FieryFurnace Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Well this is the tool section so I hope this is the right forum. Don't know if this is supposed to be covering how to make tools though!? So I apologize if this is out of place.... I need to make an eye punch. The only carbon stock I have is leaf spring which I think makes good tools. I have done a square punch out of it and even made a shift to temper it...seems like it's holding up though getting the right temper is a complete accident for me. Anyway, what I am wondering about is how to make the center hollow. Do I first need to forge a center punch to hollow out the eye punch? Can I clamp it in the vice and drill the center out? Need some suggestions! Thanks ahead guys, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I've heard demonstrators talk about doing it both ways. The eye punch I have was done by a friend. He rough forged the shape, clamped it in a vise, hit it with a center punch, ground it to finished shape and heat treated. He used a piece of automotive coil spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lumpkins Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 yea I just made one and used a piece of Coil spring and then drilled the end and then grinded to shape... Works good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDW Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 The way I make them is to do a square taper then center punch the center and round two corners for one style or all four for another style. Oh, and if you are going to be heating the eye area do the eyes last so you do not burn out the centers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I made one for a "frog eye look" I used my dremel tool with a small ball cutter to open up the cavity after spoting it with a small drill bit then grind away what does not look right ...made it out of 4140 1/2 in round with the thumb index like Mark Aspery shows to make Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 You can use a ball punch after centerpunching for a good eyeball shape. Also if you use a ball punch you can put a small center punch or chisel cut in it for a pupil. A slit pupil can be horizontal, vertical or slanted depending on critter type. Heck, maybe a cross or star for mythical critters like a unicorn, griffon, etc.? Goats have squareish pupils. It's one of those little details that impress folk. For a fast eye punch you can drive in onto a ball bearing or BB, etc. though it's a lot harder to get positions like you want. Center punching makes all the difference for even getting close. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted July 25, 2009 Author Share Posted July 25, 2009 Oh wow! Thanks for all of the quick replies! I haven't worked on it yet..hopefully a little later today! I'll probably will make the center punch first. I just want a round eye punch! Thanks, Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike-hr Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Another thing to evolve into is , 'forging the hole'. Make the round ball divot in the punch, then try squishing one side a little bit to get a tear drop shape, lemon shape, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnr Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I used a Chevy push rod as a punch to form my eye punch. teh hole up the center gave me the pupil of the eye. Finnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 Why not just forge it? My buddy Darryl Nelson, probably the best head-maker in the country, if not the world does it this way: Forge the end down till it's a little oversize and then forge the end at a low heat with a small hammer, all the while turning the work. This creates the dreaded "pipe" end that we complain about in other forgings. Then he forges it to the shape he wants. Doesn't take him much longer than it did to explain it and it's always on center. "it's not a bug, it's a feature"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 I make mine like LDW and Frosty described. Nakedanvil also described a nice way to forge an eye. I posted some pictures in this section under "Tools from spring that show an eye punch, and here are some pics of how I did it along with a nose punch. I first forge a sqare taper, then mark the eye punch with a bob punch cold. Next, take a short heat and use the bob punch to make the depression with your punch locked in the vice [ don't hit too hard too fast because you don't want it too deep and you don't want to upset it]. If you go too deep, your eyes will look like they are "bugging out". Then I grind or file 2 opposite corners off leaving the other 2 corners sharp. This gives a nice eye with tear ducts and the 2 sharp corners will show you how to orient your eye to your piece. The nose punch is the same except I round one cornner and use a chain saw file on the opposite corner. I have 3 different sized nose punches and 6 different sized eye punches. They work for 3-D and flat work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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