What's your favorite metal piercing tool?

[Ofilia]

I'm trying to find the "perfect" hand held tool for doing easy piercing of thin metals. I would like a handy tool that will suffice the job without me having to pull out the Foredom or drill.

I just purchased at a show the Euro tool, Two hole metal punch #pun-400.00 I think it has some limitations due to it's design, especially when it comes to irregular metal surfaces.

What do you think? Any recommendations welcome!

[thl]

My hubby uses a sheet metal punch, though you don't have too much selection of size. I don't quite have the hand strength (it's a pliers like thing). They shear rather than cut the metal, so there's burs on the back side, and possibly indents on the front.

I bought a bottom of the line Harbor Freight Drill press and that is actually my favorite way to pierce. If you have room for one, it might be an option.

[Lea Zinke]

Hey Ofilia! Two tools I use all the time are the Japanese little hand-held twisting drill that makes a hole for a jump ring etc. If that's the one you're talking about, we actually modified mine so that the "slot" that you slide the metal in is deeper so that you can make your hole farther in. If any of that makes sense.

The second one is the hand-held "hole punch" that fairly easily punches the same basic sized hole as the above in the thinner gauges. I use it all the time with minimal distortion of the sheet metal.

HTH! BTW, I'm in Wheaton this week (arrived yesterday) if you have any time to play! Only problem is I don't have a car (my daughter sold her "beater" and is shopping for new one as we speak!). I'm going downtown Wheaton for the day just to wander: favorite yarn shop, favorite French restaurant, and VERY FAVORITE thrift shop!!! How 'bout taking off work and meeting me??!!! Haha!

Best,
Lea

[Ofilia]

Hi guys! Thanks so much for the tips! I need to arrange my work area better to incoporate some more sofisticated tooling options8-[..... I needed the encouragement.

Too bad I missed seeing your "I'm in town" message, Lea! NEXT TIME, send me a PM and we'll get together and head out to the thrift shop and do lunch on my day off!

Where does one get that nifty Japanese tool? I'd love to see it..... Do you have a picture?

Ofilia

[playswithfire104]

Hi guys! Thanks so much for the tips! I need to arrange my work area better to incoporate some more sofisticated tooling options8-[..... I needed the encouragement.

Too bad I missed seeing your "I'm in town" message, Lea! NEXT TIME, send me a PM and we'll get together and head out to the thrift shop and do lunch on my day off!

Where does one get that nifty Japanese tool? I'd love to see it..... Do you have a picture?

Ofilia



Yeah I'd love some info on the tools too. Maybe a link?

Ofilia it looks like that tool didn't work out for you. I'm sorry I talked you into buying it. I love mine - now if I can only find it!

[Ofilia]

Hi Nancy, no appologies necessary! It's useable, but more for flat metal. I'm looking for (...ALSO) a hand punch type tool. Something for a quick job and especially for an uneven metal surface.

[Feldt's Glass]

How about the Swanstrom Hole-Punching Plier
http://www.riogrande.com/MemberArea/ProductPage.aspx?assetname=111786&page=GRID&category%7ccategory_root%7c120=Bench+Tools+and+Equ ipment&category%7ccat_120%7c332=Pliers+and+Cutters&first_answer=196
There are 4 different sizes.

[karin]

Hi Nancy, no appologies necessary! It's useable, but more for flat metal. I'm looking for (...ALSO) a hand punch type tool. Something for a quick job and especially for an uneven metal surface.

I just got this from Micro Mark, and like it very much. The punched out disks are not usable as flat disks, since they have an impression in the middle of them, but it does a very nice job on the piece you are punching from. (I bought it to make bead caps for BHB's, and use it to punch out a 1/4" hole from a 1/2 or 9/16" disk)

http://www.micromark.com/POWER-PUNCH-TOOL-KIT,7775.html

Handheld, Includes seven quick-change, hardened punch-and-die sets in the following diameters: 3/32, 1/8, 5/32, 3/16, 7/32, 1/4 and 9/32 inch. Punch opens to 1/4 inch; throat depth: 1-3/4 inches.


I also bought a handpunch from Fundametals to put holes in disks for jump rings and such:
http://www.fundametals.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_25&products_id=101

[Cosmo]

I use my teeth, Chuck Norris style...

[SilverRiverJewelry]

I use my flex shaft. But its always hooked up and hanging next to my work bench so its not any effort for me to use it. Although a hand held punch sounds interesting.
Sonja

http://www.SilverRiverJewelry.com