When 45rpm records where first produced in America they were made with a large (1.5") hole in the centre. This was done in order to differentiate them from the 10" (78rpm) and 12" (33.3rpm) records already in use. The American record decks , not surprisingly, were made to accept this large size hole and so too were jukeboxes.
In Europe a different standard was adopted. The 45rpm hole was made the same size as the two existing record formats so that any type of record could be played on the same record deck, the only difference being the turntable speed (and perhaps the stylus). However, with an acknowledgement to the American market and jukeboxes European 45rpm records were initially made with a push-out centre. Unfortunately for British jukebox owners the majority of record companies had phased out this type of centre by the end of the 1970's and since then most European records have been produced with a solid centre. The Americans meanwhile have maintained consistency with their large hole format.
So for jukebox owners wanting to play European records with a solid centre the problem arises of how to cut a 1.5" hole in the record. This hole cutting process is called 'dinking'.
There are three pieces of equipment available for dinking records. The first one, and best, is a professional dinker which would have been used by jukebox suppliers and operators. These are no longer available for purchase and anyway would probably be out of the price range of most jukebox owners. You may be lucky and stumble across one at an antique fair or car boot sale.
The second device is a 1.5" metal hole punch. One brand is Q-Max but there are others. The tool consists of two halves, the bottom one having two raised teeth. The record is placed between the halves which are then screwed together using a connecting bolt. The bottom half is pulled through the plastic leaving the correct size hole.
The process is fairly quick but has the following drawbacks. Firstly the original hole in the record has to be slightly enlarged to accept the bolt. If this hole is widened too much or made off-centre then the record will sound distorted as it will not sit central or snug on the turntable. Secondly, some modern records are pressed without using a paper label (e.g. Polydor, Chrysalis). Using this type of dinker often causes this type of record to crack. Covering the label area with a strong tape (e.g. masking or gaffer) on both sides of the record reduces breakages but doesn't remove the risk entirely. Thirdly, the final hole can turn out to be slightly larger than 1.5". Although some jukeboxes mechanisms tolerate this others do not (e.g. Wurlitzer) and produce a distorted sound.
The third possibility is to use a scriber which is specially made for dinking. One end of this device fits into the centre hole and the other end , which has been sharpened to a point, is moved around the record scoring the plastic, eventually making a hole. It is advisable to work from both sides of the record and also to keep the scriber at right angles to the record at all times. The main disadvantages of this method are that it is relatively slow and doing a lot at one session can put a strain on the wrist. Also, the cut hole is not as neat as with the metal cutter and may need tidying (e.g. with a file).
If you don't fancy any of the above methods of dinking then stick to American or relatively early European records.
Additional comment from another 'dinker':
Just to let you know how I dink my records. I bought a 1.5 inch hole cutter for my drill. I place the record on a piece or wood, in a paper sleeve. Stand on record to stop it slipping and drill out on very slow speed. It occasionally drills slightly off centre but almost never breaks the record,regardless of type of label.
Mike Pope
Let me know how you dink your records and how successful it is.