Tutorial: Collapsable Punching Cradle

January 3, 2014 by Erin Fletcher

A punching cradle is a useful tool to have around in ones bindery !here are a lot of
"odels available for purchase, but its #uite si"ple to "a$e one yourself using %ust a fe&
tools and "aterials ' have a fe& in "y bindery that range in si(e, but ' find "y collapsible
punching cradle to be the "ost useful Especially &hen ' a" traveling to teach &or$shops
!he follo&ing tutorial &ill go through the steps to create your o&n collapsible punching
cradle 've including all of "y "easure"ents, but the best part about this tool is that you
can custo"i(e it for your o&n purposes !his particular cradle &ill consist of a detachable
cradle and 2 leg supports !he cradle &ill have t&o different si(e options, &hich "a$es this
particular version even "ore versatile ' discovered this collapsible punching cradle &hile
ta$ing a private &or$shop &ith )oni#ue *allier +he allo&ed "e to ta$e do&n the
"easure"ents and ' "ade "y o&n once ' returned to "y studio
MATERIALS:
, paper for covering -' used *o$ta.
, binders board
, boo$ cloth
, /0A
, "ethyl cellulose -optional.
TOOLS:
, pencil
, ruler
, 102 triangle
, Japanese scre& punch &ith 3"" bit
, cutting "at
, 3,acto blade
, glue brushes in various si(es
, bone folder
, scissors
STEP ONE: 4eter"ine the length of &or$able space for your cradle For e3a"ple, if you
tend to &or$ large, then perhaps you &ant to "a$e a cradle long enough for paper that is
125 tall !he cradle '" "a$ing in this tutorial is slightly longer than ones ' currently have
!he total &idth of "y cradle is 316"" -71689., the t&o outer slots give "e a &or$able
area of 326"" -71289. and the inter slots give "e a &or$able area of 2::"" -711;9.
<nce youve decided on your di"ensions, grab so"e binders board and cut do&n 2 pieces
the sa"e si(e for the cradle !he di"ensions for the legs and support stubs can really vary
depending on the distance you &ant bet&een the botto" of the cradle and your &or$
surface !he lo&er the cradle is the "ore li$ely that your a&l &ill pierce your &or$ surface
if left unprotected =ut you can start by using "y "easure"ents belo& and then "a$e your
o&n "odifications
)> )EA+?@E )EA!+B
cradle -cut 2 pieces the sa"e si(e.B
316"" 3 126""
legs -cut 2 pieces the sa"e si(e.B
160""3 ::""
support stubs -cut 4 pieces the sa"e si(e.B
110"" 3 11""
STEP TWO: )ar$ &ith a pencil &here you &ould li$e the t&o slots to be on both cradle
pieces <n "y cradle the outer slot starts 30"" in fro" either end Each slot is 3"" &ide
and they sit 16"" apart
!he height of "y slots are :0"" fro" the botto" edge of the cradle ?sing a 102 triangle,
dra& a line fro" your "ar$ up to the desired height 4o this on either side and on both
cradle pieces
?sing a Japanese scre& punch &ith a 3"" bit, punch a hole at the top of the slots )a$e
sure to have a scrap board underneath to protect your &or$ surface Cith an 3,acto blade,
carefully cut out the slots by slo&ly cutting through each layer 4< A<! try and cut
through the entire thic$ness in one stro$e, the blade could $ic$bac$ and slice your finger
As you cut, angle your blade as perpendicular to the binders board as you can, this &ill
"a$e a nice straight cut +and the slots s"ooth
STEP TREE: Dut do&n the covering "aterial to include e3cess for turn,ins on all four
sides )y paper pieces ca"e out to 436"" 3 1E6"" Flue up the paper &ith /0A and
attach
Dut off the corners leaving a board and half thic$ness bet&een the board corner and the cut
Cith an 3,acto blade cut do&n the center of the slots, fro" the top of the slot to the edge of
the paper Apply "ore /0A and fold do&n&ard into the slots &ith a bone folder ?se the
