Used to make transfer punchs out of common old concrete rebar. After shaping on a lathe heated the tip to cherry red and quenched in water. Very low tech, but the rebar has enough carbon in it to harden nicely. Hardest part was not getting the very tip to hot and melt. Be sure to direct the flame away from the very tip. Haven't made any new ones for 25 or more years so don't know if todays rebar will still work.
couple bolts to drill out
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Rich Waugh
Platinum Member
Today's rebar often has a lot of tramp elements in it and can be anywhere from medium hard to harder than woodpecker lips and impossible to turn without carbide cutters. Never know what you're going to get other than it will meet the specs for tensile strength. It is all re-melt stock, no new stuff at all anymore.
Bob Rooks
Elite Member
Sorry Rich. All rebar used on US Interstate highway bridges, overpasses, tunnels, etc. are epoxy covered and formed from pedigree steel. The rebar you get at hardware stores, however, is another story and undoubtedly has ambiguous and questionable origins..
Everybody asks for pictures. This is a 5/8" transfer punch made from rebar as stated in a past post by me in this thread. This one has seen a lot of action and should last forever if it is only smacked hard enough to to make a mark to be enlarged by a regular center punch. There seems to be some question about the rebar that is available today. Transfer punches are pretty inexpensive when purchase from firms like Enco. Didn't trust my photography skills enough to go for a close up of the point.
mrutkaus
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Time heals all wounds. I once soaked bolts in various solutions for a month or two using tubing and foil to create wells to keep it soaking. Worked for me.
Mike
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Rich Waugh
Platinum Member
Jbooth,
You did a really nice job of making that transfer punch. I can't imagine having the time to make a full set that way, but they would sure look really cool.
Bob Rooks,
Yeah, you can get rebar to *any* spec you really want - if you buy a full heat. The Highway Administration has a set f specs for the rebar to be used on Federally funded projects and the steel mills follow it if they want to be able to sell their steel to builders of Federal projects. You probably aren't going to find that rebar at Home Depot, though.
I was speaking only to the stuff that 90 percent of the people here will be able to obtain locally, that is, hardware store/lumber yard rebar. Some of the stuff the big box stores are importing and selling won't even meet minimum tensile strength and bend radius specs, from what I've heard, but again they're getting just what they order - no specs at all other than it has to look like rebar. :confused2:
My fundamental point was that if you want a steel that behaves in a certain way you need to buy a known alloy or see the actual specs for that particular melt. Anything else is a crapshoot. I see people get caught in this trap time after time buying steel from the local hardware store and then expecting it to perform like chrome-moly tool steel.
Rich
You did a really nice job of making that transfer punch. I can't imagine having the time to make a full set that way, but they would sure look really cool.
Bob Rooks,
Yeah, you can get rebar to *any* spec you really want - if you buy a full heat. The Highway Administration has a set f specs for the rebar to be used on Federally funded projects and the steel mills follow it if they want to be able to sell their steel to builders of Federal projects. You probably aren't going to find that rebar at Home Depot, though.
I was speaking only to the stuff that 90 percent of the people here will be able to obtain locally, that is, hardware store/lumber yard rebar. Some of the stuff the big box stores are importing and selling won't even meet minimum tensile strength and bend radius specs, from what I've heard, but again they're getting just what they order - no specs at all other than it has to look like rebar. :confused2:
My fundamental point was that if you want a steel that behaves in a certain way you need to buy a known alloy or see the actual specs for that particular melt. Anything else is a crapshoot. I see people get caught in this trap time after time buying steel from the local hardware store and then expecting it to perform like chrome-moly tool steel.
Rich
jbooth, Nice to see that. We made our drifts from rolled steel stock, transfer punches we heated and quenched. Some guys quenched in oil, had to be done outside the building, seemed to work well.
Thanks for showing that bit of work! I have tools Dad made in the 20's they are very special to me.
Richard
Thanks for showing that bit of work! I have tools Dad made in the 20's they are very special to me.
Richard
Thanks Rich Waugh, I built those back when I was still trying to teach myself some things. I checked tonight and a 28 piece set can be had for as little as $9.95 up to $29.95. My wage would be less than $.25 an hr if I made them today. I still have 2 lathes, a mill, and shaper, but don't do much due to fading eyesight and a love for the recliner.
Bob Rooks
Elite Member
Very nice job Mr. Booth :thumbsup: I like the non-slip handle.
Bob Rooks
Elite Member
Point taken Rich, and I totally concur.