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[randyc]

This is a simple modification that I saw in “Practical Machinist”.  The original poster suggested that grade 8 fasteners could be used to make tooling for a press.  I thought that the idea was pretty creative.

For many applications, this would eliminate the need for tool steel/heat treating. (Grade 8 bolts are about Rockwell C30.) I wanted a set of undersize punches: 1/8, 3/16/ ¼, 5/16 and 3/8.

(I get frustrated trying to align a drift under the arbor press ram, positioning it on the work and then pressing out a pin with only two arms. I thought that this concept would male the process a lot easier.

Drill and tap the arbor press ram (in my case 1/2-13):


  press2.jpg (Size: 13.88 KB / Downloads: 215)

After milling a pair of wrench flats on the bolt, turn off the head and turn to desired configuration:


  press4.jpg (Size: 17.21 KB / Downloads: 215)


  press6.jpg (Size: 16.22 KB / Downloads: 215)

The set and a small punch in the arbor press:


  press8.jpg (Size: 24.22 KB / Downloads: 215)


  press9.jpg (Size: 17.06 KB / Downloads: 215)

These were made mainly for removing dowel pins, as noted previously. But using a bench block as a die and touching off the end of two of the drifts on a disc sander to sharpen, I made some small gaskets, using double-back carpet tape to fix the bench block location under the ram. With the right configuration of tooling, modest punching and cold-forming could be done.

Also, I guess I posted my rotary broach description in the wrong place. Should have been here but this is where I put it, sorry:

http://www.metalworkingfun.com/showthread.php?tid=3647

randyc