I crushed another rotary punch

[Pip]

Well i just crushed my forth cheap rotary punch the central pin buckled, i am going to need a new one and this time a better one.

Which would you recommend, for sturdyness .....I have what my partner calls a tenacious grip (from years playing water polo, whittling and aikido before you ask) and don't have anywhere nearby to go and try them out. I am willing to pay upto £50 ($100) ish including packaging/post. I use medium to thick carving leather (2mm - 4mm) but may start doing some finer stuff anytime now. ideally i would like to be able to remove and sharpen the punches, and replace the anvil if it is ruined.

Thanks in advance

[Drac]

I'd say skip the rotary punch (don't like 'em, meself) and get a set of regular punches.

[wolvenstien]

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/product...?number=3230-00

This is the one I own and use.... but like Drac said, use the individual punches. The only time I really use the rotary punch is when I cannot punch it with the drive punch....

Keep in mind that this rotary punch requires the replacement punches ro be round at the base, not hex like my tandy sells. I had one get blacked and I could not get anything to push the leather through, so I had to get a replacement, and it was hex at the base, and it would not sit into the rotary correctly and wobbled.... one of the guys that worked there actually took a tube off his tool and gave it to me because it was round.....

[whinewine]

If you want the rotary punch, I'd suggest the CS Osborne Model # 155. Solid steel, no plastic, replaceable tubes, replaceable anvil, reasonable price. I've had mine since the '70s. I can't vouch for the modern ones' quality, but mine has held up.

There are also compound leverage rotary punches floating around on ebay. Tubes don't appear to be replaceable.

Tandy used to sell Osbornes, but now have their own clones. I don't know about their quality. (I do know that their 'pro super shears' is a knockoff of the Ginghers they used to sell, and they totally do NOT compare AT ALL to the Ginghers, so I'd be a little bit wary of some of their clones. Caveat emptor.)

[Roger]

i use the good craftool punch that wolvenstein posted.

i am replacing the punch tubes with AS brand tubes as needed

[Pip]

Thanks guys, I would go for seperate punches but I live in a terrace house where you can almost hear the breathing of the neighbours and tapping lots of lacings would not go down well at all as I have to time tooling my leather to times when my neighbours go out, which the seldom do. For now I am stuck with a rotary.

Thanks for the advice I wish I could try them first, but I think I may go with the craftool as the modern osbournes may not be as good as those from the 70's.

[MikeG]

Look for a lever action punch that gives you a mechanical advantage. They look something like this:

I have had one for quite a while now and use it regularly to punch leather that would crush the sheet metal punches. I haven't been able to bend it yet. With my advancing arthritis, it is also much easier to use. I bought mine off e-bay for something like fifteen bucks.

Edited January 19, 2008 by MikeG

[David]

i use the good craftool punch that wolvenstein posted.

i am replacing the punch tubes with AS brand tubes as needed

This is the one I have too. But I got away from it when tubes started splitting.....I do 200 holes for each seat, so I've gone to the standard punch set.....the hit it with a mallet sort of punch....lots easier on the hands.

Dave

[Regis]

If you mostly do the same size you can get a fixed (not rotary) hand punch. My rotary crushed and I went to standard punch set and the fixed one (for the times I need it). TLF 3236 is like the one I have but 3229 looks stouter and is for sewing.

[Drac]

you can get the standard punch set and a semi-cheap drill press to chuck 'em into. it's quiet and a LOT easier on the hands. I've gone that route before and liked it when I had to do the quiet thing. I'd say hit up any machine shops in the area and see if they have any old nonworking drill presses they're just gonna toss. might be able to pick one up for free. as long as the throat's fine (still goes up and down in a straight line) and the chuck works, it's fine.