[TheForge] Making dies for cutting sheet metal?

[CGRAF]

Good Mornin Jerry

Mike Graf

On 3/15/2014 1:06 AM, Jerry Frost wrote:
> Only 4? Have then laser, water jet or even plasma cut. Making a punch
> wouldn't be that hard but it will require serious precision and tie unless
> you've made a few. A 20 ton hydraulic press won't do a straight punch
> either, you'd need to make blanking dies. Talk to Lee Marshal if you decide
> to go ahead on dies. Of course you'll be getting those laser cut so . . .
>
> Jer
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bruce .
> Sent: Friday, March 14, 2014 4:22 PM
> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: [TheForge] Making dies for cutting sheet metal?
>
> I've been working on a project, and I'm trying to find the best way to make
> one part.  The part is something like comb in appearance (so that's what I
> call it) but the 2"-long "tines" are 1/4" wide and spaced at 1/4".  The ends
> of the tines are thinner and curve.  Each tine is exactly like the next.
> The whole comb could be made from sheet steel no thicker than 1/16".  I need
> at least four, and probably eight of these combs.
>
> I've considered a number of ways of manufacturing the tines, then welding or
> brazing them to the comb back, but I'm now leaning away from this approach.
>
> At the moment, I'm thinking of cutting these combs of sheets of 1/16" or
> thicker steel (depending what I can cut with a jeweler's saw).  This would
> be tedious and time consuming, but there are worse jobs in the world and I'm
> sure it would work.
>
> The best alternative I can thing to this idea is to use a punch and die to
> cut the tines.  I can drive the punch using my 20-ton forging press.  It's
> the die itself that is the problem.  It would basically be a 1/4" width,
> rounded somewhat on one end, but with a complication at about 1/75" from
> that rounded end, making the punch look slightly like a lower-case "b".  In
> principle, the job could be done with two or three punches of simpler form,
> used sequentially.  If so,
>
> So my question for this group is, how feasible is it to make such tools
> myself?  The only text I have on the subject is Don Streeter's book,
> "Practical Blacksmithing", in which he makes it sound easy enough, but
> doesn't give explicit instructions -- only a general description.  It seems
> to me that a lot of effort could go into making these tools -- which would
> be fine if they work, but a PITA if they don't.  Sizing of punch and die
> would be critical, and Streeter seems to address this by making the die
> after making the punch, and using the punch to help make the die.
> Alignment of punch and die would also be critical, and Streeter doesn't seem
> to say much about that -- I assume because he relies on his machine to hold
> the alignment once punch and die are installed.  I'd have a tougher time
> with that on my forging press.  Hence, while the idea is attractive, I
> expect it might prove to be one of those never-ending projects.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Bruce
> NJ
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