DIY Automatic Center Punch

[@MakingStuff]

Hope you enjoy the video! Post a comment and let me know what you think.

[@milihans4287]

whats the Ø on the material your using before u do anything to it and whats the treads Ø

[@michaeltelemachus5112]

Forgive me if I am wrong, but did you just cheat and use the original springs? Also, how long would it last before it became unusable because the steel was too soft?

[@RammSkz]

I'm pretty sure that it would take at most a few dozen punches on steel for it to become garbage.

[@temurnariashvili7526]

Metal is too soft. Use concrete nails. Also, make a tapered transition so that it fits exactly into the tapered negative turned with a drill in the middle of the handle. Since the metal is soft, the shank is flattened and stops normally entering the hole of the striker. The impact force is lost due to friction in the striker channel. You can strengthen the blow by installing a powerful spring behind the striker. And in principle, you can take any spring at the tip. Probably even from a ballpoint pen. Its only purpose is to reload the instrument.

[@michaelthibault7930]

Adding the point to the striker using the hand-held micro-lathe suggested to me that the world would benefit from a C-clamp on which is mounted a hime joint into which you can place sealed bearings of various internal diameters; with the object spinning on its axis in the micro-lathe passing through that sealed bearing, as its forced up against the belt sander's belt, the would-be tip would be largely constrained from moving off-axis, producing a much more precise, symmetrical point. Hell, make several sizes -- with different sizes of C-clamp, different sizes of hime joint, and groups of inserts that allow for the swapping in, and out, of a myriad of different sealed bearings. Bundle them all together in almost-complete-yet-frustratingly-overlapping sets, and sell them in hardware stores at indecent prices... Tools are a contagion.

[@lakeoverview6666]

Thank you very much for opening one of this up, I found this punch for a buddy of mine that pasted away from COVID and 20 years ago he took it apart and couldn't figure it back together so thank you

[@sylviacolburn1462]

Mine don't reliably work. I suspect the heads on those pins are Too Flat, not enough rounded edge.

[@KaylaJoyGunn]

Man I need to thank you. These are one of the most important time savers I kept on my tool belt, and I can NOT find these anywhere in South Africa, where I now live. Since shipping anything over here costs more expendable income than I can make in a month, it looks like I'm going to have to figure out how to rig one up, and this is the best video on the entire internet on how to do that. Please pat yourself on the back for a job well done, and accept a brother's gratitude.

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks!

[@revtmyers1]

One of those tools that once you use it you wonder how you ever managed without it. Really nice job.

[@bluetorch13]

it's so satisfiying seeing this level of craftmanship on a piece that looks so simple. Subscribed!

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks!

I enjoyed the video very much; a center punch looks like a simple tool but in fact it’s kinda sophisticated. And I like that you talk us trough the process rather than hearing some random music. Also I find it oddly satisfying to see the metal being turned :)

[@philippehubert3920]

Thanks to your video, I understood how the automatic needle valve works! Mine, brand new, did not work well, after having disassembled it, nothing made us understand the principle. Now I understand! Thank you for this explanation, I will die even less stupid!

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks for watching!

[@mattmilauskas5727]

never knew that's how knurling was done. very cool video, thank you for posting!

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks for watching!

[@sylviacolburn1462]

He's RIGHT; that was Uber-Cool.

[@brigitteprovost4306]

Beau travail! Félicitation, 👍👍 c'est une jolie réalisation! Bravo👏👏👏

[@contessa.adella]

You missed a fundamental feature in the explanation, that causes it to trigger….the front piston does not align with the hole in the hammer due to spring compression. Check inside the barrel and you’ll see a restriction hole just a bit wider than the piston shaft…notice the conical collar half way down the piston shaft? As the piston rises, off centre as you correctly said, when the collar reaches the restriction hole it aligns the piston centrally….and NOW the piston slips into the hammer hole allowing the hammer to snap down. The take away is you need that alignment restrictor in the barrel AND it must be wide enough to allow the piston shaft to sit off centre until that sloped collar fits into the restrictor and centralises the piston. Great video thanks. Although I just purchased a nice Starrett 18C, beast of an auto punch😊 PS: Love your mini lathe👍

[@noobinho8882]

I pause the video at 17:50 and as i have seen you have made a pretty good jod by replicating the parts, so i think it's a YES from me it's gonna work 💪👌👍

[@MakingStuff]

Cool, thanks

[@rowjo2006]

This was a fantastic video to watch at a higher playback speed; lots of realy good content packed into one sitting

[@MakingStuff]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@waptek2]

the brass barrel interior is what forces the off center pin to centr on the hammer face & fall into its hole

[@ggguest329]

Amazing tutorial for both lathe and mechanism! I love it.

