AlxJ64
Rust is Paint
These things are designed primarily to be attached to a pattern plate and then setup in a press brake or a large frame press to repeat punch patterns and things for production.
However, you CAN use these things singularly. But the issue is most of the tooling you find for them is just flat ground because they are expecting you to have a guide fixture or cornered back gauge for your parts. American Punch and Die was gracious enough to grind me some punch dies out of their Stainless rated tooling steel that would allow me to mark pilot holes either with a spotting drill, light plasma pierce, or even a heavy heavy hit with a center punch.
The frames come in various sizes and each size has its working range. There are funky shapes built for feeding extrusions and angle legs through as well. For the sake of functionality and weight, etc, the first ones of these I picked up were in the 8" throat, 2-1/2" frame width. I think this tooling range was rated for up to 1-1/2" punch through 1/4" mild. However, I have adjusted mine to run under 1" dies to punch up to 3/8". I am actually going to try a 1" punch on some 1/4" this weekend for that welding Platen stand table I am building.
So you can get tooling in all kinds of shapes. Most of the stuff you see on eBay is wiped out and weird sizes... lots of ovals for slots. I custom ordered my first round of punches and they are super nice but also kinda pricey, yes you can buy a lot of drill bits for the same money but sometimes when you have 32 holes to drill, 9/16" diameter, in 3/8" HRPO, you just want to step on a pedal and wince every time the press levitates.
That is another thing, these tend to shock load hydraulic systems, so when you use them on a press, expect the life of the U-cup and backup rings to be shortened. I bought a used 50T press and ran about a 100 holes and had to rebuild the cylinder. Granted I have no idea how old the press was, it was chinesium, and the cylinder walls had some notable poor finish work from said china-land production. Honed, rebuilt, and so far another 300+ punches, mostly in 1/4" and no issues.
I am very pleased with the use I have gotten out of mine so far. Using the pilot hole method, the accuracy is very very nice as well. I picked up a universal tool grinder a few weeks ago but am still in the search for attachments so that I can touch up the punches when they shoulder and also I have a BUNCH of tooling that I want to grind my own points on to use. Will be listing and selling extras once that project gets underway.
However, you CAN use these things singularly. But the issue is most of the tooling you find for them is just flat ground because they are expecting you to have a guide fixture or cornered back gauge for your parts. American Punch and Die was gracious enough to grind me some punch dies out of their Stainless rated tooling steel that would allow me to mark pilot holes either with a spotting drill, light plasma pierce, or even a heavy heavy hit with a center punch.
The frames come in various sizes and each size has its working range. There are funky shapes built for feeding extrusions and angle legs through as well. For the sake of functionality and weight, etc, the first ones of these I picked up were in the 8" throat, 2-1/2" frame width. I think this tooling range was rated for up to 1-1/2" punch through 1/4" mild. However, I have adjusted mine to run under 1" dies to punch up to 3/8". I am actually going to try a 1" punch on some 1/4" this weekend for that welding Platen stand table I am building.
So you can get tooling in all kinds of shapes. Most of the stuff you see on eBay is wiped out and weird sizes... lots of ovals for slots. I custom ordered my first round of punches and they are super nice but also kinda pricey, yes you can buy a lot of drill bits for the same money but sometimes when you have 32 holes to drill, 9/16" diameter, in 3/8" HRPO, you just want to step on a pedal and wince every time the press levitates.
That is another thing, these tend to shock load hydraulic systems, so when you use them on a press, expect the life of the U-cup and backup rings to be shortened. I bought a used 50T press and ran about a 100 holes and had to rebuild the cylinder. Granted I have no idea how old the press was, it was chinesium, and the cylinder walls had some notable poor finish work from said china-land production. Honed, rebuilt, and so far another 300+ punches, mostly in 1/4" and no issues.
I am very pleased with the use I have gotten out of mine so far. Using the pilot hole method, the accuracy is very very nice as well. I picked up a universal tool grinder a few weeks ago but am still in the search for attachments so that I can touch up the punches when they shoulder and also I have a BUNCH of tooling that I want to grind my own points on to use. Will be listing and selling extras once that project gets underway.
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