The Engraver pg. 21 pic in the upper left? What is it...

[Donny]

In the most recent copy of The Engraver pg. 21 pic in the upper left? What is it called? I think Martin called it a Punch Bush is it called something different here stateside?

And where can I get one? (and no this isn't TAS)

Or any alternatives

Donny

 

[DakotaDocMartin]

(and no this isn't TAS)

Denial... that's a serious sign of a deep seated problem.

 

[Donny]

Doc,
I truly NEED this tool…I can assure you that I have no acknowledged problems or issues. I simply NEED this tool in order achieve my personal destiny of becoming a “Quantum level 5, Googlable, Grand Master of the Gravuer!!!”

Donny
Patient # 12345 TAS Institute for Metal Artist

 

[Donny]

A 140 views and nobody has any ideas????

Donny

 

[DakotaDocMartin]

A 140 views and nobody has any ideas????

Donny

My most recent issue is #95 and I don't see any tools on page 21.

 

[rod]

Donny,

Martin is an incredible "man o' pairts", as we say in the Scots tongue.... artist, engraver, tool maker, teacher, high performance glider pilot, sport car rally-er, audiophile, mountaineer, you name it. As a preamble to his Grand Master week, he prepared a 50 page book for us, had us interact through email about our proposed designs, sent us tools before hand, and when we arrived at GRS, had more tools for us, which he hand made himself. These includes a set of the punches seen in his Engraver article. The punch bush holds the shaft of the punch at 90 degrees to the surface diamond lap, so the face will be 'normal' to the shaft axis when finally lapped and afterwards textured on the striking surface. A Vee block with clamp might also do this job.

Perhaps Martin may be skimming these pages, see your post, and correct my information if it is not correct. Others who took the class, and of better skills than I, may add or correct this.... Andrew, Lee G, Rex, and more?

I wrote a long essay, posted somewhere on this forum, on the week long course.

Rod

 

[Donny]

Rod,

Thank you very much for the info...I am to the point where I want to start delving deep into the sculpting phase of my learning. So the sculpting article he did was very timely for me. The TOOL in question would be a Great help in creating consistant punch faces so I was trying to aquire one. Since it seems he may have made it himself I will have to find another method like the one you suggested possibly...

Donny

 

[Martin Strolz]

Thank you Rod, well explained. The tool is hardened and it is used especially when making marking stamps. These require an absolute flat front. I acquired it when I was sixteen and had to cut the first punch stamps of tool steel. See how to use it in the first picture and sample groups for making punches. Happy filing!

 

[jsmithy]

Believe similar right angle vertical vise is still used by hobbyists and museum workers who do early printer's type making (1700-1800s).

IIRC vise was used in securely holding steel type punches while they were worked on with files and counterpunches. Completed type punches were used to stamp the matrices (copper) which were used in casting/forming actual lead type. Not sure where I saw it, but at least one outfit is still making new vises in cast iron for above folks. Never heard term 'stamp bush' used, they called them type vises or some such.

Of course any deep vise can hold things vertical for work, but if you really want one of these, start searching for type making museums and ask them.

hope that helps.

 

[jsmithy]

2nd attempt at replying, waited weeks, not posted, trying again.

The tool described sounds similar to the "stamp/punch vises" used by type-cutters in making steel punches and counter punches back when type was made by hand, back through the 1600s. Moxon’s "Mechanick Exercises" (1706) has details on the whole process.

A copper matrix was struck by punches leaving negative spaces in the copper, and typemetal cast into the copper later to form type. A relatively small number of shapes were necessary to do this, but each size of type used different size punches, so many needed to be made. The outside of each punch was done by filing, but interior details were counter- punched into the hot steel punch (fastest way to get accurate internal spaces in steel before EDM). Heavy, rigid vises held punches vertically for this operation, and the vises could also be used while filing the annealed counter-punches. Once the punch form was final, it was hardened and polished.

There were different brands and types of these vises but most were heavy iron castings with an internal square cross-section that held one corner of the punch perfectly vertical, and had a screw of some kind forcing the punch into one corner of that opening.

Sorry I don't have a link for you, saw these in a discussion on type-founding years ago, some hobby folks and museum workers still are doing this by hand so the tools are still available. Suggest contacting them for info.

At least you have something to Google now :->


jsmithy