punch and die set help

Vongreim2

The only thing holding me back from attempting this is locating a small enough diameter punch WITH sharpened edges....I can find metal piping in the right diameter- but its not strong enough to be hit with a mallet, and its not sharp for a clean cut. How did you manage that part of it?

regards

When I have made punches from brass tubing (after sharpening inside with a reamer), I take a piece of half inch or 3/4 inch dowel and drill a hole part way through it, the OD of the tube. I then slip the piece of dowel over the top of the brass tube and hit the dowel with the hammer.

The only thing holding me back from attempting this is locating a small enough diameter punch WITH sharpened edges....I can find metal piping in the right diameter- but its not strong enough to be hit with a mallet, and its not sharp for a clean cut. How did you manage that part of it?

regards

That is an interesting contact!! Thanks!!! Anyone else reading along- check out Umm-Usa.com. I recommend it as well...

www.umm-usa.com

Click "Tools", then search "punch".  

Picked up two sets at Nats.  John Vojtech, a master modeler, owns the operation.  Nice guy who sells tools at killer prices.  Nope...I'm not on the payroll.

Most of my punch & die sets are Imperial, but I do have a ModelExpo #TJ7514, “14-pc. Disc Cutter Set”, 14 pieces from 3mm to 16mm. [see photo]

FYI, I use a house number as a catchment base.

I have one from Micromark and another with larger diameter holes from Harbor freight. I like both sets and use them for plastic and paper model building.Both can be purchased for fairly reasonable prices if you catch them on sale.

MicroMark has a real nice tiny punch set that I got on sale for around $30. Its great for scratchbuilding, and punching out instrument decals.

No doubt the commercially made punch/die sets are nice but you can make your own easily. Here's a technique I learned from the master Watch/ClockMaker William Smith. Take a rectangular piece of brass shim stock (0.02 or so), fold it in half so it overlaps itself, place on a block of wood and drill a hole of the size you want completely through. Use a piece of music wire same size as the drilled hole, or make (as I did here) a steel punch that size. Insert whatever you want to punch between the brass shim stock, insert punch, tap with a small hammer and, presto, a nicely formed punched hole. Obviously, the distance from the fold that you drill the hole in the brass determines the size of the piece you want to punch. Shown are 3/64" holes in soda can aluminum and printer paper. Works a treat and you just might have the materials lying about somewhere.  Edit: I should have shown the nicely punched little circles but forgot - they're just as nice as the holes.

CB Model Products has a nice one. Decent price with reasonable shipping. Reviews can be seen over on IPMS site and on Aeroscale

I also have a MicroMark punch set. It's one of those things that spends most of its time unused in the drawer, but when I want it, it's very handy! Great little tool, really.

I have the clear plexiglass kind.I got mine from Micromark on sale, it's still pricey but cheaper than the waldron one.Micromark stuff goes on sale at least once a year, wait for that and you can save a few bucks.  I use my to punch decals for 1/48 aircraft panels.

Thanks Don, I think I saw that very one on amazon. They are pricey tho!

The rotary punch type is very handy to use, but doesn't work well on all materials, especially on thin metal.  However, you can make it work reasonably by placing a thin cardboard behind the metal, on the anvil.

Some of the blocks with multiple holes work well with all materials, but it is hard to position the punch directly over the place you want it- you cannot see very well and get holes off center.  There is one where the top portion is plexiglas. I have never used that set, but it looks like a possible answer to the positioning problem.