[TheForge] Punching holes with Hydraulic press

[Bob Ehrenberger]

Dave,

I know it needs something. I've been trying to figure out how to attach it 
to the frame so that it wouldn't interfere with setting up the work. It is 
complicated by the fact that I need to dish the sheet metal before punching 
the holes.

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David E. Smucker" <davesmucker at hotmail.com>
To: "Bob Ehrenberger" <eforge at centurytel.net>; "Blacksmithing List Sponsored 
by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2011 1:34 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Punching holes with Hydraulic press


Bob,  You need a "stripper" between the punch and the female die.  (It goes
above the sheet metal stock.)  If you can, get a look at an iron-worker and
see how they are made.  You may be able to see enough from some ads on the
web for iron-workers to get idea on how to make one for your press.  A hand
held metal "fork" may work for your set up and should be simple to make.

Dave Smucker

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Bob Ehrenberger" <eforge at centurytel.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2011 2:22 PM
To: "theforge" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [TheForge] Punching holes with Hydrolic press

> Just a follow up from the question I asked a couple months ago about die
> clearance on a punch press.
>
> I finally got another order for the items that brought up the subject the
> first time. I needed to make 1" holes in 16ga sheet metal. First I thought
> I
> would try a bolster that I already had that was way too big, like 1.5".
> It
> punched the hole but pulled a lot of material in with the punch, and left
> it
> connected at one point. Saturday I made two new bolsters, one out of 1/2"
> round and one out of 3/8" sq, both have about .030" clearance on the
> punch.
> I tested them last night and both worked well knocking out a nice slug,
> the
> one made from 1/2" round did pull in some material which could be a useful
> effect on some projects.  I check the alignment between punch and bolster
> without material and then put the sheet metal in and punch the hole.  The
> only problem is that the material sticks to the punch and has to be
> knocked
> off after raising it up.  It's a whole lot easier than drilling big holes
> in
> thin material.
>
> Robert Ehrenberger
> Shelbyville, Mo.
> eforge at centurytel.net
>