Gasket punches

[Hawken50]

  Just got a set of hollow punches from harbour freight from half inch down.Very good quality,using them to make felt wads for my 50 hawken and my 1860 army.Only like 8.00 bucks.Ya can get em at the store or online.

[Stumblin Wolf]

somehow "harbor freight" and "very good quality" just don't seem right in the same sentence!

[Dryball]

I have a set also, and they are good quality.

DB

[Red Badger]

Anyone have an item or stock number on these?

[Hawken50]

  HARBOURFREIGHT.COM...9 piece hollow punch set.Item#3838-1vga.$5.99 plus shipping.

[Hawken50]

  That aint nutin,my felt i get at a.c.moore craft shop.12x9 sheet for 3.99.Mrs Hawken always looks fer stuff i can use in any store she goes to....now if i can jest get her ta shoot bigun da hawken..lol

[Red Badger]

thanks hawken50!  I'll be checking for a set when I go into Harbor freight next month...

[hank-aye]

somehow "harbor freight" and "very good quality" just don't seem right in the same sentence!

Yep, kindda like Military Intelligence...what cya call one o dem oxi-mor-ons.

[chiefs50]

Despite misgivings, I picked up a set of these punches on sale about six months ago.  In my experience "Made in China"  usually means junk but, for the price, I thought I'd take chance.  I haven't used them too much yet and am wondering how they are holding up for those who use them quite a bit.

Mike

[Pete Stines]

Aoid the set of larger punches from American Science & Surplus and Leather Unlimited. Both sets are Poor quality and dull. Won't cut squat 

[Ironwood]

I have a set of those punches.  Couple of them need some serious sharpening.  But they do a good job once you get them sharp.  I've been looking for a set that goes from 1/2" up.  Maybe I should check out American Science and Surplus.  :D 

[NAULTRICK1]

  Has anybody ever tried to use two hammers(one a ball peen) and a hole drilled in bar stock,---put your material over the hole, place the round head of the ball peen on the material and strike it smartly with a heavier hammer. Have used it to knock out bolt holes in gasket material and to make wads. Works in a pinch and you can make the hole any size according to what drills you have. USE SAFETY GLASSES PLEASE where the hammers strike each other may chip! Just an Idea an old rig pig uses-necessity is the mother of invention.

[Razor]

That's spiffy idea there NAULTRICK1...but, how's about using a plastic dead-blow hammer fer hittin' instead ??

[NAULTRICK1]

  I don't know if there's enough force, but then when I used them, originally it was for 1/4 inch gasket material so we needed a good whack, I suppose a heavy enough hammer out of plastic would work as long as it is heavier than the ball peen, otherwise the ball peen absorbs all the impact and you have to hit it numerous times which can lead to the material being punched moving and you get double cut edges. One other thing - you have to feel through the material with the ball of the ball peen until your seated squarely in the whole. We used to change gaskets on Drawworks on the rigs in the arctic in about 1-1 1/2 hours, thats about 30 to 40- 1/2 inch holes. Little circles of red gasket material all over the place- it was just a natural progression to use something I'd learnt to other things.

[Hanshi]

I already had (lucky break) a 5/8" (.62) punch lying around and bought the HF punch set for my rifle calibers.  For felt, leather & cardboard they work just fine.  Recently I got another set of punches that has a handle with interchangeable cutters going up to 1-1/4".  I don't recall off hand where the latter set came from and would have to check.