pin punches

[ozaudio]

ive just snapped 3 and bent 2 punches getting my stuck brembo caliper pins out. i ended up having to grind a bigger size down to fit, its a tool i dont use that often but when i need it, i need it. whats a decent brand to go for? if it means just buying each size on there own to get something better ill do that, which right now is 3.5mm and 4mm , im in the UK not USA so options will be slimmer

ive seen gedore on amazon but not sure if they are any good these days?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gedore-Pin-Punch-Set-316/dp/B01JDVIHJC/?tag=atomicindustr-21

or these which are cheaper but likely to be the same?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Punch-Germany-Heavy-Duty-Chrome-Vanadium-Steel/dp/B07DVK2QVB/?tag=atomicindustr-21

 

[dutchgray]

I bought some Gedore punches recently and they seem fine.

Buy multiples in the smaller sizes. Nobody makes pin punches that you can't ruin when stuff is stuck.

 

[ozaudio]

ye buying a set for £20 when i only really need the 3 and 4mm ones seem daft, i did pick up a set of roe buck ones from the car boot but they was only really 6mm and up, which the 6mm i ended up grinding down. i suppose you are right, a 2lb lump hammer against a 4mm pin, that things bending who ever makes it.

 

[lardy1]

Use a taper punch to get it moving a bit first. Use the pin punches once it's free.

 

[Firebrick43]

As lardy said use a taper punch.

If the pins are small and delicate they also make starter punches. Basically short shank pin punches that you start the pin moving and switch to a longer one if needed. Available in both roll pin and standard pin punches.

 

[Dave455]

If you’re bending punches, punch quality makes some difference, but probably you are using the wrong tool.

As lardy1 says, start the pin moving with a taper punch. Use the biggest you can. There are many, but here are some Gedore.

Gedore should be fine. Provided you get German made, they are basically “Habero” punches, which are quite decent.


After this, go for a “standard” length pin punch. You have already moved the pin with the taper punch, so some gentle taps should work. It’s always possible to bend these if you hit too hard.

I have both Habero and Facom in my shop, and possibly find the Facom a touch better as they are a two piece design.


Another option here is to go for an “engineers” punch such as Starrett or Eclipse. The latter are less costly in the U.K


If you need to, you can switch to a long series punch for the final stages!

All of the above tools are available individually, so buying a taper / standard / long in the size you need will probably serve you better than buying sets of sizes you don’t!

 

[Junker]

ive just snapped 3 and bent 2 punches getting my stuck brembo caliper pins out. i ended up having to grind a bigger size down to fit, its a tool i dont use that often but when i need it, i need it. whats a decent brand to go for? if it means just buying each size on there own to get something better ill do that, which right now is 3.5mm and 4mm , im in the UK not USA so options will be slimmer

ive seen gedore on amazon but not sure if they are any good these days?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gedore-Pin-Punch-Set-316/dp/B01JDVIHJC/?tag=atomicindustr-21

or these which are cheaper but likely to be the same?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Punch-Germany-Heavy-Duty-Chrome-Vanadium-Steel/dp/B07DVK2QVB/?tag=atomicindustr-21

Some of my punches I made myself. Those are the best ones. Next time you see something that would be a suitable material, grind it into one

 

[Packard V8]

The most cost-effective taper punches in smaller sizes are old Craftsman, Stanley, Mayhew, et al, nail sets picked up at garage sales for 'How about a dollar for this handful?" I've got a drawer full of them, but I've never, ever bent one.

jack vines

 

[ozaudio]

some great replies in here! i am just looking at some taper punch sets now on amazon, im gonig to kick my self because i know if i was to wait till i go to the flea market again id be able to pick up some top end branded assorment of punches for pennys as its not something people go for.

edit - wow i didnt realise how expensive punches can get for anything half decent

 

[johnty288]

 

[johnty288]

This Starrett set is **** but I don' use it for pounding the sh#t out of things.

 

[Dave455]

some great replies in here! i am just looking at some taper punch sets now on amazon, im gonig to kick my self because i know if i was to wait till i go to the flea market again id be able to pick up some top end branded assorment of punches for pennys as its not something people go for.

edit - wow i didnt realise how expensive punches can get for anything half decent

When I first started buying my own tools, I bought halfway decent spanners etc, but thought I’d save money on the striking tools.

I later realised that was a false economy, and tools that are struck need to be decent. Poor quality ones are also prone to breakage and splintering, with the associated risks.

If I’m working away from base I will sometimes use tools provided, even if not great. The exception to this is pin punches.

Good ones need not, however, be expensive, if you buy wisely.

 

[ozaudio]

wow thats some good prices vs the prices ive seen them for, ive only really been looking on amazon so far, would these be ideal for start punches, says made in germany and look the same as the gedore stuff

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pin-Punch-Centre-Set-Chrome-Vanadium/dp/B07DVL6CGV/?tag=atomicindustr-21

 

[Dave455]

wow thats some good prices vs the prices ive seen them for, ive only really been looking on amazon so far, would these be ideal for start punches, says made in germany and look the same as the gedore stuff

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pin-Punch-Centre-Set-Chrome-Vanadium/dp/B07DVL6CGV/?tag=atomicindustr-21

Yes, you have to shop around. I’m amazed how many folks don’t. Or, worse still, insist on shopping in a “bricks and mortar“ shop, which generally offer the worst deals imaginable!

