Stainless punches

[Richard.]

I’ve not had a great deal of luck when it comes to punches
I refuse blind to pay hundreds for snap on ones to see if they are any good so I’m keen on trying out a few different things of making my own. My initial thoughts are around the idea of stainless steel.
I know it’s not particularly hard in its normalised state but my thinking is and would be happy to be corrected here.... a good few whacks with a hammer and a few dress ups with a file will soon see the front and back ends work hardened to quite a hard state. I’ve frequently seen stainless get so hard hss won’t touch it so that’s ticked one box hopefully.
The other thing is it should stay relatively ductile throughout its length and in the event of a miss hit it should bend rather than shatter
My experience with punches are they are either too soft and mushroom up after a whack or two or too hard and they snap or chip. But you don’t see many made from stainless. Could this be a good material or should I look at others. Obviously I’m gonna have to try to confirm.
Here is a 10mm parallel just dying for a clout.
4mm is probably the smallest I’ll make. Maybe 3.

 

[Jlg]

I’ve not had a great deal of luck when it comes to punches
I refuse blind to pay hundreds for snap on ones to see if they are any good so I’m keen on trying out a few different things of making my own. My initial thoughts are around the idea of stainless steel.
I know it’s not particularly hard in its normalised state but my thinking is and would be happy to be corrected here.... a good few whacks with a hammer and a few dress ups with a file will soon see the front and back ends work hardened to quite a hard state. I’ve frequently seen stainless get so hard hss won’t touch it so that’s ticked one box hopefully.
The other thing is it should stay relatively ductile throughout its length and in the event of a miss hit it should bend rather than shatter
My experience with punches are they are either too soft and mushroom up after a whack or two or too hard and they snap or chip. But you don’t see many made from stainless. Could this be a good material or should I look at others. Obviously I’m gonna have to try to confirm.
Here is a 10mm parallel just dying for a clout.
4mm is probably the smallest I’ll make. Maybe 3.

I don't see why not as you say it should work harden

 

[henry Kadzielski]

^^^In theory sounds good, austinitic (spelling I am sure is wrong) 35years ago my metallurgy days turns to mastinsitic again spelt wrongly with some work hardning

Told you have forgotten most, can't even spell correctly should Martensitic S/S which is also magnetic when it changed from it's austenitic state. There I feel better now

 

[Richard.]

^^^In theory sounds good, austinitic (spelling I am sure is wrong) 35years ago my metallurgy days turns to mastinsitic again spelt wrongly with some work hardning

Yes absolutely it does Henry. Good point and one I never even considered. . I’ll have to watch for that and see if it has an effect on them.

 

[Kent]

There are stainless steels that will be well up to the job.
Heat treatment of them will require dry ice to get the best out of them So for your job it's off to a specialist at that stage (although it shouldn't cost mega bucks).

I should not even bother with any less than 440 as a minimum

 

[Kent]

There are stainless steels that will be well up to the job.
Heat treatment of them will require dry ice to get the best out of them So for your job it's off to a specialist at that stage (although it shouldn't cost mega bucks).

I should not even bother with any less than 440 as a minimum

Oops was thinking centre punches! However much of the above holds good

 

[angellonewolf]

^^^In theory sounds good, austinitic (spelling I am sure is wrong) 35years ago my metallurgy days turns to mastinsitic again spelt wrongly with some work hardning

Told you have forgotten most, can't even spell correctly should Martensitic S/S which is also magnetic when it changed from it's austenitic state. There I feel better now

im in someways near where you are with my spellng i found the best way to get it right if you got lots of time is to type out the sentance in google and enter even if you are miles out in the sentance google will rectify it for you and you can then copy and paste it hope this helps

 

[Richard.]

Oops was thinking centre punches! However much of the above holds good

My centre punches are ok. I don’t have an issue with those as they are hard enough to centre dot steels and stainless without a problem it’s the ones I whack over and over I’m looking to make. I was thinking a nice machinable grade like a 316 or 303. Both are austinitic and should harden through use.

 

[Kent]

My centre punches are ok. I don’t have an issue with those as they are hard enough to centre dot steels and stainless without a problem it’s the ones I whack over and over I’m looking to make. I was thinking a nice machinable grade like a 316 or 303. Both are austinitic and should harden through use.

Punches depend on use. I have brass ones normal ones, even a few made out of some special ones that I was given years ago by an old boss that can be whacked with a sledge without deforming.

 

[Richard.]

I’ve got some brass ones too
Home made jobs again

 

[Ruffian]

Buy the omega/ angry jester punch and chisell roll.

They are really good considering.
Have snap on set but usually go to the cheap ones and have taken proper abuse, (14lb sledge hammer) on more than one occasion.


Angry jester is parts alliance own branded omega tools. (Usually can be found cheaper elsewhere) but this is the 16pc set I have.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/1850734606?iid=162587389297

 

[hotponyshoes]

There are stainless steels that will be well up to the job.
Heat treatment of them will require dry ice to get the best out of them So for your job it's off to a specialist at that stage

Dry ice is easy enough to get posted in a Styrofoam box.
Or if desperate made from a bottle of pub gas and a sock.

 

[zeppelin builder]

Dry ice is easy enough to get posted in a Styrofoam box.
Or if desperate made from a bottle of pub gas and a sock.

try a bit duplex its very strong and magnetic
dont know about hardening though

I’ve not had a great deal of luck when it comes to punches
I refuse blind to pay hundreds for snap on ones to see if they are any good so I’m keen on trying out a few different things of making my own. My initial thoughts are around the idea of stainless steel.
I know it’s not particularly hard in its normalised state but my thinking is and would be happy to be corrected here.... a good few whacks with a hammer and a few dress ups with a file will soon see the front and back ends work hardened to quite a hard state. I’ve frequently seen stainless get so hard hss won’t touch it so that’s ticked one box hopefully.
The other thing is it should stay relatively ductile throughout its length and in the event of a miss hit it should bend rather than shatter
My experience with punches are they are either too soft and mushroom up after a whack or two or too hard and they snap or chip. But you don’t see many made from stainless. Could this be a good material or should I look at others. Obviously I’m gonna have to try to confirm.
Here is a 10mm parallel just dying for a clout.
4mm is probably the smallest I’ll make. Maybe 3.

 

[Kent]

Dry ice is easy enough to get posted in a Styrofoam box.
Or if desperate made from a bottle of pub gas and a sock.

Its not just getting dry ice its performing the quenches at the critical window etc.
I am not really a big fan of these stainless steels there are better with nearly as much chromium in them without being termed " stainless "
I suspect the motivation behind stainless here is actually having some, the tools and time to fiddle

 

[Wallace]

If you have a lathe then making specific punches is easy, the hard part is having suitable material at the time you need it! Why not make a couple out of Silver Steel and heat treat them yourself?

 

[Brad93]

Rich try those Swiss ones like I got. My parallel punch has been excellent with a big hammer behind it. I usually use copper hammers.

 

[Brad93]

Or get air air hardening or quench gardening carbon steel

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

@Brad93 are you referrng to pb Swiss punches? If so I've a few of them myself, and use them at work. Good stuff.

 

[Brad93]

@Brad93 are you referrng to pb Swiss punches? If so I've a few of them myself, and use them at work. Good stuff.

Yes mate mine have been spot on and fairly cheap

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I used a masonry nail for my centre punch [with a brass handle turned on the lathe] - works well as a scriber too.