- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
- Messages
- 451
I couldn't find a forum for lunatic ideas so I'm posting this here.
I'm in dire need of a small cheap punch press. I only need to punch out small pieces from thin brass sheet so I don't need to huge punch press. I'm looking to build one for FREE materials because I'm cheap.
Today I was able to acquire a free lawnmower. It doesn't run. I don't know if it could be made to run, but I already have several lawnmowers and don't need another one. It turns smoothly when pulling the cord so the crank and connecting rod are most likely in good shape.
My thinking is that this crank and connecting rod would make the perfect basis for a punch press the size I need. I can build the rest of the frame for the punch press from scrap metal salvaged from old farm equipment.
I searched YouTube and Google for examples of others who have built a punch press using a lawnmower crankshaft to get ideas. But low and behold I couldn't find a single solitary example. I confess that this kind of surprised me because I can usually find examples of people who have already built crazy things like this.
In any case, I thought I'd post the question here:
Has anyone ever seen a homemade punch press built around a lawnmower crankshaft or something similar?
I'm sure I can build one even without seeing an example. But it's always nice to see how other people might have done it. I'm pretty sure the stroke will be long enough to punch out 0.6 mm brass sheet.
I haven't taken this lawnmower apart yet. I doubt that I'll be able to use the bearing case. I'm thinking worst case I'll just grab the crank and connecting rod and piston assembly. Then make my own pillow blocks to hold the crank on the newly constructed punch press frame.
Surely there has to be someone out there who has done this? This is the first idea that came to my mind when I needed to build a punch press. Surely I'm not a pioneer in converting an old lawnmower into a punch press?
I'm in dire need of a small cheap punch press. I only need to punch out small pieces from thin brass sheet so I don't need to huge punch press. I'm looking to build one for FREE materials because I'm cheap.
Today I was able to acquire a free lawnmower. It doesn't run. I don't know if it could be made to run, but I already have several lawnmowers and don't need another one. It turns smoothly when pulling the cord so the crank and connecting rod are most likely in good shape.
My thinking is that this crank and connecting rod would make the perfect basis for a punch press the size I need. I can build the rest of the frame for the punch press from scrap metal salvaged from old farm equipment.
I searched YouTube and Google for examples of others who have built a punch press using a lawnmower crankshaft to get ideas. But low and behold I couldn't find a single solitary example. I confess that this kind of surprised me because I can usually find examples of people who have already built crazy things like this.
In any case, I thought I'd post the question here:
Has anyone ever seen a homemade punch press built around a lawnmower crankshaft or something similar?
I'm sure I can build one even without seeing an example. But it's always nice to see how other people might have done it. I'm pretty sure the stroke will be long enough to punch out 0.6 mm brass sheet.
I haven't taken this lawnmower apart yet. I doubt that I'll be able to use the bearing case. I'm thinking worst case I'll just grab the crank and connecting rod and piston assembly. Then make my own pillow blocks to hold the crank on the newly constructed punch press frame.
Surely there has to be someone out there who has done this? This is the first idea that came to my mind when I needed to build a punch press. Surely I'm not a pioneer in converting an old lawnmower into a punch press?