dickb Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I have a set of lettering punches, each is 1/4 inch square and 2 1/2 inches long. I would like to make some kind of holder that will allow me to see where I am positioning it prior to striking with a hammer. Vice grips or tongs don't work well because you can't easily see where you are positioning the punch. A quarter inch square hole about an inch or an inch and a half deep in the end of a short piece of bar stock would be fine. A friction fit would be fine, so I can change which punch is mounted in the handle. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jocko 58 Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I've always done the hand and eye method hold stamps in your fingers line it up and hit the stamp with a hammer, why a holder ? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junksmith Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I admit I do often have trouble with letter punches "skipping" away when I hit them. They're so tiny and I think my sausage fingers chicken out at the last minute when the hammer comes down. One thing that has helped is to make sure the item being marked is braced on a solid surface like the anvil. A wooden benchtop makes it harder to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Wrap a band of strip around a mandrel the size of punches to be held and weld it to your bar stock striker. If you don't have the tools to weld it then it can be forge brazed to the shank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 They make punch holders. We use them in the shop when we hydro-test high pressure cylinders. They are usually plastic so you don't want them to touch the hot metal. I'll see if I can find a link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 http://www.brooksequipment.com/Service_Equipment/Stamp_Holder_and_Stamps/Tool_Holder/HSH http://www.durable-tech.com/marking/stamp-holders/ Here are a couple sites for the stamp holders. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 A reasonably stout magnet will work, though you may have to do some chasing now and then. Punch holders aren't uncommon and not too hard to make though that's more trouble than I think worth. If I'm feeling like I may hit myself I put a wrap of tape around the jaws of a pair of needle nose pliers for traction. Good visibility and decent grip. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadstone Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Google "punch and chisel holder". Here is what Grainger carries. You may be able to find better prices elsewhere - I didn't compare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 1/2" Tom Tongs work great for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzer Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I've used a small pair of long nosed vice grips for this on occassion if I had to stamp in a hard to reach spot. A small piece of rubber strip helps but not critical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brando Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I have taken an old 1/4" deep socket that my round stock fits in and welded it together and use the drive side of the socket to hold my stamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I use collars with a hex locking screw welded to a length of steel. Put the letter stamp in the collar, lock it in with the set screw, hold onto the handle and whale away. You can see exactly where you are putting the stamp and can hammer it hard without worrying about your fingers. Also works great on large pieces where the heat is too great to get your hand near. Position the stamp in the collar for either right or left handed use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I hold the punch with fingers or tongs or snap clamps...whatever is required or comes to hand What I find a problem is to align the characters. I usually clamp a piece of bar under the line of characters as a guide rail and rest the punch tip against that. It does two jobs; keeps / puts them in line and keeps their orientation (twist) correct. If you still had problems with the spacing you could always mark the guide bar up. Sometimes I like the higgledypiggledy look though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhw Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I have a set of lettering punches, each is 1/4 inch square and 2 1/2 inches long. I would like to make some kind of holder that will allow me to see where I am positioning it prior to striking with a hammer. Vice grips or tongs don't work well because you can't easily see where you are positioning the punch. A quarter inch square hole about an inch or an inch and a half deep in the end of a short piece of bar stock would be fine. A friction fit would be fine, so I can change which punch is mounted in the handle. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I am confused. Punching letters does not seem like punching a deep hole. Letters can be punched cold. Deep holes is another thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 For me tongs with a "V" notch in the jaws/bits work for not sending the stamps across the shop if struck a bit off, ive found i have no problem lining up the letters/numbers when stamping backwards - forwards if you turn your piece 180° so your looking at it upside down. Also, i use a softer hammer used only with my stamp sets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I am confused. Punching letters does not seem like punching a deep hole. Letters can be punched cold. Deep holes is another thing. I understood that the "deep hole" was to create a sleeve to hold the punch securely but enable the O.P. to see the position of the punch's business end clearly. Even with such a holder I would still reckon to use a guide rail clamped to the work piece to keep the punches inline and oriented. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dickb Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Well, I found an easy way to hold the quarter inch lettering stamps. I took a six inch piece of quarter inch black iron pipe and found the quarter inch lettering punches fit snugly into the pipe. Insert the lettering stamp into the pipe leaving about an inch protruding. If the fit is too loose you can give the pipe a slight tap with a hammer, or just wrap a turn or two of electricians vinyl tape around the lettering stamp. Then insert a piece of quarter inch round stock into the other end of the pipe. This piece should be long enough to touch the end of the lettering stamp and stick out about an inch from the other end of the pipe. So now you can hold the pipe and strike the protruding end of the quarter inch stock. Took me about two days to figure this out and ten minutes to set it up. Dick B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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