Punching Leather

I usually use a revolving punch, but (when I do not have one handy), I get creative. Most recently, I used an automatic center punch with the punch pin and spring removed. It worked great for punching canvas over a piece of sacrificial wood. The plugs accumulate in the cavity of the punch, so there were no canvas or wood bits to pick up later. A drill works in a pinch if you need to cinch your belt up tighter. Although the holes made sometimes end up a little rough around the edges.

I prefer the look of the one Toolmaster picked out better than the revolving type, so I am going to order one and try it out.
 
Oh my gosh Dave you brought back great memories. Back in the 50's I would spend my summers with my grandfather. He was very resourceful and did a lot of re-purposing. He saved up tire patching tubes and most of the squeeze tubes of the day that were made of lead. In the winter when he had his shop fire place on, he would melt them all down and pour them into sardine cans etc. And besides using them for weights he would use them as backers for punches.

Thanks for the memory.

David
 
road said:
A hint... bevel the tube on the inside this will give a better result
I use heavy wall brass from the hobby shop...
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Yes & also, google arch punches for a more industrial approach. The arch allows the waste material to escape or allows easy access to poke out the waste material.
 
David S said:
Oh my gosh Dave you brought back great memories. Back in the 50's I would spend my summers with my grandfather. He was very resourceful and did a lot of re-purposing. He saved up tire patching tubes and most of the squeeze tubes of the day that were made of lead. In the winter when he had his shop fire place on, he would melt them all down and pour them into sardine cans etc. And besides using them for weights he would use them as backers for punches.

Thanks for the memory.

David
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I think those tubes were made with zinc.

EDIT: I googled the topic & found that they were Tin/Lead in the early versions. Lead & mercury frequently applied and utilized by dentists......Wow ! Things have changed.
 
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My mother had a sheet of lead about 1/8 inch thick that she used as a bowl for flower arrangements. She would bend it to different configurations.

I wonder what ever happened to it...
 
That reminds me of the old PIG form-a-funnel. It used to be made out of lead and you could bend it to shape to route oil filter drainage away from starters, for instance. They still make them, but now they use an alloy of some sort.

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