PUNCH SETS - QUESTION

[chief38]

I have routinely bought new 1/16" Starrett punches about once a year. I use them on lots of tools and machinery and either bend them beyond repair or snap them way too low to be resurfaced. Nothing wrong with Starrett, it's just that the 1/16" size always gets ruined first. No difference with other brands either. I am also very careful with them - or as careful as one can be. Most times they break on non-gun related repair work.

Does ANYONE here own a set for more than a year with a perfectly good, unbent and unbroken 1/16" punch - LOL!!

When I buy the replacement I never buy one anymore, usually 2-3 at a time. Today I was looking at used Starrett sets on eBay and did not see one that contained a perfect 1/16" punch. They do have some new sets that are perfect, but I was just paroosing to see if I could get another whole set inexpensively - NOPE! OK, I just ordered 3 new 1/16" Starrett punches and now I can sleep at night - LOL.

BTW, I usually use the broken 1/16" punch as a donor to make another tool - repurpose them. I have even made a few hollow ground sight and eyeglass screw screwdrivers out of some so they don't completely go to waist. Can'r remember ever bending or breaking any other sizes either.

Below is a picture of my Grandfather's Starrett set. They are original except for the 1/16" size of course. He did drill 2 extra holes to add two sizes not included in the set - they do come in handy on occasion.

 

[Protocall_Design]

You can get hardened steel dowel pins of many sizes. You can save the broken punch and drill a 1/16" hole in the end and drill and tap the side for a small setscrew to keep the dowel pin from falling out. Then you have a very heavy duty punch with interchangeable tips. I would do the drilling in a lathe to get the hole exactly centered with the handle.

You might want to think about getting 1.5mm dowel pins. Those are .059 diameter, just the right amount of clearance to not get stuck in a 1/16" hole. You would want to drill the hole for that with a #53 drill bit.

You could make the hole in the punch shallow, to have good punch length, or deeper to make a starter punch, with a short end sticking out, to get a stubborn pin to start moving without bending the punch.

You could also use a 4" or 6" ejector pin as is, or make a sleeve to fit around it.

McMaster.com has all of these.

 

[dfariswheel]

Long ago I bought Brownell's replaceable pin pin punches.
You can buy the pins in different lengths, and in the past different types of punches like roll pin.
When the pin is damaged, just install another. The handles last forever.

Most people who do this very long begin making and modifying tools. A great starter punch is a nail set with a modified face. This gets a tight pin moving without any flexing or bending.

 

[chief38]

You can get hardened steel dowel pins of many sizes. You can save the broken punch and drill a 1/16" hole in the end and drill and tap the side for a small setscrew to keep the dowel pin from falling out. Then you have a very heavy duty punch with interchangeable tips. I would do the drilling in a lathe to get the hole exactly centered with the handle.

You might want to think about getting 1.5mm dowel pins. Those are .059 diameter, just the right amount of clearance to not get stuck in a 1/16" hole. You would want to drill the hole for that with a #53 drill bit.

You could make the hole in the punch shallow, to have good punch length, or deeper to make a starter punch, with a short end sticking out, to get a stubborn pin to start moving without bending the punch.

You could also use a 4" or 6" ejector pin as is, or make a sleeve to fit around it.

McMaster.com has all of these.

Thanks PD! Not only is that a GREAT idea, I already have the hardened Drill Rod in pretty much every size as well as every drill bit size available. It just did not occur to me to do that - DUH!!!! I probably have some in 0.059" and will check l tomorrow.

Thank you Sir!

 

[chief38]

Long ago I bought Brownell's replaceable pin pin punches.
You can buy the pins in different lengths, and in the past different types of punches like roll pin.
When the pin is damaged, just install another. The handles last forever.

Most people who do this very long begin making and modifying tools. A great starter punch is a nail set with a modified face. This gets a tight pin moving without any flexing or bending.

Yup - another great idea!

 

[chief38]

Well PD I got close but no cigar! I let my stock of hardened pins dwindle down to nothing. I will call McM Carr tomorrow. I noticed in the original picture some of the punch faces needed a bit of dressing so at least I got than done.