# Optical Center Punch ?



## bobdog (Feb 17, 2018)

Looking for a Optical Center Punch looking at a Veritas and Fowler and Flexbar. Which one do you think is better and why or what are your thoughts. Here is the Veritas type. http://www.veritastools.com/Products/Page.aspx?p=96    Here is the Flexbar type  http://www.flexbar.com/shop/pc/Optical-Center-Punch-p3842.htm Fowler and Flexbar are the same. Thanks Dave


----------



## mikey (Feb 17, 2018)

I own the Veritas one and like it ... sort of. The problem with these things is parallax. You have to align your eye just right to get the punch on center and that is made more difficult if your lighting isn't just right. If everything is just right then yes, it is accurate. How accurate? Within a few thou I would guess.

For me, a sharp prick punch and your feel is more accurate. If you lay out your hole location with two lines you can run the punch down one line and feel when it hits the intersection and hit it gently with a hammer. You do have to get the prick punch vertical for this to be accurate but that is easily learned. The vast majority of the time I am dead on center this way, or at least more so than if I used the optical punch. 

On the other hand, maybe my eyeballs are junk. I am getting older so ...


----------



## Uglydog (Feb 17, 2018)

I have an Optical Center Punch. It does reasonable work.
But like mikey says seeing it might be difficult. Sometimes hands and a prick punch work better.
You don't need to buy a fancy punch. I use an old broken pin punch ground her at approx 40degrees then case harden.
Use your layout bluing, scribe your lines at a cross hair.
Move the steel away from your inspection plate! Never pound on your inspection plate.
Slide the sharp point of your prick punch across the lines. Feel and look at where the point is.
Then hit the prick punch firmly one time.
Assess your work. Did your prick punch slide/skate? If so come at the crosshairs from an angle and move the center of the hole until you have it where you need it.
Then enlarge the mark with a center punch.

Daryl
MN


----------



## chips&more (Feb 17, 2018)

Hi and welcome to the HM, putting a center punch mark on the money can been done. But then what? Going over to the drill press and making a hole where that punch mark exactly is, is anybody’s guess. I have one of those things somewhere? Have not used it in decades. When I’m concerned with hole location. I go my Bridgeport mill. When I just want a hole. I go to the drill press.
When I’m doing lay-out work sometimes I use an eye loupe, sharp scribe and or razer blade and good lighting...Dave


----------



## buffdan (Feb 17, 2018)

I have the flexbar version. It works well, and is accurate


----------



## cathead (Feb 17, 2018)

I use a  small 3 to 4 power magnifier.  It works well enough for what I do.  Also it gets used to inspect
end mill cutters for damage or sharpness and to sharpen small drill bits.


----------



## rwm (Feb 17, 2018)

I got a Mitutoyo for Christmas. I love it! I don't know how I got along without one.  I have yet to have any parallax issues or off center punches.
Robert


----------



## Hawkeye (Feb 17, 2018)

I made one some years ago. It works fine, but, as Daryl says, a prick punch is just as good. On the other hand, 'cool' is enough reason to get a new tool.


----------



## Rick Berk (Feb 17, 2018)

I bought a dozen "Ice Picks" years ago for doing accurate model making work, pulled the square wooden handles off and there is a hardened ground point that will stay where you put it and is easily tapped on the end for a great punch mark. I'm sure they are not $10 a dozen any more but I have two new ones STILL after 40 plus years.


----------



## JohnG (Feb 18, 2018)

I have had the Flexbar type for years and would not be without it.  If you have a lot of holes to locate, the consistency becomes obvious.  Reading Uglydogs post, it would be more correct to call it an Optical Prick Punch.  A light tap, struck square on, puts a fine dimple right on the money; but it's too small to use as is.  I always enlarge it with a center punch, hit at an angle if need be just as he describes, and then use the magnifying lens to see that the layout lines run true to the exact center of the punch.

I took my first one into the plant one day.  The maintenance guys saw me use it and dubbed it "the bombsight".  I never saw it again.  The maintenance manager bought 2 the next day and gave me one to replace it.


----------



## EmilioG (Feb 18, 2018)

I own a Skidmore OCP. Very well made. I like it ok, except that the magnet, obviously, won't work with non ferrous metals, so I may make a new base for the punch and optic.  The prick punch with intersecting scribed lines works well enough..with my magnifying eye glasses. I rarely use the OCP.


----------



## KBeitz (Sep 10, 2018)

Check out spring loaded prick punch's....


----------



## SLK001 (Jan 18, 2020)

I noticed that the Flexbar version comes with two punches, a 60° and a 120°.  When would someone use the 120° punch?


----------



## brino (Jan 18, 2020)

SLK001 said:


> When would someone use the 120° punch?



Actually I would prefer the 120 degree punch!
(that is, if going directly from this punch operation to the drilling operation.)
Since most of my drill bits are 118 degrees, they would find centre better in the 120 degree divot.
The drill bits' centre would nestle perfectly into the punch centre before the lips make contact.

By using the 60 degree point, the typical 118 degree bit would contact away from its' centre and possible chatter and wander.

-brino


----------



## SLK001 (Jan 19, 2020)

brino said:


> Actually I would prefer the 120 degree punch!
> (that is, if going directly from this punch operation to the drilling operation.)
> Since most of my drill bits are 118 degrees, they would find centre better in the 120 degree divot.
> The drill bits' centre would nestle perfectly into the punch centre before the lips make contact.
> ...



I would have thought that the proper order would be to center punch, center drill, then drill to size (whether stepped or not).  Or, let the previous operation guide the next, thus keeping layout/wandering errors at a minimum.


----------

