Ric Furrer Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Hello All, My steel supplier has job where he has to punch several thousand holes in two pieces of plate. He is reinforcing the edge of a large shovel tool made from 1/8" plate and is adding a 1/4" plate to the edge. The unit has to be bolted...that is the gig. Holes are 7/8" diameter round. Does anyone know of the tool to punch through BOTH plates if clamped in place. My thought is a portable hole punch.....hydraulic or electro-hydraulic. --punch the hole in the thickest plate first and use that as an alignment indicator for the second hole and punch it in place. That requires two holes at two different times which is slower than punching both at the same go. Drilling is out...too slow. Does anyone know of a tool that can punch through two pieces of 1/8 and 1/4 steel plate in one operation? Ric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petere76 Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 The Ironworker has the capacity. Not sure if you need to do in the shop or in place. Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Portable laser! (Grin) Large bolt holes for plate that thin. Helpful aren't I! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Furrer Posted November 26, 2014 Author Share Posted November 26, 2014 I like these style units, but the manufacturer says the slug from one plate will get pushed to the other and it has unpredictable results. If the punch could engage the second plate before clearing the first plat it may be better...like a scissors. Anyone have or use one of these? Ric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Contact Cleveland Punch and Die (google the name) to discuss the problem with their tech folks. Might be worth considering a custom die set to punch the holes independently in each part so they'll line up for assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulKrzysz Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 What about CNC Plasma Cutting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Greetings Rick, You might consider a portable hydraulic rig with a step punch 3/8. 1/2. 5/8. 7/8. .. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Good Morning, A Shovel Tool, made from 1/8" plate, adding 1/4" plate, using 7/8" dia. bolts. Something doesn't add up in my mind. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironmike Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Ric, Are you saying 3/8s total or 3/4 total? Ironmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 I would look at having them cut at a shop with one of the following- CNC OA torch,plasma,water jet, or laser. Trying to punch 2 holes at once may be problematic as the the lower material may hamper the shearing of the upper material. If these are flat pieces a good accurate setup should be fine for alignment. With a good drill - maybe a hollow core type - drilling may not be that bad. More details needed. Accuracy, tolerances, how many thousand, etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 I'm with you Neil, unless that's one tiny bucket 1/8" mild wouldn't hold lawn clippings for long. Punching matching holes is an exercise in precision work, double punching isn't going to be satisfactory at all. Set up an iron worker or floor punch with a guide and index and just go for it. As a kid in Dad's shop I'd burn through 3-4 thousand punching operations an hour but that was a different thing. You need a guide to assure the distance from the edge, that'll be a bar opposite the operator's position so s/he can lean into it. The index is just a pin at the holes EXACT spacing and then it's a matter of just doing the job. Sure you may need to extend the table but think plywood on a table saw or drill press. Operation will be as simple as carefully punching the first hole, slide along the guide it till hole one catches on the index pin and with the plate pressed against the guide hit the trigger. Repeat till finished or lunch time. Have a couple helpers bringing you blanks and removing finished parts. This will go fast, really. Once you're up to speed the helpers will have the hard job, you'll be limited by the speed of the punch not the job. I'd go nuts using a hydraulic punch, maybe a two stage system or a punch only barely clearing the sheet so there's very little travel. Frosty The Lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Carbide tipped annular cutter. We are currently drilling 1 7/8" holes through 1 1/2" thick 4340 with one takes 5 Min. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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