Optical Center Punch

Weldo

Weldo

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Sep 7, 2019
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Hey, kind of a long shot but does any one have an optical center punch paying around they don't use any more?

I don't have a mill so I rely on scribe marks and center punches to make accurate holes but an optical punch would take my accuracy up a notch.

The only one I know of is from Fowler.

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Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Thanks! That's not a bad price. I've seen the Fowler one on ebay for $117 USD! I've seen the same Fowler on PennToolCo.com for $80.
 
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I just happen to have one that is looking for a new home. It's probably 25 years old but very low mileage. I got it 20 some years ago in a package deal and think I used it once or twice.
Shoot me a PM if you're interested.
Thanks
 
If you don't grab it I will!!! :)
 
Ken from ontario said:
For old tiered eyes it would be a godsend, HHIP brand goes for $63, Mikey might know a thing or 2 about it.
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I have the one from Lee Valley and I don't use it much but I do have an opinion on it. Optical punches will get you close, maybe within a few thou, and that's if you get past the parallax. The problem with this device is that your eye has to be directly over the acrylic eyepiece or your accuracy is way off. Then there is the clearance in the body of the base that allows the scope and punch to be removed and replaced - that, on top of the parallax, is what gives you far less accuracy than you might think.

I'm not saying you shouldn't buy it. I'm saying that for me it was not a good buy. I am more accurate dragging a sharp prick punch to the intersection of scribed lines. If I need to be pretty accurate I use a spotting drill and use the X-Y handwheels on my mill or drill press table to get me near dead on by eye. If I have to be dead on then I'll use an edge finder and dial the hole in from the edges. The optical punch sits in a drawer.
 
Thanks for the insight. I'm still buyin' it! I think it'll be an improvement over what I've been doing.
 
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