This article was co-authored by Lois Wade. Lois Wade has 45 years of experience in crafts including sewing, crochet, needlepoint, cross-stitch, drawing, and paper crafts. She has been contributing to craft articles on wikiHow since 2007.
This article has been viewed 217,372 times.
Do you need a custom perforated line for your scrapbook? Is your notebook's perforation line not ripping properly? Don't waste money on over-priced specialty paper - you can make perforated pages with most types of ordinary paper!
Steps
Hand Method
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1Place your sheet of paper on a Cutting Mat.
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2Place a ruler along the line you wish to perforate. (if the line is curved, you can cut a cardstock or plastic "guide" to use.)Advertisement
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3Press the point of a large-headed Quilting Pin through the paper every 1/16th of an inch or less along your line.[1]
Make a Tool - Method #1
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1Obtain a rotary pizza cutter.
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2Mark 5 degree increments along the outer edge with permanent marker.
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3File or grind away the edge between the marks using a Dremel bit or a hand file.
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4Leave small, sharp edges/points every 5 degrees.
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5Roll your tool along the line to be perforated.[2]
Make a Tool - Method #2
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1Obtain a rotary Pizza or Pastry cutter.
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2Mark 5 degree increments along the outer edge with Permanent Marker.
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3Place sewing pins in a radial pattern so that their points overlap the edge by approximately 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm).
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4Attach the pins to the rotary cutter by one of the following methods:
- Superglue (will break of used on anything thicker than a single layer of construction paper)
- Spot Welding (Can last a very long time)
- Duct tape (can use only a few times on thin paper)
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5Roll your tool along the line to be perforated.[3]
Easy Method
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan this be purchased in Victoria, Australia?T. ChinsenTop AnswererThe rotary cutter and the tracing wheel are both items that can be purchased in a fabric store. The rotary cutters can vary in price, with brand names being more expensive. Most stores will carry a generic, less-expensive brand that will do the job. The tracing wheel is a dressmaking tool, and is the most efficient for making perforations. Scrapbooking sections of craft stores also carry a tool specifically for this task. It can be described as a "piercing tool" on the packaging.
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QuestionCouldn't we just use a protractor with a sewing needle stuck into a soft pencil or even a thumb tack? Just lift and poke as the angle gets smaller?Kim GTop AnswererYes. You can use any sharp, piercing instrument to perforate the page. And anything that helps you get the pattern you want.
Warnings
- Take appropriate precautions when using edged tools.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You'll Need
- Cutting Mat
- Large Head Quilting or Sewing Pins.
- Rotary Pizza cutter
- Protractor to measure angles
- Dremel or hand grinding tool
- Super Glue
- Welding equipment
- Duct Tape
- Paper
References
- ↑ https://www.polaroidfotobar.com/how-to-perforate-paper/
- ↑ https://learn.adafruit.com/cardboard-fundamentals/cutting-tools-and-techniques
- ↑ https://www.polaroidfotobar.com/how-to-perforate-paper/
- ↑ https://www.polaroidfotobar.com/how-to-perforate-paper/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3-IqXESBz4
About This Article
With a little patience, you can make your own perforated pages with a pin. Start by placing your sheet of paper on a cutting mat so you don’t damage the surface. Then, place a ruler along the line you want to perforate and push a pin through the paper every 1/16 of an inch or however far apart you want your holes to be. If you want to make your own perforated pages regularly, buy a pattern tracing wheel, which lets you make a lot of holes quickly. For more tips from our Crafts co-author, including how to make your own pattern tracing wheel from a pizza cutter, read on!