Roper Whitney #5 and #7

[jwilson645]

I totally forgot I had these until I saw someone mention, in another post, about using their #5. I picked these up a few years ago and have never used them because they didn't come with any punches or dies and the #7 is missing it's benchtop mount.

 

[RTM]

You can buy new dies for each

Poke around a little to you find what you need. I bought a set for my 5Jr

No. 5 Type O Punch & Die Set - Roper Whitney

Type O Punch & Die Set for No. 5 Hand Punch

www.roperwhitney.com

 

[jwilson645]

You can buy new dies for each

Poke around a little to you find what you need. I bought a set for my 5Jr

No. 5 Type O Punch & Die Set - Roper Whitney

Type O Punch & Die Set for No. 5 Hand Punch

www.roperwhitney.com

Thanks RTM.

 

[Jim C.]

I bought a well used #5 Jr. set several years ago, more just to try it out, versus having a specific use for it. Since buying it, I’ve used it more than a few times where it was exactly the right tool for the job. Still, if I didn’t have it, there were other options available to complete the task at hand. I think it’s a fun tool to use, but not a “must have“ necessity.

Jim C.

 

[RTM]

Unless you are making saw blades and need to punch holes in the blade for the nuts. Some vintage handles have different sized holes.

Tho making is a strong term, buying a blade blank and fitting it to a handle and back, sharpening etc is closer to my speed.

 

[crguy]

I have 3 sizes of the Whitney punches and find them to be the best tool for punching holes in thin materials.

 

[Roberts210]

I've used my Roper Whitney #4 a lot over the years. Used dies and punches are available on ebay too.

 

[Provincial]

I found this Whitney #5 Junior punch set at the local flea market earlier this month. The label refers to a founding date of 1910 and "almost a quarter of a Century" of production would date this set to the early 1930's.

 

[Roberts210]

I have two Whitney #5 Juniors. One set is complete, the other is missing some of the dies. Both mine have yellow plastic cushioning on the handles, and both work well. I've punched a lot of holes in 18 ga steel with them.

 

[Moldyjim]

They still make these today. Although now they come in a blow molded plastic box like everything else.

 

[RTM]

I have two Whitney #5 Juniors. One set is complete, the other is missing some of the dies. Both mine have yellow plastic cushioning on the handles, and both work well. I've punched a lot of holes in 18 ga steel with them.

You can get new dies from Whitney, a full set is cheaper than a half set of individuals.

Replacement Punch & Die Set for No. 5 Jr. Hand Punch Kit - Roper Whitney

Set includes one 3/32, 1/8, 5/32 3/16, 7/32, 1/4 and 9/32 standard round punch and die for the No. 5 Jr. Hand Punch kit.

www.roperwhitney.com

 

[Roberts210]

Thanks RTM.

 

[Beerhippie]

I added one to the kit today:



Now to find a set of punches and dies for a reasonable price....

 

[Mintgrun]

Several years ago, I left a box with a full set of dies and punches at the habitat store, because it was missing the tool. A few weeks later I felt like a fool when a solo punch was sitting in the tool aisle. I didn't buy that either. Fast forward to last week and I found this one on the same shelf, with a few punches / dies in their storage holes and a few rolling around in the case; plus the two in the punch... made up a full set!



That's the post-cleanup photo, after washing everything and straightening the stop-tab.

I added a 1/4" thick strip of wood underneath the punches, to hold them up high enough to catch the shank in the top holes. Otherwise they flop around. It's just a snug friction-fit, lengthwise.




I'm guessing mine must be a later offering, based on the WHITNEY-JENSEN box, but I have not done any research.



The search results using only "Whitney-Jensen" weren't helpful.



It feels good to finally forgive myself for leaving the others behind.

Tom

 

[Beerhippie]

@Mintgrun : "I added a 1/4" thick strip of wood underneath the punches, to hold them up high enough to catch the shank in the top holes. Otherwise they flop around. It's just a snug friction-fit, lengthwise."

Brilliant!

 

[OccupantRJ]

I added one to the kit today:



Now to find a set of punches and dies for a reasonable price....

I have an import model that has worked perfectly fine for many years and I bet the punches and die buttons would interchange.

 

[Beerhippie]

I have an import model that has worked perfectly fine for many years and I bet the punches and die buttons would interchange.

Brand?

Come to think of it, the dimensions of the dies and punches are shown on the Roper-Whitney web page.

Whoever the PO was, they sure were patriotic! USA is boldly scratched in three places.

 

[cannuck]

I have a No7 and use it a lot. Punches and dies easily available - even up here.

 

[Mintgrun]

Apparently I had the company name sequence backwards and Whitney Jensen is older than Roper Whitney, based on this statement on Vintage Machinery (and other online snippets I read).

The Whitney Metal Tool Co. was founded in 1910 by William A. Whitney, operating under the banner of Whitney-Jensen. It was bought in 1961 by Roper Industries and became Roper Whitney, Inc.

 

[RTM]

I have an import model that has worked perfectly fine for many years and I bet the punches and die buttons would interchange.

Supposedly the HF dies do not interchange without modification. Not sure about other imports.

 

[Provincial]

I never let a punch, die, or set go, no matter what is missing, as long as the price is reasonable. I like to set up with a ready-to-go unit in my most-used sizes. It saves time to have the one I need right as hand.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Supposedly the HF dies do not interchange without modification. Not sure about other imports.

Good to know, thanks.

 

[bonneyman]

I have two Juniors myself. Accumulated during my years of HVAC/sheet metal work. My first one was a newer plastic-cased model, then some years ago I found a complete metal-cased set for like $4. I now use them regularly during fab and restoration work.

 

[RTM]

Apparently I had the company name sequence backwards and Whitney Jensen is older than Roper Whitney, based on this statement on Vintage Machinery (and other online snippets I read).

The Whitney Metal Tool Co. was founded in 1910 by William A. Whitney, operating under the banner of Whitney-Jensen. It was bought in 1961 by Roper Industries and became Roper Whitney, Inc.

Good to know, I have a Whitney and a Roper Whitney here.

 

[rlitman]

Supposedly the HF dies do not interchange without modification. Not sure about other imports.

I had a HF clone that I want to say dated to the 80's (maybe early 90's), and it had three differences from the legit Roper Whitney 5 Jr's.
1) The punches have a lathe turned groove for the arm to hold, rather than two milled slots. I can't say I've ever broken a punch while retracting it, but there's a lot less meat in the imports.
2) The pear shaped connecting links are usually done wrong. On the real RW, the upper hole is off-center, and the excess material on these links touches a pair of shoulders on the arm between them that stops the handles from touching when fully closed. On the older imports, I've seen ones where these have the off-center hole, but the links are riveted on backwards, so they are unable to reach the shoulders on the arm (but those shoulders still exist), or the holes are sometimes drilled in the center, with the same net effect, so:
3) Most of the imports have a bump on the upper handle that contacts the lower handle (like you'd find in a pair of scissors) to stop the handles from touching, because the people casting these had no idea how the offset links were supposed to work. Newer imports seem to have figured this all out.