In article , Jim Wilkins wrote:
On Dec 6, 5:05=A0pm, Gunner Asch wrote:
pasted
On Fri, 5 Dec 2008 18:49:23 -0800 (PST), wrote:
For low volume work, what would you suggest?

Stainless steel requires 1.5x the energy as standard steel to
punch/shear
Roughly. Often times a bit more.
What size work piece and where the holes are at, makes a big difference
as well
Gunner

Punching pressure in mild steel:
http://www.roperwhitney.com/tech/chart1.cfm

1.2 Ton hand punches:
http://www.roperwhitney.com/punching/2-45.cfm

4 Ton Deep Throat bench punch:
http://www.roperwhitney.com/punching/2-14.cfm

I used the bench one quite a bit at one job. The lower die is tricky
to install, it's both located and held in place by four setscrews so
it shifts as you tighten the screws. Otherwise it worked quite well
for the one-off test equipment I was building. It didn't have work
guides so you need to center-punch each hole location and wiggle the
point on the punch into the dimple by feel.

Usign the tonage chart and the multiplier for SS, the smaller one won't
hack it. It's rated for 1.2 tons, and the force required for mild steel
is 1.4 tons. Throw in the factor for SS and you are way over what it can
handle. The big one would be fine, but is pretty big & expensive. A
step drill is much cheaper. There is one of the punches on eBay at the
moment for $1400, and another for $800.

Doug White