Has anyone tried to punch rings in metal bars? :confused: The rings I'm talking about would be appoximately 1/4" in diameter and would look like the rings left in wood when making plugs with a plug punch. I don't want to take the metal plug out of the hole, just want to make a 1/4" ring in the metal about 1/8" deep. I can't think of any ready made tool to use. Thanks.

JAKA

Jaka - You can make your own punch for doing what you are talking about. Depending on how many rings you want to punch and providing you keep the tool cool during use, even mild steel will work. For short runs, thats all I use. First take a piece of stock for your punch and drill a hole in the end of it about 1/2" deep then grind the outer edge around toward the hole to the size of the ring you want as far as ring thickness and size. The inner ring size will be determined by the drilled hole size and the outer diameter will be whatever you grind the outside to. Then heat your bar stock and punch your ring to the depth you want - cooling the punch every time as you go (smaller punches heat up quickly and can mushroom over easily. -I hope this is understandable for you - if not I could post a pic or drawing. Heres a link to some punching/stamping I did in 1/4" plate for a table, tracks are smaller than your thumbnail. - JK
http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/3449/ppuser/280
http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/3467/ppuser/280

JK, that is so cool. I love the way your table tracks turned out. I understand perfectly what you're saying on the manufacture of a ring punch. I'm anxious to give it a try. Thanks muchly for the help.

Take photos and turn it into a Blueprint :)

Very cool Jeremy. Neat table.