19Branden86 Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 I needed a center punch to replace my Harbor Freight one so I decided to just make one. Forged from automotive coil spring. Forged it down to hexagonal, tapered and rounded the point, then of course normalized, quenched and tempered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 Good example of a skill-builder that beginners should try--it's a lot harder to get a good even hex than it seems and it looks like you hit that very well. To clarify, I'm not implying you as a beginner but that the skill of a parallel and even hex is a good one for beginners asking for skill-building projects. Lots of hammer control needed. In the case of the center punch, that brings it from just fiddling around to a useful outcome with purpose. I like what you did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Branden86 Posted December 17, 2018 Author Share Posted December 17, 2018 Thank you very much. And I am indeed a beginner. Not quite 2 years into the craft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
So Cal Dave Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 Nicely done. I like the hex shape on my center punches so it doesn't roll around when setting it down on the anvil. What color did you temper it to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Branden86 Posted December 18, 2018 Author Share Posted December 18, 2018 Thank you, Dave. I tempered the point to straw yellow. I had normalized the entire thing before quench. Then after I quenched it, I took my little propane torch to it a few inches up the shank and ran the colors. I couldn't tell you if that is the proper method or not but it seemed to work. It holds a point well. I actually recorded this one as I made it to upload to my YouTube channel. I made a channel in the hopes that I could get some critique of my processess as I'm working. I can make something that looks good but maybe I used a harder than should be way to get the result if that makes sense. And, that's actually how I came about trying that hexagon. I have a pry bar and cold chisel video that a smith from Indiana had commented on trying a hexagon, and that resulted in this center punch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 So you tempered the point---did you temper the hitting end and the shaft above the point? (Softer!) Did you harden the entire punch or just the point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Branden86 Posted December 18, 2018 Author Share Posted December 18, 2018 I only quenched the tip. Only about an inch or so from the very tip. The back is soft so it doesn't shatter upon striking I only quench the working end of my tools. As you can see on my cold chisel from one of my videos that gets used very regularly at work, the strike end is soft and slightly mushrooming while the cutting end is still as was after quench and temper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 Great; just remember that we only know what YOU tell us. (Did you line that stylish chapeau with tinfoil? I'm having trouble reading your mind and my collection of singing potato chips suggested that...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Branden86 Posted December 18, 2018 Author Share Posted December 18, 2018 Oh, I see. My bad. I thought I had said that in the original post but I see now I forgot to put the ht details in. My apologies, my friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 Nope I was just worried about you having a fragmentation grenade going off in your hand. Picking pieces of steel out of your flesh is not one of my "favorite things" though it does rank higher than peeling once molten plastic from your burns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Branden86 Posted December 18, 2018 Author Share Posted December 18, 2018 Yeah I kind of try and be cautious about heat treatment. If only one part needs to cut, like the end of an edged tool, chisel or something, for example, I only harden and temper that section. The whole thing is normalized beforehand. I rarely anneal unless I'll be filing on something right out of the gate. I figure just the act of heating it to forging temperature is enough to soften it for hammering on, depending on what SAE grade of steel you are working, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 Yes the air hardening alloys can be a pain to work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Branden86 Posted December 18, 2018 Author Share Posted December 18, 2018 I've heard that. And I've heard that 52100 is a bear to work no matter what you do to it. I've never worked it before so I couldn't tell you if there's any truth in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 I've found H13 to be hard under the hammer right up to the temp it "cottage cheeses". I've forged D2; but unless you have access to the proper equipment for the high tech heat treat; you are just wasting the alloy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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