Whitney #5 Punch dies - compatibility?

[ToolRoom]

Does anybody know if the punch pins and dies from the chinese import clones fit the original Whitney punch tools?
They look very similar.

I have an option to pick up an old genuine Whitney #5 punch cheap, but the pins and dies have gone AWOL and buying the genuine replacements over here costs over double buying the entire punch kit with the tool new.

However, I can pick up the import pins and dies for a tenth of the cost, if they fit it would be one way to salvage the old whitney and give it a new lease of life.
Anybody got both and ever tried swapping the dies over?

 

[RTM]

From a 5Jr, the HF punches used to require modifications to fit. So said several friends who tried it in the past.

One friend said the effort was not worth a free 5 Jr.

 

[danski0224]

Even if they did fit, the HF punches and dies are likely to be poor quality.

 

[ToolRoom]

From a 5Jr, the HF punches used to require modifications to fit. So said several friends who tried it in the past.

One friend said the effort was not worth a free 5 Jr.

I feared that might be the case, thank you for confirming anyway.
It isn't even free which makes the effort involved even less appealing.

Even if they did fit, the HF punches and dies are likely to be poor quality.

From what I have seen the generic import (we don't have HF here) punches work well enough.
It is true they might not last as long as the Whitney ones, but on the other hand they are a consumable item and at a tenth of the price on a tool that would be used infrequently.

The genuine kit with the tool included goes for around $170 over here, the import clones go for $40.
Just to replace the seven punches and dies with genuine Whitney ones would set me back $370 vs imported ones for $36

Sadly it looks like it makes more sense to junk the old tool and buy a new one.

 

[danski0224]

I've punched literally thousands of holes with my Whitney punch.

Short of punching holes in stainless steel, I really don't know what it would take to wear out an original punch and die set.

I did break one once, tried to punch something too thick.

Trick Tools has an OEM RW complete punch and die set for $67.00. Not sure how the tax/import/shipping works out on your end. A new genuine RW tool and the punches/dies is around $100.

Maybe they will ship...

 

[RTM]

Just need to find someone traveling to the UK, and spend the $70 on the replacements, and buy them a beer when they arrive.