'm a cable tech so I already had it.