Everyone who makes putz houses or glitter houses is faced with one particular challenge - cutting out windows and doors. If your house doesn't light up you don't have to worry about it too much. But if you want windows that let the light shine through, you have to make interior cuts on your house. So this post has tips on how to make Putz house windows, specifically how to cut them out when you cut them by hand (meaning without an automatic cutting machine like a Cricut or a Silhouette).
Abandoned Italianate Mansion Glitter House shining with LED lights. I think I had to cut out 27 openings in this house. It's still one of my very favorite houses.
Putz version of an ancient building in Middleburg Netherlands. This house had 18 interior cuts for windows and the door.
Mark the location of windows and doors with a custom template
One of the best tips I've learned about cutting out windows and doors is to use a specific template to mark the opening. I have several templates of doors and windows in various sizes that I use to mark where I want the door or window to go.
Use a template to accurately mark the location of your windows in your putz house or glitter house
Best way to hand cut windows and doors accurately
This method on the Cardboard Christmas forum described by one of my Putz-making friends works by using a push pin to mark the corners. You then make several passes with a craft knife to complete the cuts. It's very impressive and quite precise.
Use a push pin to mark the corners of your windows and doors on your Putz house
Here's the Putz house with all the windows and the door cut out using the push pin marking method
Use Arbor Press to cut out windows and doors
Truthfully, though, I have to admit that I use a different method to make Putz house windows. I use an arbor press which seems a little like cheating because I don't cut the windows out by hand. A reader asked me about the set-up and I thought other Putz house makers might benefit from seeing how to cut out the windows and doors using this tool.
First, here is the set-up of the arbor press and the stand. My brother made a plywood stand to surround the base of the arbor press which supports the white polyethylene cutting board effectively. It also has 2 cubbies where I can store the dies I use and toss the cutouts that I might use later on some other paper craft.
Anatomy of an Arbor Press
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The 2 main pieces you need to know on an arbor press are the rotating lever arm on the right and the ram - the square vertical piece that applies the pressure. This particular arbor press is a one ton arbor press because it applies one TON of pressure - clearly sufficient for cutting through a couple of layers of cardboard.
You can find the arbor press online or at a tool store like Harbor Freight tools. You can also use a drill press, but the ones I saw were more expensive and my brother won't let me use his. The dies I use come in a set of 39 dies which can be purchased inexpensively.
Arbor press with the plywood stand that my brother made.
Use a plastic cutting board to cut on
My arbor press with the cutting board on top of the stand. It's stained because it gets used A LOT.
Choose the size die you want to cut out a window or door
Place the die on the location where you plan to make the cut.
Apply pressure by rotating the lever arm of the arbor press. The force is transferred to the ram and then the die to cut through the cardboard
Rotate the lever arm to apply pressure to die and cut through the cardboard
The arbor press makes nice cuts through the cardboard
First circular window cut out of this Putz house. The cut out piece of cardboard can be easily pushed out of the die.
Various commercial dies are available for different shapes
One of my readers asked about finding these dies online. I just googled them and they can be a little challenging. First, they are leather craft dies which might surprise you. And they come in a set of 39 (which helps you find them). Here is a link for these leather crafting dies on Amazon. One thing nice about this Amazon photo is that it shows you how to use them with a mallet so you don't need an arbor press like I use.
After I got a second set of dies from Amazon, I realized that the sizes aren't always exactly the same. But they still work for me.
The main dies that I use to cut out windows and doors on the my putz houses. The dies are on graph paper so you get an idea of scale. The largest circle die is 1 inch in diameter.
This rectangular die cuts out the window easily with the arbor press. Sometimes you have rotate the cardboard so it will fit under the ram of the arbor press.
I like this particular sized die because it works perfectly with my favorite Tim Holtz Village dwelling window frames.
Comparison of the dies with their cut outs and some varieties of Tim Holtz windows
Here's how the Tim Holtz windows fit on the cut outs from the dies. You can see a little bit of rim of cardboard visible, but it's not a huge deal.
Here's a list of the Tim Holtz windows from the Village Dwelling series:
- Village Dwelling die (the square window)
- Village Manor - the window with the base, my very favorite window
- Village Bungalow - has a window with shutters
- Village Surf Shack - window on the left in the middle photo
- Village Bell Tower - rounded windows
That's the overview of using an arbor press to help you with your putz-making process. If you are making lots of houses or have arthritis in your hands, I think it is clearly worth the investment. But if you only make a few every year or you make your houses from card stock, it's probably not worth the money. In any case, I hope this gives you some information you can use.
Stay safe. Drink lots of water. Sunscreen always.
Happy Fourth of July.
Use an arbor press to cut out windows and doors in your putz houses.
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Mary W
Thank you Lucy. I like your set up, very handy. If you are cutting out lots of TH window frames do you also use the press? This way you have to cut the one item and not run the whole die through. I wish they made one with 4 of the same window or door frame, it's a pain to do one at a time.
Mary
Layne Dasher
This is pretty cool!!! I have a press similar for making buttons and mirrors. But seeing this makes me wonder if I could use the press for other things. Thanks for sharing!!
Gregory Streichhirsch
Where did you buy the die set for windows and doors? I can't find them on line.
Lucy
Gregory, I found a link on Amazon that I will update on the post. You can google under something like "39 Shapes Hollow Punch Cutter Tool Leather Craft" because the prices vary, but are not expensive at all. Again, I will make a link on the post. Thank you for reminding me of this.
Linda
Hi,
I ordered the dies from amazon, but was wondering which of the Tim holtz window frame dies were you referring to in your article?
Thanks
Lucy
Linda,
All of the Tim Holtz windows work for the 0.5 inch x 0.75 inch die except for the square village cottage windows. I will take some better pictures and update the article on 3-18-19. That's a good question. Thank you.
Judy Siebers
I am looking for printable windows for making windows for 2 putz houses I purchased last year. Not enough to use dies, or purchase an arbor tool.
Any ideas where I may find these?
Thank you
Elizabeth Parsons
You really took me back...I used to be a tool and die designer for the pharma world and used all of those sizes for pill packs and such. I would design in Autocad and then bring into Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop for the artwork I LOVED my job. I am retired now...and I love to make putz houses. I made the Tim Holtz houses, but you have inspired me to try my own design.
thanks!
Elizabeth Parsons
Lucy
I do hope you will design your own houses. It is so much fun. And you already have great skills so it should be easier for you.
Lucy