Re: Making a punch die?

Hi Joseph,

Yes, I remember those days! Did a LOT of cutouts with an electric hand
drill and a file! You might try getting ONE fresh punch, and carefully
measuring the two punch parts. That might suggest clearances needed for
other punches (?), and you can then cut your die parts with similar
working clearances. I'm not a machinist or T/D maker either! It would
be worth a shot! You could always "adjust" them later if they are too
tight. I've never ACTUALLY seen the punch set for a DB25, but it should
be similar??

I'd be curious (as would others, I assume) to hear of your results!
Meanwhile, I'm happy letting my sherline do them for me!

Alan KM6VV


Joseph wrote:

>
> Hi Alan,
>
> I'm actually more of an electronics guy. I decided to tinker with
> machining so that I can make a "finished product" when I work on my
> projects.
>
> Seeing as how these dies are about $60 for simple round punches to
> around $200-$300 for squares and connectors (DB, DIN, BNC), I figured
> that making "cheap" punches would be worthwhile. (Heck, almost pays
> for the CNC machine!) I plan on punching maybe 20 or so connector
> cutouts in a year, so I can't imagine spending $200+ for each die.
>
> I like the idea of CNC'ing the cutouts directly, and I was originally
> thinking of doing that; but I just liked the idea of making my own
> dies.
>
> Moreover, if this idea does work, I might donate some homemade dies
> to my alma mater. When I was a student, I was bummed at how shoddy
> my case looked.
>
> Joseph
>
> --- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., Alan Marconett KM6VV <KM6VV@a...> wrote:
> > Hi Joseph,
> >
> > Are you a tool and die maker? ;>) That sounds like a neat idea! I
> have
> > many of the Greenle round punches, and I'd LOVE to have the "DB"
> > punches. Ever price them? the next best (best?) thing to do is
> make up
> > a set of part programs to cut them! Locate them by the center, or
> the
> > left-hand hole, or whatever you like, zero the mill's axis where you
> > want a hole, and run the Gcode!
> >
> > Alternately, a "library" of cutouts and hole patterns could be
> saved at
> > the CAD level, and when you need say, 17 holes in a box for a
> parallel
> > port breakout, you just "copy" the bulkhead BNC's 'D' cutout (OK, I
> just
> > make round holes), and "paste" it to all the locations you need the
> > connector at! Just my .02USD's worth!
> >
> > Alan KM6VV
> >
> > Joseph wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > > I'd like to make my own punch dies for cutting cutouts for
> electronic
> > > connectors in an aluminum case (0.062). Has anyone tried this or
> > > seen information that might help?
> > > Joseph