Adventures in top punch making (Long)
Adventures in top punch making. Having two craftsman 109 metal lathes of which I have no idea how to use. I decided to make a top punch for a swc cast boolit. I am pretty good on a wood lathe and having turned a lot of pens and other wood objects I thought to myself, how hard can this be? With a wood lathe I grab a chunk of firewood, generally find close to center, chuck it up and turn to round. It’s simple to do. With this in mind, I dig through my metal lathe parts; I have a three jaw scroll chuck and three four jaw non-scroll chucks. I have some 5/8” bar stock so it should be a simple matter to chuck up a piece of bar stock in the three jaw scroll chuck and go to town. After twenty minutes of trying to get the bar stock centered I am beginning to realize why machinists’ get paid what they do. It seems as though a machinist must know how to use all of these tools, understand what tool cuts what way, know what speed to cut, what angle the tool must be in relation to the object being machined, understand all the gears and levers on the machine and keep all of this in perfect harmony to get that perfect fit. I suppose that knowing how to measure and read blueprints would come in handy as well. Four arms, six hands, and a brain that would put Einstein to shame would be helpful. This is just for a hobby lathe. I can’t imagine the requirements for a real lathe.
The four jaw non scrolling chucks must be the answer, after all I do have three and there must be a reason why the previous owner had three. If I have three of anything it’s because it really works, two are broken and the third is getting ready to, or I got them at auction for a really good price. After trying to put my bar stock in one of these I am convinced the previous owner got them at a really good price. I think they were made to convince people like me who want to try and make their own parts, not to ever try. Four independent jaws adjusted by an allen wrench individually to center around piece of bar stock can’t be that hard, can it? I know why machinists’ organize and color code everything they own. I understand why the groceries are stacked in alphabetical order by the size of the can in the cupboards. I get why they look and dress like Einstein, it’s the world they live in. By the time I got that thing down to an 1/8” out of true I was proud. I have heard stories about machinists’ being able to chuck up a round piece to within a thousandth of an inch of run out with one of those wretched tools. I believe they reside with Unicorns, Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster. I went upstairs to bed hoping the lathe fairy would come and properly chuck my bar stock while I slept.
I spent the night under my magic blanket protected from the monsters that live under my bed. I awoke happy to see I had survived with my arms and legs still attached. The monsters under my bed went hungry again, thanks to the powers of my magic blanket. The blankets are sold next to the Shamwows in Wal-Mart.
After some coffee I snuck up on the lathe to see, Dang it! The lathe fairy did not come and I was on my own. I am not one to give up so easily, so I put the tailstock in position, picked out a pointy looking cutter thing, placed it the tool holder, moved it into position and flipped the switch. This whole contraption is bolted to a rather large solid steel welding table I built, it’s heavy. I stared in amazement as the table began bouncing flinging tools, oilcans and everything else onto the floor in a matter of seconds. I shut her down. Mental note to self; big pulley on motor to little pulley on lathe equals really fast, combine this with poor stock centering and you have a large, violently, vibrating shell cleaner on your hands. Those top punches are looking mighty cheap at this point.
I switch the pulley; it’s now small to large and attempt more allen wrench adjustments. I am ready to flip the switch again. Should I get one of those catchers’ chest plates and a riot helmet with shield or just rely on my cat like reflexes to protect me? Here kitty, kitty. I flip the switch and things are much better, I am down to a gentle shaking and since my hands are shaking the exact opposite, we cancel each other out. Now I only need to control the forward, reverse, left to right, right to left, screw feed, and two depth of cut dials and I will have it. Do I need to oil like when I drill iron or steel? I will hold the oil can in my teeth. It’s a good thing my head is shaved for my hair will not be ripped from my head; nose hair and ear hair are properly pinned back after all I am over 40 and they both grow about a foot each night.
I flip down the screw drive lever and the tool holder begins to move in the opposite direction of the headstock. I now know what is reverse and what is forward, back in the forties they were not required to divulge such secrets, even the belts were left exposed because real mean don’t need no safeties. I am now going in the right direction. Exposed belt spinning, gears whirring, the table and I shaking as one, I am now on my way to saving $8.69.
Having the stock not on center causes cutting only on the closest edge, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. The question is, will it be big enough in diameter to make a punch by the time it is turned down to round. Algebra was simple to me X= 24 abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz, it’s the 24th letter in the alphabet, I keep using that formula and for some reason it keeps failing me. I am persistent and perhaps the algebra fairy will someday come, in the meantime I will continue with scientific wild ass guesses. (SWAG’s) I did good, it will be big enough.
Now what are all of these cutters ground to different profiles for? Some of them cut, some of them smoke, and some of the just cause the belt to slip. You should note two things here. Number one machinists know these things and that knowledge is what you are really paying for. Number two, used lathes are like rental cars, you never know what the moron driving it before you did to it, so pay accordingly.
Eight hours and lots of smoke later I have a punch. I charge $30.00 an hour for animal damage control work so using math for Marines that $8.69 punch is worth $240.00. I did save $8.69 so if I sell them at $300.00 each I could make a profit.
What did I learn?
I am not going into the top punch making business anytime soon.
I will no longer cringe at the thought of paying $18.99 for a lube sizer die. Do you know how much knowledge it requires to make them? I do, and hopefully after reading this you do to.
I will support fully those folks on this forum who make dies and such for those of us who need them. They are doing us a huge favor. I thank each and every one of you.
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