Jimmyiorn Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 A few punches and some double hooks from nails. The punches are old ones reconfigured to stuff I need and pieces of some type of lug type wrench. Hopefully they hold up. Let me know what you think, I need to know what to do better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Bring em over, we can test em out that's the best test. If they hold up they might be good. I recently broke 2 punches I made. One in use and the other by dropping it. They were early ones I made. Guess I didn't temper them back enough. If I needed to harden and temper them at all. What steel did you use? And did you heat treat them? They look fine to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmyiorn Posted January 11, 2017 Author Share Posted January 11, 2017 punches are old damaged punches reconfigured to stuff I need and the others are pieces of some type of lug type wrench, no quench or temper I want to try them first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 well and for punching hot steel I find no need to heat treat punches. First, hot steel is softer than cold steel, and second, when you back punch (or at least when I do) to punch a plug, my punch almost always gets stuck, and by the time i get it out it has lost its temper. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 29 minutes ago, littleblacksmith said: well and for punching hot steel I find no need to heat treat punches. First, hot steel is softer than cold steel, and second, when you back punch (or at least when I do) to punch a plug, my punch almost always gets stuck, and by the time i get it out it has lost its temper. Littleblacksmith (1) Use punch lube (coal dust, wax, or something fancier; lots of threads about that on IFI). (2) Don't hit the punch more than three times before taking it out to cool. Some people will take it out between every single hit to cool, either in the air, in a can of water, or by touching the tip to the (relatively cooler) surface of the anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 I take the punch out after every blow, trust me, I'm big about that, and am very much against hitting it more than once unless it it when you are sheering the plug. I don't mind the punch getting hot, as it still holds up just fine, and the only time it gets hot is when it gets stuck. And when I say it gets stuck, I don't mean I have trouble getting it out, just that I can't pull it out. I don't have an issue about it getting stuck. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Sounds like some punch lube is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 On 1/11/2017 at 7:37 PM, JHCC said: Sounds like some punch lube is the way to go. Does yours not get stuck? when you don't use the lube of course (if you do). Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmyiorn Posted January 14, 2017 Author Share Posted January 14, 2017 LB I have the same issue / reaction as you do when punching but do not use any punch lube but need to try it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 I'll be using punch lube when punching larger stuff (like 2" round) such has hammers. But when punching smaller stock I would imagine it would be more time/ energy to use the punch lube than to flip over the steel, and pop the punch out. The only time it gets stuck is at the very end when I'm done punching. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 26 minutes ago, littleblacksmith said: snip...I would imagine it would be more time/ energy to use the punch lube than to flip over the steel, and pop the punch out. snip... Imagine no more. Using graphite and wax saves about half the energy when punching. I experimented with and without watching the pressure gauge on the press. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 I make sure the punch I use to pop out the plug is filed smooth. If there is a hint on mushrooming on the end, it will likely get stuck and heat up. A slight taper is useful too. And I always put a catcher under the pritchel hole. Those little orange plugs are no fun down your boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 1 hour ago, Alan Evans said: Imagine no more. Using graphite and wax saves about half the energy when punching. I experimented with and without watching the pressure gauge on the press. Alan What Alan said. Wax and coal dust also works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmyiorn Posted January 15, 2017 Author Share Posted January 15, 2017 Went to forge with Daswulf yesterday for a while, had a blast, made a hammer eye punch from 4140 and a few spike bottle openers, both tested to be functional I must say. This was the first eye punch that either of us made on our own and first time I have made a bottle opener of this style. Das thanks had fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 15, 2017 Share Posted January 15, 2017 It was good fun Jimmy, any time! Looks like you did some good finish work on the punch! Just make sure the struck end is flat and even as possible. I guess we will be forging a hammer head next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmyiorn Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 Gonna have to to test out the punch for sure, I'm up for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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