Kelsey used for die cutting?

I would think you’d have little chance to use such a press “very successfully” for anything but minor diecutting forms. Embossing would have to be limited to a very small image as you just don’t have the metal mass and strength of impression for embossing which takes a good deal of pressure to be “successful”. Those things are certainly possible, and I have diecut and done foil stamping using a kelsy press, but it takes care and patience.

Certainly scoring, perforating and numbering are easily possible.

Another reason I ask is because I’m needing to diecut a 1/2in circle out of some business cards on heavy stock (duplexed). Could this be done using a Kelsey? If so, any hints on successfully doing it, or would I be better off finding another way?

Thanks,

Tyler

i think a 1/2” circle would work just fine on a 5x8, just remove rollers, you need to cut on a thin piece of steel, i’m not sure of the thickness you need, never cut on the platen or it will ruin it. you could try a 2 point cutting rule taped flat on your tympan to cut against. good luck dick g.

Thanks dickg!

Can you share anymore detail on the thin piece of steel?

Do I mount it to anything, if so what/how? Is this something I could find at a hardware store and what about the 2 point cutting rule?

Sorry to ask so many questions but other methods of cutting this circle out have proved unsuccessful.

Thanks again.

first you need a die made for the circle, the die is locked in the chase, remove the rollers, the steel is taped on the tympan where the die will hit, this protects your platen from being cut by the die, for small dies i have used the steel rule they use for scoring, perforating, or die cutting, which is 2 points thick, tape the steel rule flat on the tympan and cut against it, hope this helps, dick g.

For a 1/2” circular hole, I’d consider finding a shop locally with a paper drill. Even if you had to buy the 1/2” dia. hollow bit for their drill, it would probably be cheaper than a die and certainly way faster than diecutting each card.