When marking parts and blanks from steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, bronze and other metals, a good punch is indispensable. This useful locksmith tool can be bought in the store, or you can do it yourself - for example, from a regular bolt with a diameter of 14 mm.
The main task of the punch is to make a small depression in the metal (hole) so that the drill or self-tapping screw does not slip off the intended point. Moreover, the tool itself must have sufficient strength so as not to become dull for a long time, and also withstand hammer blows to the hammer.
The main stages of work
We clamp the M14 bolt in the lathe chuck and grind the end onto the cone, and then sharpen the lower edge. In the middle of the bolt we weld a steel bar or a piece of smooth reinforcement, onto which we then put on a wooden handle. It can be removed from an old tool (chisel or file), and also made independently.
At the last stage of work, it remains only to harden the pointed end of the bolt and cover the handle with mineral oil. To properly temper the tip of a homemade punch, heat the tip with a gas burner, and then dip it into a container with oil.
The result was a simple, but at the same time useful and convenient to use locksmith tool for the home workshop, which is useful when marking metal blanks. For a detailed punch manufacturing process, see the video on the site.
