Star punch rack

[Rick]

Yeah right. Good find Brad, somehow I missed it.

I'm confused now. The one Brad posted was twice as expensive as the one you posted. What am I missing?
.

 

[Brad]

Because I found one at MSC and keith didn't.
I would likely go with the one Keith found based on price.

My Google fu is strong. At times

 

[Rick]

Oh!

 

[KeithB]

Brad, I bow to your superior google-fu.

Actually, the one at MSC looks like a "better" tap, useful for power tapping multiple pieces. But just to tap 1/8" of threads by hand, cheap is probably good enough.

 

[Brad]

Quality is, quite often, worth another 15-20 dollars. Figure I might want to tap 15-30 holes so some quality is a good thing.

Much of this is as much a learning experience as a practical storage system.

 

[freebullet]

Ya know, you might actually be on to something.

How's about individual threaded holders with screw on caps to boot.

 

[Brad]

Draw me up what you mean Bruce. Within reason anything is possible.

 

[fiver]

I think he means screw the punch in until it bottoms out but with a few threads still showing.
then an internally threaded cap to screw on the exposed punch threads.
if you really wanna get fancy you could stamp or engrave the diameter on the cap.

 

[Brad]

That is possible. Lots of work to outside turn, drill, and tap the covers. Then cut off, reverse, and finish turn the top. A nice knurl is good too for extra gripsion.

Of course this means a ledge or something below to have them bottom on.

 

[freebullet]

Didn't you show me a neat little al cup with a threaded cap & nice knurling you'd made? I was thinking like that, the punch could screw inside it. Wasn't talking about the cap screwing on the punch, but that is interesting to.

Figure you could thread the cap & body on the lathe. Could make similar for dies, but instead of the cup part being threaded inside it could have an o ring groove down it there, so they'd kinda pop in.

If the outside bottom of the base were threaded they could all screw on a threaded base rack. More of the threading could be set up on lathe.

I've threaded a bunch by hand. Reducing the # of holes the special tap does makes them last longer. When I buy them it's usually 3 or more, the only thing that's certain, they break.

Brad might have night terrors if he opened drawers at home & found dozens of pill bottles.

 

[Brad]

I avoid those bottles. I can have all I want. Little desiccant packs too.
If I had a way to shred stock bottles I would have half the worlds supply of shot buffer.

 

[Pistolero]

I'd make it out of a piece of oak, attach to the wall like a shelf with a hole that will take each punch, leave
the 1/2 part to catch on, working end hanging thru a 7/16 hole or so. Varnish the oak and it is even pretty.

Bill