Rotary Hole Punch Rusted

[fredk]

This evening I just spotted that Le Prevo has replacement tubes for the rotary hole punch

http://www.leprevo.co.uk/hole-punches.htm

[bruce johnson]

3 hours ago, TomE said:

Do you recall when I was trying to rethread a hardened Osborne punch tube and you advised me about annealing, heat treating, and tempering?  Worked great, except the inside of the tube developed scale(?) and tends to clog.  I've tried polishing inside using a thread coated with compound but maybe haven't tried enough.  Bruce Johnson recommended tapping out the punch frame to fix this mismatch of old and new Osborne punch tubes.  This is a spring punch that holds a single tube.  Finally got back to this project and called CSO to ask what size tap I should use.  Their "technician"  replied that I should just send in the frame and tubes.  So I'm waiting to see what they come up with. 

It is not the threads on the new tube that are the problem, it is the threads on the old frame. The old dies and tube threads had a lower thread height, same pitch. Run a modern tap through the old frame and the new tubes screw right in. Three different tap sizes. Zeros through #7 have the same size tap. #8 tube is unique to that size only, and #9 and #10 use the same pitch.

      As far as polishing your tubes….make a steel wool Q-tip. Start with coarse steel wool. With a variable speed drill and small bit. String out some steel wool and wind it on lol the slowly spinning bit. When you’ve got enough of a wad on the bit tear it loose from the string. Shoot a little WD40 on it. From the threaded end slowly spin it through the tube to the tip back and forth a few times. Go to a medium steel wool and repeat. That’ll do it. 
      I will be interested to see what thread pitches they tell you. It isn’t what you think. 

 

[TomE]

2 hours ago, bruce johnson said:

It is not the threads on the new tube that are the problem, it is the threads on the old frame. The old dies and tube threads had a lower thread height, same pitch. Run a modern tap through the old frame and the new tubes screw right in. Three different tap sizes. Zeros through #7 have the same size tap. #8 tube is unique to that size only, and #9 and #10 use the same pitch.

      As far as polishing your tubes….make a steel wool Q-tip. Start with coarse steel wool. With a variable speed drill and small bit. String out some steel wool and wind it on lol the slowly spinning bit. When you’ve got enough of a wad on the bit tear it loose from the string. Shoot a little WD40 on it. From the threaded end slowly spin it through the tube to the tip back and forth a few times. Go to a medium steel wool and repeat. That’ll do it. 
      I will be interested to see what thread pitches they tell you. It isn’t what you think. 

 

Thanks, Bruce.  The tubes that screw easily into my frame appear to have the taller thread.  In the picture below, the tube that fits is on the bottom and the tube that doesn't screw in is on the top.  The frame was purchased about 4? years ago with a set of tubes that fit the frame.  In 2022 I purchased a size #0 and #00 tube from Springfield Leather.  The #00 fits my frame, and the #0 shown here does not fit.  Perhaps the size #0 tube is the older style and everything else I have is the newer style? 

 

Here is a picture of the frame.  The threads appear rough and flat, like they're not cut in fully.  CSO didn't respond to my question about what size tap I should use to chase the threads.  I sent them my frame and punch tubes as requested.  I'll report back on what they return to me.

 

 

I will try the steel wool polishing tip.  Not sure if I can make an effective Q-tip small enough for the #0 and #00 tubes. Turns out that the #0 is my favorite size for stamped steel bridle buckles. 

Edited September 1, 2023 by TomE

[bruce johnson]

Threads on the tube that doesn't fit appear they aren't cut deep enough. When I talk about old CS Osborne frames and tubes, I'm going back to some of the Newark marked frames and maybe 30 years after. Anything in the last several decades all are taller threads. You got a dud tube. It will be interesting to see what they say. Probably grab a new tube and send it on. 

The threads that work on these 00-7 sizes is a M8-1.0 metric tap and die. I've had people tell me that is BS and have several reasons why these #00-#7 threads are not metric. They cite some SAE die on the tube or tap on the frame that somebody else told them. I stopped arguing it online years ago. Here are pictures of new CS Osborne #00 and #3 tubes screwed into the thread checker board in my shop. Chase the threads in a 120 year old frame these new tubes screw right in and bottom out where they are supposed to. You can screw 120 year old tubes into newer frames without anything but I don't trust old tubes off a Newark marked frame. Easier to just unscrew and toss them and put new ones on. 

Edited September 1, 2023 by Northmount
auto correct! changed fight to cite

[TomE]

On 9/1/2023 at 12:11 AM, bruce johnson said:

Threads on the tube that doesn't fit appear they aren't cut deep enough. When I talk about old CS Osborne frames and tubes, I'm going back to some of the Newark marked frames and maybe 30 years after. Anything in the last several decades all are taller threads. You got a dud tube. It will be interesting to see what they say. Probably grab a new tube and send it on. 

Received my spring punch from CSO today.  Yes, they sent a new #0 punch tube with taller threads, and didn't do anything to the frame.  I will sharpen the tube and be in business.  It is a good size for Weaver's stamped bridle buckles.