Grant Erwin wrote:
wrote:
.. I had intended to drill a 1/4"
diameter hole first and then square it with the punch.
I submit that this is a really bad idea. Unless you make up a punch that has a
1/4" guide pin, you'd never be able to locate your hole, so your holes would be
randomly located to some degree. Further, drilling stainless sheet is itself a
bitch which you do not need to do if you're going to punch it.
I decided on stainless because of it's stiffness and resistance to
corrosion.(But if someone can recommend a better material that is not
expensive I'd appreciated it). :-)
As for guiding, through practice all I'd have to do is determine
exactly where two sides of of the punched hole will be so I can mark
accordingly so I know exactly where to put the edges, and I should have
no problem with positioning for accuracy.
Properly set up, a punch makes very minimal distortion. If there were some, you
could always set the piece between blocks and tap on the top block with a hammer.
You lost me on that one.
It seems some people are responding to this posting with the impression that you
may have to also put square 1/4" holes in stainless up to 1" thick. I hadn't
seen this, but if so, punching is out of the question for material that thick
and it would take a very large machine to do such even if you could find a punch
that wouldn't shatter. On the other hand, broaching doesn't make sense for sheet
metal. A small square hole in sheet metal? NO BRAINER - punch it and be done.
Of course punching is out of the question for stainless that is 1"
thick. That is why I was attempting to get more info on the wobble bit
that makes a square hole. But as for this particular project involving
1/16" thick stainless steel, punching is obviously the way to go.
P.S: That punch on eBay we were discussing has 5 tons of punching
power, but I am still considering John's offer. The problem is that his
is not portable. :-(
Thanks.
Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.