I want to make a center punch. I had a large one, made of octagonal* stock. it was long enough for me to use it easily, I have huge hands. lost it.

so I need a new one, and I can't find one to buy. what kind of steel, and how to heat treat the point?

thanks.

yes, octagonal. eight sides. from Brazil.

see if you can find some 1099 steel.....heat the tip hed hot and quench in water
he heat to blue color and quench again
Walla....punch

I usually make my punches and similiar tools from O-1 or A-2 tool steel. You can buy small quantities from onlinemetals.com

Call a couple metal suppliers and ask for some "drill rod" which will be a high carbon steel. Look in your phone book or even better call a local machine shop and ask for a local metal supplier.

I really like long punches and chisels too. I got hooked when I was working as a professional blacksmith, all my punches and chisels were 10" - 1 foot long to keep my hands away from the hot metal but once you get used to it they are a lot handier to use.

To harden/temper- heat to a cherry red with a torch (use an oxy-acet, but if all you have is a propane torch let me know and I'll tell you how to make a cheap and quick little forge/furnace that will work and cost less than $3)

Anyway, once the metal is cherry red (a magnet will stop sticking at this temp) quench in oil or water. I prefer used motor oil but it will also flare up a second or two, part of the mystique of the forge, but for punches and chisels water works just fine. Once it is cool, polish it with sandpaper so you get a bright and shiny finish, doesn't have to look like chrome or anything but you need enough shiny metal to see the color change underneath. Now heat the tip to a light blue. first it will be a goldish color (straw is how it is usually referred to) then darken to violet and then blue. At the first hint of blue stop heating and let the tool air cool. Presto you're done. If the tool ends up being too soft for your preference, just reharden and retemper, this time to a lighter shade until you are happy with the result.

thank you all for your replies.

quote:

To harden/temper- heat to a cherry red with a torch (use an oxy-acet, but if all you have is a propane torch let me know and I'll tell you how to make a cheap and quick little forge/furnace that will work and cost less than $3)

I'll use an oxy-acet torch, but don't hold back on the $3 furnace, I gots to know

ps-

do you think I could draw the temper using a piece of hot steel held against the point area of the punch, letting the heat conduct up through the point and watching the color?

quote:

Originally posted by tin can:
ps-

do you think I could draw the temper using a piece of hot steel held against the point area of the punch, letting the heat conduct up through the point and watching the color?

It's not at all important how the tip (chisel edge) is heated.

I know a dude with an M-2 BMG (class III). We shot up a car and stuff and when it was all over the bullet cores (I believe Tungsten) were laying on the ground all over the place. Those make great center punches.

mousegun is absolutely correct, if you can get your hands on armor piercing cores, you can have some great punches.

Three replies later this thread has spiraled into exponential decay.



:|

quote:

Originally posted by tin can:
ps-

do you think I could draw the temper using a piece of hot steel held against the point area of the punch, letting the heat conduct up through the point and watching the color?

You are making it too complicated. Heat the part like Vapo said and quench it in cold water. Re-heat again until it turns blue and quench it. Wipe dry and start using. Simple.

quote:

Originally posted by tin can:
thank you all for your replies.



I'll use an oxy-acet torch, but don't hold back on the $3 furnace, I gots to know

The question you got to ask yourself is, "Do I feel lucky?"

Anyway, take 2 bricks, the softer the better and chisel out a large groove on the flat face of each, enough to fit a large sausage. Then you can put the 2 bricks together so it looks like you have chiseled a tube through them. Now take one of the bricks and chisel or drill a round hole in the side of it, so that the hole is centered in the groove you made earlier. You want it to be 5/8" or so. Now wire the bricks together, and then take a propane torch and position it so the flame from the torch goes into the hole, keep the head of the torch about 1/2" from the opening but fiddle around so you get enough fire but not enough to overheat the head of the torch.

You can use these to forge and heat treat knives and other small tools. They are a good trick to keep in the back of the grey matter.

The best brick to use is soft firebrick. The softer the brick the better, but of course you use what you can get. Only warning is the first time let it warm up slowly to drive off any moisture. so just crack the torch a little way and go somewhere else for 10 minutes so if there is a steam fracture you won't catch any hot brick anywhere.

tin can:

If you use A-1 or O-1 tool steel turn it to the shape you want. Knurl it what ever.

Then heat treat to 1400 degrees for 48 minutes. Quench it in oil until cool enough to handle with bare hands.

Don't drop it at this stage, it will shatter like glass.

Carefully aneal with OA torch until it just turns a dull red and let it cool down enought to turn straw colored. Reheat several times repeating this last process several times.

Allow to cool to room temperature. You now have a punch/chisel that will last longer than you will.
Longshot

thanks for the 3 dollar furnace info,

and-

quote:

Allow to cool to room temperature. You now have a punch/chisel that will last longer than you will.
Longshot

the rumors of my death are greatly exagerated

-thanks