Shopsmith Forums

Found an interesting offer on ebay this morning. Not even the seller knows what they are. Do you?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shopsmith-Mark- ... 1292516567

I do not know what they are but I am relatively certain that they are not Shopsmith related.

BigSky wrote:I do not know what they are but I am relatively certain that they are not Shopsmith related.

That’s what I think, but I’m just curious. It’ll be interesting to find out what they are. I know one of these Smithies will know, offer some fair speculation or can figure out just about anything. Hence…

idcook wrote:That’s what I think, but I’m just curious. It’ll be interesting to find out what they are. I know one of these Smithies will know, offer some fair speculation or can figure out just about anything. Hence…

I certainly agree and I have an opinion as to who it will be.

My hunch is that those are old countersink punches. Used in a press to form (not cut) countersunk holes in sheet metal or some such. Probably after a pilot hole has already been made that allows sufficient room for the material to flow.

Here's a link that shows some modern ones.

BuckeyeDennis wrote:My hunch is that those are old countersink punches. Used in a press to form (not cut) countersunk holes in sheet metal or some such. Probably after a pilot hole has already been made that allows sufficient room for the material to flow.

Here's a link that shows some modern ones.

I’d considered the countersink idea myself. Just wasn’t sure they had such a thing because I thought it might not be needed. Metals, however, aren’t always quite so easy to reshape as wood, so countersink seems a rational possibility.

If so, I too wonder to what, and how, they were applied to that purpose.

That range of sizes is interesting too.

They look like snap riveters. You place a snap over the correct size and drive the rivet home.

idcook wrote:I’d considered the countersink idea myself. Just wasn’t sure they had such a thing because I thought it might not be needed. Metals, however, aren’t always quite so easy to reshape as wood, so countersink seems a rational possibility.

If so, I too wonder to what, and how, they were applied to that purpose.

That range of sizes is interesting too.

I may be completely off base with my hunch, but punches are tooling for punch presses.

[ATTACH]24316[/ATTACH]

I said snap riveters I should have said Grommet riveters. You place the correct size grommet thought the fabric, lay down the backing and then press this down on it and spreads the grommet flanges over to hold it in.

BuckeyeDennis wrote:My hunch is that those are old countersink punches. Used in a press to form (not cut) countersunk holes in sheet metal or some such. Probably after a pilot hole has already been made that allows sufficient room for the material to flow.

Here's a link that shows some modern ones.

Gotta totally agree with that!

The numbers refer to screw sizes. Notice the sizes that appear to have been actually used.