Die makers?

[rickster]

Hi, newbe here, I need some small simple dies made. Is there anyone here that can do this?, (or is that a real stupid question)? I recently acquired two stamping presses, and there's things I'd like to make. Thanks to all,...

[Liger Zero]

What would you like to stamp out? If it's paperboard, cloth or other light materials steel-rule dies can be made using HSM skills.

Die-making is an art/science unto itself. I've worked in a stamping plant... Got a couple books to read up on die terminology and science... Glad that I'm just a humble turret-lathe monkey/screw-machine tender.

[madman]

Maybe i can help. i used to build multi stage prog dies for a living. Was sort of boring work thiough.

[Mcgyver]

just make sure you hang onto your fingers, those small press are super dangerous.

you're going to have to design them i'd think before you can hire someone to make them - what sort of dies? The basic home shop challenge is that dies for stamping/punching metal have to be hardened which means they're finished by grinding and a full array of grinding equipment is not the home shop norm

[rickster]

Thanks, I have a 15 ton Rouselle model 2 punch press, and what I "think" is a 20 ton Niagara press. I want to press light gauge copper, brass, and sheet steel forms., (small stuff).

[TGTool]

Thanks, I have a 15 ton Rouselle model 2 punch press, and what I "think" is a 20 ton Niagara press. I want to press light gauge copper, brass, and sheet steel forms., (small stuff).

By "press" do you mean you need formed shapes, as in a draw die where material is stetched into dome shapes, or is this all just cut and bend work?

[rickster]

It would be domed, like, say a metal button. A die that would stamp/ cut the piece out with one hit, (cycle).

[Liger Zero]

You have any CAD skills? A quick sketch would help us point you in the right direction. If you don't have a CAD program at home Google Sketchup is free and doesn't take long to learn.

Each of the operations "Blanking, Piercing, Drawing, Shearing, Forming, Bending" and many many others require specific design considerations, this is why most modern dies are multi-station progressives that operate at high speed. Each station does a separate step of the process as the metal moves through the die.

Gone are the days of a stamping cell with six operators each handing each other parts as they complete cycles... unless you happen to be talking small batches of high-value parts.

Oh and because it can't be said enough BE CAREFUL these machines can be quite dangerous. They cycle very quickly and generate much force in a very small concentrated envelope.

[rickster]

I'm going to Google Sketchup right now and check this out., And thanks for the caution on the presses!!

[OKChipmaker]

If thay do not already have them,get some possum pull backs and install them,also your machines should be set up with TWO (2) cycle switches,wired so as BOTH has to be pushed at the same time to get them to cycle.

Make it a rule not to run or set up one of these machines with out the pull backs attached to the wrist bands and the bands on the operaters wrist!

these machines can and do cycle when lest expected,some times with out any imput from the operater-set up person.Also a bystander can trigger one.

This tends to change the name of the operater to old pancake fingers or stuby!

I ran a presse shop for several years and it is not good to have to dig someone or body parts out of one. this was on 10 to 50 ton machines.