bone folder to "anipulate the paper around the curve of the slot Dontinue by gluing do&n
the re"aining turn,ins
=utt up both cradle pieces, aligning the slots /lace t&o &eights on either side !he height
of the cloth hinge &ill be slightly shorter than the distance bet&een the inside of the outer
slots For "y cradle this distance is 326"", so the height of "y cloth &ill be 323"" &ith
a &idth of :0"" -!he &idth does not need to cover the full length of the slots, %ust a
co"fortable a"ount across both cradle pieces. Flue up the cloth hinge and put in place
Apply so"e pressure &ith a bone folder Fold and place &eights along the hinge Cait until
dry before continuing on
STEP !O"R: Dut a&ay the cloth covering the slots
)easure the overall si(e of the open cradle and cut do&n the
lining fro" the sa"e paper stoc$ !he "easure"ent for "y
lining is 3:3"" 3 24G"" Flue up the lining and place it
over both cradle pieces +ince this is such a large piece, you
"ay &ant to add so"e "ethyl cellulose to your /0A )ethyl
cellulose &ill slo& do&n the drying ti"e of the /0A, giving
you "ore ti"e to glue up and place do&n Allo& the cradle
to dry open under a board and a fe& &eights
<nce the cradle is dry, use an 3,acto blade to "a$e a cut
do&n the center of the slot -fro" end to end. Apply so"e
/0A and fold over the paper onto the sides of the
slots !his is %ust the sa"e as step three
STEP !I#E: !he cradle portion is co"plete and
no& its ti"e to construct the legs 'ts really
i"portant that the support stubs are cut s#uare
because they &ill be glued to the legs in a H0 shape
to create a 102 angle +o heres the #uic$est &ay to
"ar$ the legs for the support stubs Frab a 102
triangle, center it on one of the legs and trace -see
i"age belo&.
!ape the triangle do&n to the leg along the pencil "ar$s /ut tape on the free side and
sand&ich the triangle &ith the other leg @e"ove the leg that is already "ar$ed, no& you
can "ar$ the other leg at the sa"e spot
'f youve been follo&ing "y "easure"ents the support stubs &ill be oversi(ed along the
length Flue do&n the support stubs &ith /0A on the inside of the pencil "ar$ -see i"age
belo&. /ut in a nipping press or place a s"all &eight on top and allo& to dry !ri" off the
overhang by hand or &ith a cutter
STEP SI$:!o cover the legs, add a"ple roo" for turn,ins and cut do&n 2 pieces of paper
fro" the sa"e stoc$ )y "easure"ents are 200"" 3 140""
' li$e to use *o$ta for this pro%ect because it beco"es
very "alleable &hen you apply /0A to it, &hich allo&s
"e to easily sculpt it around the support stubs 'f you
have access to a press and so"e foa", this part &ill be
e3tra easy Flue up the paper and place it on the leg
-stub side., place it on so"e &a3 paper then cover &ith
foa" /ut this bet&een t&o press boards and nip it
@e"ove fro" the press, cut corners and glue do&n turn,
ins @epeat for the other leg
'f you dont have a press, its still easy, youll %ust have
to &or$ the paper along the sides &ith your bone folder
!o do this &ithout getting frustrated or tearing the
paper, apply pressure to the top of the support stubs,
then &or$ the paper do&n the sides and finally flatten
the paper onto the leg Dut the corners off and glue do&n the turn,ins @epeat for the other
leg
STEP SE#EN: Dut do&n 2 pieces to line the other side of the leg to cover up the turn,ins
!his &ill be slightly s"aller than the di"ensions of the leg )y "easure"ents are 14E""
3 :6"" Flue do&n the lining &ith /0A Allo& all three pieces to dry before asse"bling
and using
Dongrats, you "ade it to the end and no& you have uni#ue and useful punching cradle to
aid in your future boo$binding pro%ects