Thread: Advice needed - cutting brass rod?

Sorry Peter, the lathe comment was said tongue in cheek.

I have just done a test in 2.5mm brassus unknownii, works well and sits nice in a 3/16 hole. I'll post some pics once inside and not on my phone.

What do you use to apply pressure to your punch Peter?

Originally Posted by Ueee

Sorry Peter, the lathe comment was said tongue in cheek.

I have just done a test in 2.5mm brassus unknownii, works well and sits nice in a 3/16 hole. I'll post some pics once inside and not on my phone.

What do you use to apply pressure to your punch Peter?

Ueee,
Sometimes the written word misses the mark...no need for any apology. Got myself in trouble often enough....

Just a mash hammer....but a carefully directed straight hit, not in the arc.


Ray brought one of those pliers type punches to my house a few years ago, and I've been meaning to get one ever since.

Ray,
I think the drill press might not get enough "punch"

Robert,
If you could get away with 1.5 mm brass you will be a happier chap.

I'm happy to roll out some brass strip for you, and cut it into strips on the guillotine.

I was thinking of a punch made from a drill blank the same diameter as your hole, ground nicely flat. An extra long old drill would work with the flutes ground off. Even heat up the hitting end to red and cooling slow, to stop it fracturing on the hammer hits.
The die block is a three piece with a top and bottom at about 12mm and a 3mm piece of steel or even brass or copper sandwiched between them. Mild steel would be OK, but 01 gauge plate would be nice for the bottom plate. Run 2 or 3 machine screws through to hold it all together...or a line of weld even. That's what I meant by missing tools...a tap and die set???? Can't help greasing it up, & pushing someone down the slippery slope of tool acquisition...hehehehe.

The bottom plate would be happier if it had a relief drilled up from bottom, about 0.5 - 1.0mm over-size, with about 3mm left under the surface. The disks will drop out then.
Sounds like fun....

Regards,
Peter

Peter,
I honestly would have thought you would need a small arbor press or hydraulic press to do that. 1 Hit?

Robert,
Here are some pics of the 2.5mm punch "holes". The 2 sizes are the difference in top and bottom diameter. I tried putting one in a 3/16" hole, and it seemed ok, but tried another in a 4.5mm hole and it worked a treat, nice press fit, and the taper on the plug is going the right way. Timber is myrtle. I linished it off with the belt that happened to be on the multitool, a 40g so its a bit rough......

PS...i want to make some dominos now......are you going to put a brass strip in the middle?

What a helpful group this has been, thank you all for your ideas and experience.

I've re-thought through what I'm trying to do.

The 3/16 dots on the dominos is not a critical size (it's just that I had 3/16 rod available), as long as they're close to that size is OK.

Punching the dots out of a thin brass sheet (1.5 mm would be OK) makes more sense now and I'm happy to buy a good set of punches to do this as I'll find more uses for them; where can I get a quality set in Perth?

So, I'll punch out my dots first and then drill holes in my wooden tiles to suit.

I appreciate to offer of the rolled brass strip Peter, are you in perth?

Thanks again
Robert

Originally Posted by JiffyRobert

What a helpful group this has been, thank you all for your ideas and experience.

I've re-thought through what I'm trying to do.

The 3/16 dots on the dominos is not a critical size (it's just that I had 3/16 rod available), as long as they're close to that size is OK.

Punching the dots out of a thin brass sheet (1.5 mm would be OK) makes more sense now and I'm happy to buy a good set of punches to do this as I'll find more uses for them; where can I get a quality set in Perth?

So, I'll punch out my dots first and then drill holes in my wooden tiles to suit.

I appreciate to offer of the rolled brass strip Peter, are you in perth?

Thanks again
Robert

Robert,
I'm on the Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne.
The thinner the metal, the easier it will be to punch them.
1.0mm would be better still.

Here is one supplier.

Australian Jewellers Supplies Pty Ltd
Suite 4, 1st Floor, Clarence House
564-568 Hay Street
Perth, WA 6000

This page in their cattle dog

Regards,
Peter

How about making a parting tool from a discarded razor blade. Grind it to suit but don't overheat it as it will loose temper. This can also be done with a hacksaw blade, preferably HSS. This will waste less material than punching.