Replacing Spring And Cleaning Out Treads On Osborne 153 Punch

[David 63]

Hi, I need help in replacing the springs on two Osborne # 153 hand punches and cleaning up some tube threads. I can buy the replacement parts from Osborne.

1. How do you remove the rivets from the handle. Do you grind off the heads of the rivets and then punch them to the outside, or do you punch the rivets from the outside of the handle towards the inside (like the Osborne people said to do)?

2. I also need to clean out the treads so I can screw in the new # 5 tube. Does anybody know the right tap to use, I don't think it is a standard tap. Thank you for your help.

3. The 1-7 punches use the same tap, does anybody know the size tap for the number 8 tube?

Thank you in advance for your help with this matter. Osborne wants $50 to refurbish each punch.

[bruce johnson]

David,

Don't ya just love the helpfulness of the CS Osborne crew?

I don't replace springs. Some like them, most don't . Lots of the old guys just cut the springs off. Sorry I can't help you with tips and tricks.

I use a M8-1.0 tap for the 1-7 tubes. Yes, metric.

For the #8 I use a 3/8-24 tap. Yes, SAE.

You may find that the new tubes don't want to go into the older Newark marked frames. The older tubes (and taps) had a lower thread height and that is what I found. They tell you thread sizes never changed. True to a point, the thread count is the same, the height may not be. That is the part they don't tell you. Run a new tap through and they go right in.

[David 63]

Bruce,

I was able to clean out the threads with the taps you recommended and the tubes just went right in.

I filed off the heads of the rivets on the spring side and popped the spring off. I then filed the stubs off and use a small punch to knock out the rivets from the inside out. The holes on the outside of the handle had been chamfered a bit so that the old/original rivet mushroomed out to lock it into place. The instructions from Osborne to knock the rivets out from the outside side of the handle would not have worked. I'm waiting for the new springs and rivets to come in; so I can tap them into place, file them flat to the outside of the handle, and use some wet/dry sandpaper to polish off the outside handle.

Thank you for your help.

David