[@MakingStuff]

Thank you very much!

[@The_Joker_]

Beautiful job buddy. A tool that gets plenty of use in my workshop.

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks 👍

[@joaquimlopesdasilva6414]

Congratulations, you are very smart. watching here from Brazil.

[@MakingStuff]

Thank you! 😃

[@Cra1gst]

why do i love videos like this just self made stuff always seems better

[@blakehendrix641]

Nice work! Some would call it a waste of time since they’re only like $5 but I think it’s cool that you went through the trouble and succeeded! I’d like to see a version of a pull back spring punch! Seems like it’d be easier to do!

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks!

[@TheRainHarvester]

Very cool. I always wondered how these work! I wonder if I could fit the mechanism into a fat metal pen?

[@anriroze11]

I was thinking similarly if I could get it fitting in a mechanical pencil

[@rowjo2006]

hands down knew it was gonna work, v well made; ty

[@stevepl6198]

the hammer end has to have a flat side in the whole it will not work correctly thanks for the video it answered a couple of questions for me I hope my info helped as well

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks for the info!

[@ARIFINLATHE]

Your idea really makes my daily work easier, sir, thank you sir💯💯❤👍🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝

[@pappy1812]

Thanks for such a great video. My auto centre punch broke not long back and it never crossed my mind to either fix it or make my own. But I will now. Thanks also for the link to the dimensions.

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks for watching!

[@Scott-oj5co]

Thanks for the lesson in reassembly. I bought and took my brass punch apart before I got home and had no idea how to put it back together. I however will save the time and money that would be spent on hospital bills, plus the truck load of credit card debt that lord only knows that has been mounted in the the purchase of all those tools that ultimately made the $6 punch.

[@chriswisneski6071]

Great project! I always wondered exactly how those worked, but never got around to tearing one down. Now I know better... As for the hardness - bolts are hardened by heat treating, so yes, the steel is hardenable. Better bolts = better hardening properties. Grade 0 junk bolts are not very good steel. But it's surely oil-quench grade hardenable steel, not the more expensive water quench grade hardenable steel... But even water quench steel gets more surface hardness if you quench it in oil. Higher surface hardness = less deforming at the tip. Higher through hardness = brittle parts that break on impact (like taps - ever dropped a tap on concrete?). So you want the tips surface-hardened, as well as the surfaces where the 2 pins contact each other and the hammer, but not the length of the pins (too much hardening and they'll break like a tap hitting a concrete floor...). Impact resistance seems to be the key here, not rigidity.

[@MRrwmac]

Nice metal work you did!

[@NoTimeForThatNow]

Awesome video, always makes me glad to see when you post a new one!

[@BushImports]

The video was fine, I really did not pay any attention to how long it was, it was not long enough to be a big deal. I was just looking to see how cheap those are on banggood and I noticed some of them have a round or roundish knob on the cap you push down on which could be really nice if you have a really strong spring on your punch. They should send you one of their mini lathes to review, they are not the same as the one you have and may not be as good a quality. I really like that knurling tool, it really make whatever you are making look more professionally made and nice, if I had a lathe I would get one of those.Thanks man.

[@wolfparty4234]

I’m sorry, I see that you still are making videos. Thank you, keep up the great work 👍🏻👍🏻🙏🏻

[@AtmaS]

Great job and explaination. I learned a lot. Thank you

[@MakingStuff]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dadpreneuryt1055]

Wow. Amazingly done Sir. Superb and congrats

[@MakingStuff]

Thank You!

[@Oficina-Aprendiz-de-Marceneiro]

Amazing work. 👍👍👍

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks!

[@anriroze11]

This is very interesting! Just fun I might have a go at making this without the lathe, only using bits and bobs I already have

[@mohamedelsaka8865]

Many thanks from CAIRO . EGYPT . Frankly speaking you are professional man , but if l do not have lathe . Can l use some thing else like hard pen ? Or drinking water fitting accessories ?

[@daniloalarcon8182]

Nice job; I'll do my version of that later

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks for watching!

[@davidthomson4716]

A simple mechanism,could this principle be up-scaled to function as an impact hand tool to compact rammed earth.

[@xowii4life]

Ok so I got one of those and my doesn’t pop as yours did to put the dent. What is being done wrong if you don’t mind answering.

[@sylviacolburn1462]

Ya, mine too. Once I learned that that pin in the spring Needed to be off-center, I went into it & play with the Spring, until it was more off-centered, which Helped but still didn't make it work 100% of the time. I'm thinking of grinding the pin heads to round them more, but that's an irreversible change, so.......

