i got a serious score of coil springs from my mechanic. no what punches should i make and exactly how would i go about making them. what tools do i need to make tools? lol

kashmire,

Here are 4 threads that should give you an idea where to start.

http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f92/tools-spring-13317/
http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f92/punch-procedures-making-punch-13098/
http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f92/how-make-eye-punch-13565/
http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f63/animal-heads-10586/

Brian

I tend to make tools as I need them rather than waste a lot of time making things I don't end up using.

Do think of making some short punches to be tong held and used with a treadle hammer or screw press so you are ready to use such items when you do get them.

So are you going to make tongs? make a punch for the rivit

Going to do animal heads? make the punches for that.

Etc.

You can always use a center/prick punch, a round punch, a hot-cut chisel, and a curved chisel. That would be a very, very basic set in my mind, add a few different radius curved chisels, a couple of different radius hand fullers, a few varieties of eye punches and you'd have a more than basic set. Search the forum for instructions, it's been gone over many, many times.
ML

a punch for rivet size holes (1/4 inch or so), whether you are riveting or not
hot cut chisel
cold cut chisel
center punch

These tools seem to be used in many sets of directions for making many things. I think a first set should be long enough to hold bare handed, but eventually you will have several sets of these.

As mentioned, make the tools you expect to need when you need them otherwise you will be making tools for the sake of making tools.

4 tools, I bought a cheap set and use the cold chisel for hot, which means its no good for cold now. I have another cold chisel for cold. When I score a spring I'm making a bunch of other stuff in those mentioned threads.

Phil