Amazon is full of products that “look the same as / similar to”. My personal experience is that while prices for known makes can vary a bit, you very seldom get steak for burger money.

The Gedore / Habero are about the cheapest I would risk. Gedore offer two qualities of these. The blue painted ones are not the same quality as the gold painted ones. Dealers that sell both usually sell the blue ones for about 2/3 the price of the gold ones.

The prices above are (respectively) ebay, Amazon and two from Prime Tools.

I should probably add that I have punches in about three ”grades” as well as Imperial and Metric, and I’m happy enough with the Gedore gold for the tasks I use them for.

If you want to scare yourself, look at the price of PB Swiss..

 

[ozaudio]

ive seen the gedore gold ones in 4mm for less than £5 each, somthing else, the cheap ones i had really was cheap, i think silverline, not only did they bend and snap, they also mushroomed over quite easy on the end aswell

 

[T45]

ive seen the gedore gold ones in 4mm for less than £5 each, somthing else, the cheap ones i had really was cheap, i think silverline, not only did they bend and snap, they also mushroomed over quite easy on the end aswell

If you are in the UK, maybe look for good deals on PB swiss. The steel has a good ping/ring and seems hard. IIRC pin punches are long and slender, and their tapered punches are short and stout. The USA stuff has lengths a bit more scaled to diameter, which is probably better for some uses.

Alot of guys in old threads seemed to like brands like proto... The Facom is probably one to try in this category...the price in the UK will be more competitive than what we can get them for in the USA.

As for the german brands, Anything relabled maybe good or bad depending on supplier(s). Not sure if any of them (maybe geodore?) make them in house.

 

[Steve_P]

The Starrett pin punches are phenomenal as are all their punches. But the OP is in the UK, and I assume wants metric. If not, then go with Starrett. I have some PB Swiss pin punches, and they do seem like they're good quality, but I don't use them enough to compare them to Starrett; but the PB are definitely not low quality.

 

[1982fxr]

Starrett. Proto and Snap-on are the best I've used. And the Snap-on may be Mayhew.

 

[Grant Gunderson]

All of my punches are Starrett, Mayhew, PbSwiss and Grace.

The Starrets are the best starter punch as their tops are concave to keep it from wondering.

For short and long punches I’m a big fan of Starrett. They’ve held up better and have taken more abuse than my PBSwiss set (metric). I prefer Mayhew for alignment punches and for brass drifts. The Starrett brass punches are way to soft imop.

The Starretts are way better then the rest for center punches.

I only use the grace set for roll pins. They are quite soft as well.

If you are going to be beating on them then I’d go with Starrett or Mayhew. Any time I can I prefer to use my punches in an arbor press instead of pounding on them with a hammer. It usually presses the pins out way easier and it doesn’t damage the punches.

 

[ozaudio]

so it seems ive made some progress, i text my mate whos an engineer and asked him which brand he uses at work and can he get the facom or starret cheap via work, he said punches are treated like drill bits and once snapped throw away and replaced, he said they often get sent batches of all types of snap on punches and told me not to buy any as he will gift me a hand full on the weekend of vaious types and sizes, pretty much nearly all snap on and a few roebuck

 

[3baygarage]

I was going to suggest some Starrett long and short as well. I broke so many Craftsman black punches in the small sizes.

 

[Kuma601]

What is causing the caliper pins to get stuck like this? Is this car being tracked? Salty roads? Interval between pad maintenance?

 

[ozaudio]

no idea, i only changed the discs and pads 18 months or so ago. im guessing its the metal collars which tighten up when pushed in, i refuse to replace them aswell. they cost nearly £50 for 2 pins and its 2 per caliper, a good clean and some lube is al lthey will be getting

 

[bcradio]

have you tried the air hammer?

 

[ozaudio]

ah sorry, im not sure if it was clear above but i did actually get the pins out, i just happened to of snapped and bent my punches while doing so. think im still going to go for some of them tapered ones tho if my mate doesnt gift me any of those on the weekend.

 

[bcradio]

sounds like air hammer time

 

[ozaudio]

so my cheapo ones




mix of roebuck and eclipse


and then the snap on my mate came good with

 

[AEAdam]

Good punches like snappies will be head and shoulders above the hardware store models you have.

Just one suggestion: If you want to crack something use a steel hammer. If you want to move something, use a dead blow. In your instance, a steel faced dead blow will help whatever punches you use last longer. Dead blows push where normal hammers shock. Steel faced dead blows rest in between a soft faced hammer and a solid steel hammer.

@ozaudio, you probably know all this already, but maybe others reading won’t have thought about the relationship between breaking and bending pin punches and the hammer you are using.