Martha Stewart Crafts Screw Punch
Reported by: Martha Bonneau
As a scrapbooker, I often find it necessary to cut or punch a hole in various locations on a 12x12 layout...I have the original Crop-a-dile, which of course only reaches in about 1" but this is often not far enough. There are various styles of drill/screw punches on the market, this review will focus on the Martha Stewart Crafts version .
This handy little tool lets you punch holes in various sizes anywhere on your project. I tried it with success on paper, cardstock, overlays (i.e. Hambly) and cardboard. I used it to cut multiple holes with ease in a piece of corrugated cardboard that I used on a layout. It is advertised as being able to cut through thin metal, leather and wood although I did not try it on any of these.
There was a little bit of a learning curve with the tool as I quickly found that it was necessary to secure the item you are punching through as the drilling motion of the tool tends to whip the piece of paper in a circle as you are cutting it. I also found it was easier to use while standing when cutting through thicker surfaces like cardboard. Even when cutting through the cardboard, the tool was comfortable to use due to the soft, rounded handle. Don't get me wrong, this will in no way replace your Crop-a-dile, if you are wanting to add eyelets, grommets etc. and cut through just about anything you will need an additional tool to do so. For me the ease of adding a hole where ever I need and in the rare occasion use an additional tool to add an eyelet (which I don't think I have used for 2 years!) out weighs having a large tool like the Crop-a-dile Big Bite take up even more valuable space in my scrap room.
Pros:
- The ability to punch a hole anywhere you want one.
- 3 different size punches are conveniently stored in the handle.
- Comes in a handy storage box.
Cons:
- I found that to get enough pressure to cut through thicker items such as cardboard I had to be standing to get enough pressure.
- A little pricey...but Michaels now lets you use their coupons on Martha Stewart Crafts products.
This tool retails for $24.99 and can be purchased at Michaels or through Martha Stewart Crafts and at any local scrapbooking store that carries the Martha Stewart Crafts line.
Have you tried this tool? Let us know what you think!