Rediscover an old-fashioned craft that is as charming as ever. Punching tin is a simple technique with a long history.
In colonial times, tin lanterns were pierced with holes large enough to allow light to shine through but small enough to shield the candle inside from drafts. Pie safes – predecessors to iceboxes – had punched-tin panels that were often made from discarded tin cans. The holes let air circulate around food but prevented pests from doing the same.
Though no longer a household necessity, punched tin’s decorative potential makes it a welcome addition to almost any room. You can create your own designs, and apply them to all sorts of items.
The materials
Here’s what you’ll need:
Sheets of 28- to 30-gauge metal, available at jewelry-making supply stores. These sheets are easy to pierce with decorative holes. Use them for practice and to make labels, cupboard panels and more.
Thicker metal objects, such as a serving tray or a lamp shade, will require more elbow grease, but the delightful effect is worth the effort.
A variety of tools, available at tin-punching supply shops and some hardware stores, will provide you with many options for designs: A basic punch makes standard circular holes; a plug removes a round of metal for larger holes; other tools make shapes such as teardrops and crescents.
A hammer is used with the punching tool to make holes.
A rawhide mallet will help you shape the tin.
Metal-cutting scissors will let you trim the metal to a desired shape, and a metal file can be used to smooth rough edges.
A piece of particleboard makes a good work surface that you can punch into without worry.
If you can’t find tin-punching materials in your area, here are two Web sites to try: www.punchedtin.com and www.piercedtin.com.
The technique
Practice on a scrap of metal to get accustomed to the technique. For any project, create a template of your design first. On a piece of graph paper, draw a grid using a ruler and a pencil, then plot dots where you’ll want to punch.
Once you’ve drawn out your template, tape it to the metal and place the metal on a piece of particleboard. Position the punching tool on one of the dots. Tap the end of the tool lightly with a hammer to make an indentation in the metal, then tap again more forcefully to pierce.
Repeat, making more holes to complete your design.
The metal will be slightly warped. With a rawhide mallet, pound gently on the back to flatten it. Trim the sheet with metal scissors to the size you need. Smooth any rough edges with a metal file.
Here are some ideas for punched-tin projects:
Desk set: Punched-metal accessories bring rustic chic to a home office. Turn tartlet pans into magnets by punching designs in the bottoms and adding small magnets to the backs with a bead of epoxy. Mount them on a hanging metal tray to create a bulletin board.
Punch designs in tin-box tops to hold paper clips, rubber bands and other supplies.
Lamp shade: To punch a pattern in a metal lamp shade without crushing or bending it, seal the hole at the top with duct tape. Fill the shade with water to 1 inch from the rim and freeze, creating a firm backing for hammering.
Tape a template to the shade, and punch the design. Add the lamp socket after the ice has melted and the shade is dry.
Recipe box: Label any wooden storage box with a punched-metal tag. Print a template from your computer, making sure the letters are well spaced. (The dots that make up the letters should be close together for the best readability.)
Tape template to metal, then punch. Use C\,-inch nails to secure the label to the box.
Salt and pepper shakers: Transform plain, small lidded jars into retro salt and pepper shakers with punched lids. Tape an “S” or “P” template to a lid. Place the lid on a sheet of particleboard.
With a delicate hand, tap the dots through the lids, using a basic punch. Holes will be large enough for table salt and ground pepper; use a plug punch to make larger holes for red-pepper flakes, grated cheese or dried herbs.
Sconce: A vintage pie plate will reflect the light of a candle beautifully. Trace the bottom of the pan onto a piece of paper to determine the size of the template you will need. Cut out the paper, and lay out your pattern.
Tape paper inside the pan, and punch your design. Add a clip-on candleholder (available at antiques and crafts stores) to the rim. Mount on the wall with an adhesive plate hanger.
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