cheap centre punch tip

[the snooper]

I would be careful using files and taps as punches, they are prone to shattering when hit, one of the welders who worked at my old firm had lost an eye (in a previous job) to a fragment of file used as a punch,

they are very brittle and very easily snapped

 

[hareng]

ive got plenty of leaf spring

Finest steel you can get spring steel certainly the older stuff, harden and temper at will.

Must admit do use old milling cutters and the like for quickness and for breaking up busted taps in blind holes.

 

[brightspark]

they are very brittle and very easily snapped

unless annealed and re harden and temper just the tip

 

[Richard.]

I hard faced one of my centre dots with a spot of hard facing tig wire then ground to shape.
The tip is around 50hRC and despite countless dots it's not shown any sign of use.

 

[brightspark]

if u want to be a real cheapskate just grind a decent point on a large masonry nail

 

[Bill Edwards]

To those using files and taps, are you re-tempering them first?

Because if not I would expect them to break as already mentioned by Paul.

 

[BrokenBiker]

To those using files and taps, are you re-tempering them first?

Because if not I would expect them to break as already mentioned by Paul.

not really...ive not had a tap or drill shatter when being used...then again i dont really hit them hard. i had a round file go but i put that down to it being 12" long when i hit it

 

[Bill Edwards]

Blimey, I'd say that's really pushing your luck. I would consider them all too hard to safely hit with a hammer, there's no way I would do that without re-tempering unless they were made from mickey mouse steel.

 

[macandmoss]

I find car boot sales the best for chisels and punches , a bit rake about in old box's and you pick them up for pennies , these are usually the old proper steel stuff not the crap they sell nowadays , I love a bit raking about especially finding old rusty tools such as adjustables ,molegrips ,stilsons etc. I spend hours bringing them back to life and get a great sense of satisfaction from it , think I probably need to get out more...lol

 

[mechman]

Used old Allen keys in the past.

 

[octo0072000]

Used old Allen keys in the past.

plus 1 on allen keys

 

[W.olly]

And there is me being a lazy git and waisting fiver on one, got loads of old drill bits and allen keys etc etc in the shed. i used an old 8mm drill bit in the past until it snapped.
I will see how long this lasts then harden it up.

Such a small bit of kit but well needed.

 

[langy]

Why not just buy a decent quality one in the first place ??? They are not axactly expensive

 

[BrokenBiker]

Why not just buy a decent quality one in the first place ??? They are not axactly expensive

Where's the fun in that?

 

[Spark plug]

Just been given an anti loss centre punch

 

[BrokenBiker]

Just been given an anti loss centre punch

View attachment 88972

Looks a bit blunt to me...

 

[Cobbler]

What size batteries?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I have got a "use once and forget" and forget centre punch.

yes, it is inert. Just painted up to look real.

 

[eSCHEn]

Good god man, is that a VHS cleaning cassette on your floor?

 

[BrokenBiker]

I used to have a .338 inert round...real brass, reall head but no powder and the primer was just a bit of turned down bar glued in place