die sets for punch presses

[DoctorX]

Here are a few photos of some old die sets (from other auctioned off machine shops) which will be gutted, and rebuilt to punch forbon flatwork and also to punch and bend humbucker baseplates. There are examples in these particular die sets of stripper plates, spring loaded guides and stops, a bending die and a cutoff blade. These were meant to be used with a 5 - 10 ton punch press, but the die sets can be adapted to be used with a bench (or stand) mounted arbor press. Using a small bench mounted shear, you can cut strips of forbon, brass, nickel silver, etc to be fed into the punch / arbor press. Getting these punches and dies designed and built commercially would set you back about $3,000 per die set. As in, $3,000.00 for a die set to punch out a strat bobbin top and another $3,000.00 for a die set to punch out a strat bobbin bottom, etc., etc. -- on a good day.

It adds up to some serious money very quickly.

[David King]

Cool photos, I wonder where one buys the tray castings that form the base that would be a starting point for any stamping project. I've seen the die springs and round punches and alignment pins. I need to find an annotated diagram with the correct nomenclature to search this stuff out.

[DoctorX]

There are books and online resources available to assist in designing your own.
Try asking local used machine dealers if they have any die sets (also called die shoes) for sale.