[@Lesfac]

Good to watch. If it was me,(and I had the materials), I would have made a beefier one rather than make a copy of what I already owned.

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks for watching!

[@Tinkering902]

I guess need to find my main spring. I took it apart wondering why it wasn't working and couldn't figure it out. Now how did the spring get lost to begin with?

[@bjmaguire6269]

Yes it will work. 17:49 timestamp

[@MetalWorksProjectMWP]

This ia the machine i would have even it was mini metal milling lathe but i cant afford this machine due lack of funds hope to have sponsor like u so i could have like this machine so i can make more fabrication love lots ka-Metal good work how u make your own metal tapper

[@يحيىالجردي-ت8ش]

عمل متقن و جميل تحياتي من سوريا

[@king0fth3road]

Great carbide inserts. small chips not long ribbons

[@JAVAFLIXCORTES]

Very Nice job !

[@MakingStuff]

Thank you very much!

[@BobBlarneystone]

It's and interesting and useful project. But I would suggest that you use a harder piece of steel for the prick. Why not try the shank of a spade bit? They're reasonably tough but not brittle.

[@pauldevey8628]

Could you have teat treated the tips of the hammer and push? Use oil to quench.

[@marioabarzuai]

Awesome, thanks from Chile

[@michaelhunt4131]

Very nice job and yes I think it will work :-) just about to find out

[@b0rd3n]

I think your parts would benefit from using spring passes once in a while in order to keep the forces down on the last bit of any cut you do. It will make for better surface finish and greatly improve your dimensionnal accuracy. Deflection is a 'female dog' when it comes to small parts, best spring the 'defecat matter' out of it!

[@cmpremarathna1275]

according to my observations,the orifice in the middle housing part and the smooth increase of the diameter of the pin forces the pin back to the center .this causes the pin to move in to the center bore of the hammer suddenly.

[@satxsatxsatx]

for your next project: :) make a wooden rounded knob that screws into the back end, like are found on awls, so one pushes with palm rather than grabbing and squeezing the shaft.

[@MakingStuff]

That's a good idea. I'll have to try it.

[@audieriomarinho]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 nice job

[@MakingStuff]

Thank you!! 😁

[@rain5510]

What is the size of the center hole running through the middle section?

[@MakingStuff]

No idea

[@marioserra4383]

NICE JOB, THANKS FOR SHARE

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks for watching!

[@clydebalcom8252]

It's going to work.

[@hyperhektor7733]

6:28 btw you could do it better , 1.if you cut the shaft near the chuck first you weaken the part so it bends easily, you can see the effect of a cone. 2.instead of pushing against the rod, a better way it cut against the face so the force doesnt bent the metal as much. 3.if you want to play it safe, dont let the part stick out so much, instead just cut the first half then pull it out and cut the second half. this way the cut is less far away from the chuck. 4. the steel bolts are very soft so i dont use lube, and i use more rpm with less cutting depth which reduces bending again, but i think the first 3 point will be enough for your needs. 6:45 offcourse you can use a dead or revolving center, just cut a small center hole in the face with a centerdrill and it works. 5:00 these chinese holders and tools are a game changer i bought 14pcs for ~5-6$ a piece + all the inserts and holders for ~50$, this would cost a fortune in the past xD (avg the price of 2 minilathes)

[@manueltrejo2930]

Hello, I really liked your center punch congratulations. I would like to know what the rollers are called to mark the metal.minute 16:30 greetings from Mexico

[@MakingStuff]

It's called a knurling tool. amzn.to/2IpxCXq

[@MercuriusBristophiles]

Good job

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks!

[@Inkreptile]

14:58 if you do that with the lathes we have at school you would destroy the whole insert and insert holder that said great video really enjoyed watching it and very interesting to see people make these P.s. why did the metal parts look rounded were the lathe should've left nice straight cuts ... is there play in the crossslide ???

[@laxmikantharaokatekola3330]

Very nice

[@CuriousEarthMan]

yes! it will work lol It's nice to right every now and then :) Thanks for the great video!!! May I ask: where do you buy your drill bits, and what method do you use to sharpen them: free-hand on a regular wheel, on a cup wheel, in a jig on a wheel, with a sharpener like drill Dr. or other? Thank you again!!!

[@MakingStuff]

I use Dewalt bits from a big box store. They are the best I can get locally. I don't sharpen them. I usually go through one set per year or so.

[@CuriousEarthMan]

@@MakingStuff thank you for answering! I think it was in the shop press build, I saw nice, quality chips being produced...nice, long spirals!

