Need To Punch 1/4" Square Holes

Since your work does not have a 1/4 punch maybe check with another local ornamental iron or other general fab shop. Most of them have ironworkers or other punching systems. If you brought the work in already center punched, I can't believe it would cost too much to have it done. 1/4 punch is pretty small for an ironworker, but somebody may have one.

If you wanted to make your own punch and die, that could be done also. Square dies are normally made in two pieces and then pressed into a block, could be done on a milling machine.
 
rmack898 said:
I need to punch 1/4" square holes in 1018 steel that is .125" thick.
My first thought was to drill a .25" hole and use a broach but with the material being only .125" thick, the gap between the broach teeth is bigger than the thickness of the material.

Maybe a simple punch and die but Im not really sure how to make one.

I may have to punch about 300 holes so what ever method I use, has to have some kind of tool life.

I'd like to hear some suggestions as there may be an obvious solution that I'm not thinking of.
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I needed the same thing you are talking about, to make square holes for carriage bolts, but in 10 ga stainless; I had a suitable hand operated punch press and made a punch and die of 0-1 tool steel and hardened them in oil. And punched them from the solid. die clearance should be 5% of the material thickness per side of the die. I would definitly NOT try to do any punching or broaching with a mill or drill press! I got an Induma vertical mill cheaply because someone had tried this, and stripped teeth off the spindle quill, which was cast iron. Machines of this nature are not designed to take such high axial loads.
 
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