Looking for tool to put 1 1/2 inch hole in sponge ?

[tinylostwine]

Is there a cheap tool for putting 1 1/2 inch holes in sponges? I don't mind if it is hand driven. Some thing i've read suggest heating a 1 1/2 inch metal; using a 1 1/2 inch bit - there is a foam bit but they are fairly expensive and i'm not sure they would work well on foam. Anyway any suggestion? I could do it with a pocket knife but i need a few of these so if i could find something round with a suitable sharp edge it would make life easier.

 

[Fishfur]

I once read a suggestion to soak the sponge & freeze it solid, then drill a hole. For a hole that size I’d probably use either a hole saw or a diamond drill. You wouldn’t need to wet down the sponge for a diamond drill - the melting ice would lubricate it.

Probably help if the sponge itself could be held in a vise as it’s likely to be pretty slippery to work with.

 

[briangcc1997]

Gee....sharpen the end of a iron/steel pipe of the correct diameter and hammer it through. Use a dremel tool to do the sharpening.

Think of it as a big paper punch.

 

[86 ssinit]

Is the hole for an intake tube? Whenever I cut a sponge for an intake I just take a razor blade or perfecto knife and just cut a circle. I always make it a little smaller and than push it on. Takes all of 2 minutes.

 

[tinylostwine]

Is the hole for an intake tube? Whenever I cut a sponge for an intake I just take a razor blade or perfecto knife and just cut a circle. I always make it a little smaller and than push it on. Takes all of 2 minutes.

More or less but i need to do 12 of them.

Gee....sharpen the end of a iron/steel pipe of the correct diameter and hammer it through. Use a dremel tool to do the sharpening.

Think of it as a big paper punch.

Sharpen how also a harmer wouldn't do much good with a sponge but i could turn it of course.

 

[Fishfur]

I might try heating a metal skewer and poking it through at intervals around the circumference of the desired holes.

With a little luck I’d be able to cut between the resulting holes with a sharp narrow knife blade.

 

[briangcc1997]

More or less but i need to do 12 of them.


Sharpen how also a harmer wouldn't do much good with a sponge but i could turn it of course.

Give one end of the pipe a sharp edge. Dremel with a sanding disc will do that in no time flat. Then...put the sharpened end on the sponge, hit the dull end with a hammer.

Big paper punch. It's just up-sizing the grommet kits you can buy at Harbor Freight.


Really this is being made into much more than it needs to be. If this were me, it'd be done by now and sipping adult beverages watching my tanks.

Trying to cut it with a knife? No scouts on the forum huh? You gotta hold the sponge to cut it....and what exactly happens when that knife slips? The scouts call it a blood circle for a reason.

 

[tinylostwine]

Give one end of the pipe a sharp edge. Dremel with a sanding disc will do that in no time flat. Then...put the sharpened end on the sponge, hit the dull end with a hammer.

Big paper punch. It's just up-sizing the grommet kits you can buy at Harbor Freight.


Really this is being made into much more than it needs to be. If this were me, it'd be done by now and sipping adult beverages watching my tanks.

Trying to cut it with a knife? No scouts on the forum huh? You gotta hold the sponge to cut it....and what exactly happens when that knife slips? The scouts call it a blood circle for a reason.

Sanding disc? I have no sanding disc? Anyway cutting the sponge with a knife is feasible because i did hte first one that way as a prototype.

Also when i whack it with the hammer how do i control how deep i make the the hole ?

 

[Fishfur]

Sanding disc? I have no sanding disc? Anyway cutting the sponge with a knife is feasible because i did hte first one that way as a prototype.

Also when i whack it with the hammer how do i control how deep i make the the hole ?

You really can’t control it but it’s not very likely you’d go all the way through the first time because the sponge will resist the force. Might be better to try twisting it as if was an apple corer.

Not that I think it’s worth buying something just for this task, but there is a veggie coring gadget on Amazon that cuts a hole 1.38” in diameter. Slightly oversized, which is too bad.

Most apple coring gadgets make a 1” hole which could at least be enlarged a bit.

https://www.amazon.ca/Pepper-Stainless-Vegetables-Remover-Kitchen/dp/B0DMDXWC51/ref=mp_s_a_1_54_sspa?crid=5GSLC56OTQA1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.iaygklmXCdvRuaL8YBWQdET1URUontGx_REuJ-I2cYp5795ptKeScloKwlo1dE0qUJ0z3zQbXYqV1B3JmymynfNnN5SIdQdfuJoQnbmFtsbaHtXrzG2r26IfrQa-vqLRAQHYXGEeEOjK2AwqCqYp-90o64iJHr0TwULamQ66UumUFgYin8ZjBJl-7OW32XiH2SUycdtPejmKGd0fhAq4zA.boT0Gg9wzvS2RMO8CyCUQBkQ2cy3-hL0tfNRVWw5DVw&dib_tag=se&keywords=pineapple+corer&qid=1735672645&sprefix=pineapple+corer,aps,138&sr=8-54-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfbXRm&psc=1

 

[briangcc1997]

Sanding disc? I have no sanding disc? Anyway cutting the sponge with a knife is feasible because i did hte first one that way as a prototype.

Also when i whack it with the hammer how do i control how deep i make the the hole ?

Harbor freight has a multi tool and sanding discs in a multi attachment pack. You'll find other uses for it around the house once you have one.

But I see you're dead set on not going this route so I'll bow out now.

 

[tinylostwine]

In the end i used this and it worked quite well:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MWTS2D8