Number punches

Many thanks for all the info ,gave me a lot to think about, looks like a very kind member here will sort me out with a drawing,you all are most kind.

john

Neat jig John.

My original guide had a similar plate over a milled U slot construction with "i suppose it will do" results at best.

For some reason, probably visibility, I took the plate off for a job and held the punch into the slot with my thumb. Considerably better results. I surmise the resilience of my thumb compared to the hard metal guide made things go better for some obscure reason. So thats how I do it now. But not the ideal way to do a lot of stamping.

Clive

Edited By Clive Foster on 25/04/2020 19:47:38

Just easier to use that way because it is numbering the spaces rather than the holes. (The gear is for direct indexing on the Versatile Dividing Head) AFAIK it's standard procedure on commercial spin indexers and the like.

For example, if drilling 3 holes in the job, I set the indexing pin for the first one at 0, move it to 8 for the second hole and 16 for the third.

If I started the number stamps at 1, I would have to drill my holes with the index pin at 1, 9 and 17, which makes it harder to work out and harder to remember. Or I would have to remember to start on hole 24 then go to 8 and 16. Seems easier to me to go 0, 8 and 16.

My granddaughter wanted to make a Viking bracelet and so made her a jig so that the silver could be traversed by incremental positions and she could make a reasonable job the stamps were a little swollen and swaged on the outside so they had to stoned to remove high spots so they would slide through the top jig but it worked out ok.

David

All my apprentice pieces were stamped with my four digit "clock number" freehand. Looking at them now, not one is well aligned. No mention of a jig back then and the results show it.

2 questions on number punches for dividing plates: 1) Where is the best place to find a good quality selection of both font and sizes? 2) can a better result be achieved lining up carefully under a hydraulic press rather than hammer or is sharp impact critical?

2 questions on number punches for dividing plates: 1) Where is the best place to find a good quality selection of both font and sizes? 2) can a better result be achieved lining up carefully under a hydraulic press rather than hammer or is sharp impact critical? I am thinking for a tidy alignment where 2 numbers straddle a hole, better to clamp two punches together with a spacer between, and use a press rather than risk a non-perpendicular hit with a fat hammer, or is that not a good idea?

Edited By Adam Harris on 20/06/2020 17:18:09

Adam:

Your press will work OK without impact as long as the material is not hardened (but that might destroy the punch anyway, of course). The problem with two tools together is going to be getting the lengths exactly the same. As well as ensuring no tilt, etc. A good result will need care in either case.

As to sources, you will need to search around, bearing in mind that such punches are (Nowadays) made on automatic engraving machinery, and there may be one or two suppliers meeting the needs of all the dealers.

If you need a specific typeface you might have to learn how to cut punches for yourself. Very satisfying but not a quick process. There is literature on the process in typography libraries.

Regards, Tim

Thanks Tim but I am definitely NOT going down the road of making my own punches! One set of plates needs 2mm tall numbers punched astride a 3mm hole as in the font of the 1st photo, but another set of plates needs 2mm tall numbers as per the font in the second photo which is very different and looks finely engraved rather than

punched - would any punches fine enough exist somewhere?

Edited By Adam Harris on 20/06/2020 18:28:16

Edited By Adam Harris on 20/06/2020 18:29:30

Edited By Adam Harris on 20/06/2020 18:30:26

Edited By Adam Harris on 20/06/2020 18:33:27

I don't think there are many 2.0mm punches around. We used to use Kennedy interchangeable punches in hydraulic punch setups to number parts at the same time as punching holes, so I looked at the Zoro website and saw this set from Pryor. I suspect you would be better off making your own holder, perhaps with a central pin to engage in the holes in the plate?

Brian G

Brian thanks and using the hole for a centralizing locator is very clever!

Two possibilities for the 2mm numbers on the example plate are laser engraving and electrochemical etching.

Martin C

Brian, I've just bought those Pryor 2mm ones and I will let you know how I get on with the hydraulic press. Many thanks,  Adam

Edited By Adam Harris on 20/06/2020 22:46:04

What is the best material for dividing plates, with a view to resistance to corrosion and nice impression from punch - EN1A, EN3, EN8 or EN24T?

2 mm punches are available, or were. I bought a set at UK show some years ago.

Nice fixture Hopper. Really should search back on the Round Tuit and make on!

Howard

I have the 2.0mm Pryor punches. It's worth checking them over and make allowances for off-set characters.

Some of my numbers are not central to the punch body.

Ed.

Edited By Ed Duffner on 21/06/2020 14:40:11

Oh dear! Well I I have bought them now so I will just have to keep my fingers crossed. They were reassuringly more expensive than most I've seen at £27. I see you bought their cheaper "steel hand stamps" punches, whereas I have bought their "Interchangeable Steel Type Set" which are designed specifically for uniformity of type size and space size and blank size in order to be set up in a block type holder so I am hopeful they may indeed be more uniform.  Do you know of better?

Edited By Adam Harris on 21/06/2020 16:33:01

Edited By Adam Harris on 21/06/2020 17:13:40