The punch actually came in Tuesday. Lil Stampie and I tried to punch a hole with him operating the punch and me trying to hold it but that didn't work. We then decided that we'd make a mount tonight and get started.
This morning my work van was in the shop so I used the time to lay out the holes on the battery box planning on 13/16ths holes since that's the largest I have.
We got home this evening and bolted the punch to a 2x8 which was screwed down to our Challenge bar.
Lil Stampie was then to punch a 1/2 inch hole into a piece of scrap angle. Then we went to put in the 13/16ths punch and discovered that the collar to hold the punch was only big enough for the 11/16ths. WTH. So we punched a 11/16ths in our test piece and called it an evening.
That's an impressive tool you have there Stampie.
What did you search to find that tool? I think i want to keep my eyes open for one.
In reply to Dusterbd13 :
I searched for hole punch. There's a lot of different kinds. This one is a Roper Whitney and it's a big rabbit hole to go down. Looks like the I might be spending another $70 to be able to punch 13/16ths holes.
I inherited my grandfather's Roper-Whitney. It's a "handheld" model that's big and heavy enough that I usually put it in my bench vise. A fine tool!
Yours is a bit bigger, and it's powered by kid-power, so that makes it more fun too!
I'll need to find an excuse to show my daughter mine...
In reply to TVR Scott :
I find kids love stuff like this. Instead of getting the normal "you're not big enough" they get to see that the use of simple leverage allows them to do things that even adults think is amazing.
In reply to Stampie :
Hell yeah! I remember being in 8th grade shop class and learning about levers. Then that summer my dad and I pulled out a broken chunk of fence post using a big timber and a whole lot of fulcrum. It was like magic come to life for me!
Well that wasn't easy to find. Here's the problem. There's a nut that holds the punch in the top of the tool. The hole on the nut that came with the tool is right over 11/16ths of an inch wide. Here's the 13/16ths punch.
Apparently they make a split nut to fit over that shouldered area at the top for the larger dies. Couldn't find it at all. Them I remembered when I was looking for dies last week one place had the option of ordering the coupling nut with the dies. Called them and sure enough they'll sell the nut separate for $27 plus shipping. So now we're on hold until that gets in.
I really need one of those. I have the small handheld one for sheetmetal, which is excellent for making spot weld holes
If you want really big holes, search for Pexto turret punches, but you better have plenty of shop space first, oh and a fat wallet
In reply to stafford1500 :
Want really big holes ✔️
Plenty of shop space ❌
Fat wallet ❌
Stampie said:
In reply to stafford1500 :
Want really big holes ✔️
Plenty of shop space ❌
Fat wallet ❌
I am missing those same two variables, so I just use the punches at work on my lunch break
Stampie said:
In reply to TVR Scott :
I find kids love stuff like this. Instead of getting the normal "you're not big enough" they get to see that the use of simple leverage allows them to do things that even adults think is amazing.
I've been thinking and it seems like all the GRM kids should get cheater-bars for Christmas!
In reply to TVR Scott :
We were helping Chris work on his wife's car this evening. Lil Stampie was removing the brake pedal cause well he fit under the dash better. He got annoyed with me because I broke a nut loose for him. To the point that he was asking for a hammer to hit the 1/4 inch ratchet that barely fit in the space. It's funny how they want to do what they see us doing without us helping.
She's back.
Charged the battery and a few wacks on the starter with a hammer. We started building a battery holder but needed a press. We lost our half of the 100 ton press in the Team Stampie divorce so we picked this up after lunch. Orange is my favorite color.
Soooo is team stampie just the stampies now less a chris and carol?
also do you need nitrousy bits?
This Challenge it'll be Lil Stampie, Grandma Stampie, honorary Stampie Pete Gossett, and I. I'd respond here about the Nitrous but we're already texting.
I like you and asa, but honestly looking forward to meeting your mom
sleepyhead said:
In reply to Stampie :
It strikes me that drill bits are "budget exempt" and those L-brackets are over-kill as-is?
I think you owe me a beer for mental anguish. Today was visit possible next school for Lil Stampie. He's hanging with a friend this afternoon so I decided to work on Sleepyhead's battery box. First I cut up some metal.
Welded it all up.
Put my 1.5 inch wide 1/4 inch aluminum bar in. Got to about 45 degrees on my bend and it gave.
A little pressure with my hands and this.
At this point I'd normally say berk it and pour a whiskey but I need to pick up Lil Stampie in few so trying to decide if I'll see if 1/8 inch aluminum will work or just make it out of free 1/8 inch steel I have laying around.
You are gonna need a small radius on the inside corner of your bender... and/or anneal the aluminum with a torch
In reply to stafford1500 :
I didn't want a radius. I just tried annealing it and much better but still tore.
Now that was just a quick test while I waited for the charcoal in the grill to get ready. I'll probably try again maybe annealing it better and see before I go to the 1/8 steel. Thanks for getting me closer.
I learned a trick for annealing to the proper temp.
Get a candle and wave the flame over the area where you want to anneal. The soot will collect on the part.
Once the part is sooted up pretty nicely, pull out your torch and heat the part until all the soot burns off. It usually takes a while and the soot just sort of fades from black. Just look for the metal to be shiny again.
You can use an oxy/acetylene torch too, but the soot from that is a lot thicker and dirtier.
To get a small radius use a piece of sacrificial sheet metal or two. Run it into the V with the ram first, then tape the bent sheet metal to the ram and try to bend your bar stock again. The radius does not have to be big, but the sharp edge on the inside is the root cause of the outside failure/tearing.
The sheet metal radius thing is called a shoe and can be used on typical box brakes too, if you need to increase bend radius. There is a tolerance on high tight you can get a bend without failure for all metals. If you need it really square, cut and weld.
Stampie said:
sleepyhead said:
In reply to Stampie :
It strikes me that drill bits are "budget exempt" and those L-brackets are over-kill as-is?
I think you owe me a beer for mental anguish. Today was visit possible next school for Lil Stampie. He's hanging with a friend this afternoon so I decided to work on Sleepyhead's battery box. First I cut up some metal.
Well, mail’s about to get real screwed up for me... maybe... not that that matters much, since you can’t ship beer. So, I guess I’ll have to pay-pal you the funds?