[@jakeqwaninne8502]

my first one was in a box of really old tools i got from a garage cleanout, along with some swanson combo squares, and 2 really old 6"starett combo squares, (at the time, i had no idea what they were),so i cleaned all this stuff with laquer thinner and a grey 3m scuff pad we use to blend paint on cars (i can feel all you tool and die guys cringing),so i used this thing for a while to mark drill holes in wood, so one day i pushed really hard and it clicked really loud, so i was like shit i broke it, then i saw one harbor freight , and finally figured out what it was, anyway, i have done nothing to adjust the tools i found and my squares are dead square, i found out the tools i had were made in the 60's, and still dead on, says something for stuff made back then, i don't pass a yard sale now without looking at the old tools, and no, i'm not selling any of it

[@txdocprich_8404]

Use tool steel for the pin and striker.

[@mountdoom3169]

A nice fun project but this is reinventing the wheel

[@ricardouribe9127]

Felicitaciones , muy profesional para trabajar excelente.

[@ramonmichaud3004]

YOU CAN USE CONCRETE NAILS FOR PINS

[@davekimbler2308]

Nice job 👍 ! A+

[@MakingStuff]

Thank you! 👍

[@christiantabamendiola3533]

Super Great

[@wolfparty4234]

I do think it’ll work!

[@Илья-у2в6ю]

Вы большой молодец 😎😊👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@rubenpilco6814]

Muy profesional el trabajo.

[@MrHmhk]

nice work but it need lathe machine to do it it will be very nice if doit with simple tools

[@willianarguello4678]

Me dan anciedad los anuncios y pierdo concentración. Para q ponerlos, si ya estamos adictos

[@jt9498]

I noticed you were turning from left to right. It's supposed to be from right to left, with the bulk of the metal coming out from the chuck.

[@manadio]

the chineese onen that i got from amazon gets stuck most of the time..

[@martinlowe7265]

There's a good chance it will work because you used expensive equipment to make it....similar to that used to make store bought punches...so no big surprise there....Try making one with minimal hand tools only.....

[@Asfia74]

WOW!

[@rogerborg]

At 9:25 you'd have got a more central hole if you'd used... a center punch.

[@rob200cm]

14:56 ups😊

[@jakeqwaninne8502]

BTW, really nice job, it looks great, and works, i still need to get a laithe

[@derekbernardradue10]

Exelent😅😅😅

[@MakingStuff]

Thanks 😅

[@spud4ever290]

Yea

[@danilonunez5139]

I want to buy it ,send contact

[@mac10man]

Why didn’t you just MAKE the tool holder part that you needed?

[@ate-ē-ate]

If something requires a LATHE I don't think you can call it "D.I.Y"

[@MakingStuff]

LOL!

[@whyhello902]

They cost like $10 for 2 on Amazon. Is it really worth wasting all that time making one.

[@cyh9606]

OK👍👍👍감사합니다

[@createstuff7691]

Another great video mate great job And now we know how they work 👍 Love watching channels like yours Inspired me to start sharing my work Think you might like just finished some cool lamps would b amazing if you could check it out let me know what you think 👍 Keep up the great work 😎💯

[@josearnaldopinheirodossant7712]

I believe, the original was fabricated by Starrett ...

[@bbwiebz3994]

Great for breaking into piggies car

[@emonikino]

waw, some of the dimensions are in mm (metric) 😮, this will confuse americans. well, half-way there.

[@Bob_Adkins]

So it's not a center punch, it's an off-center punch.

[@MakingStuff]

Only on the inside :)

[@CNCEVOLUTION]

Like

[@brothermagdi5637]

no ,i think it won't work let me see ...

[@cri8tor]

Goodby fried rice. Hello fried chicken. Time to start making our own tools and stop buying so much cheap Chinese junk......that we modify anyway. I know many choose to support the Chinese economy, but maybe we could dial it back a little. Thank you for the video.

[@robertbutler8004]

Come on man get real you would have assembled that punch off-camera to be sure that you did not stuff up.

[@FranksDIY]

It's nice that you can duplicate it but I payed $2 for mine and I'd pay it again if it broke. Cool the way you made it though

[@MakingStuff]

Yeah it's definitely not a save money project. Just something fun to do.

[@praveenferna]

Lol about $1000 tools and +5 hours of labour just to make a $15 tool from Amazon/ebay....

[@MakingStuff]

It's actually only about $500 worth of tools but the knowledge and fun the project provided was priceless.

[@praveenferna]

@@MakingStuff you know what, that’s totally true. Thanks for replaying back to me. Keep doing what you’re doing mate, you’ve got a sub!

[@jerryrouse3621]

Mo

[@marcz9482]

a diy person does not have a lathe