Made a gasket hole punch.

[Geo-TH,In]

I used a bolt one size bigger then I needed the bolt in the gasket to be. I used my old lathe and removed the metal in the center. I'm not a formally trained machinist. I wish I had time, when in HS, to take a machine shop class.

I used cardboard and grease to make a sample gasket. I applied grease to make the pattern I need and where the holes go.

I'm impressed with the round holes my home made hole punch makes. I had to put the gasket on a 1/4 metal plate on my workbench.

I'm waiting on Felpro gasket material to make the gasket I need.

Do they sell gasket hole punches?

 

[Janicholson]

They do they have working punches for holes from ? to ? depending on your bank account, plus a driver that fits into each to hammer on. Jim
one set.

 

[john in la]

For $7 I think I will just buy a nice sharp set. No machinist training needed.

 

[wp6529]

The HF punch set works fine for gaskets. Also works fine for belt holes. But yes, when you have a lathe and no punch they are pretty easy and fast to make.

 

[John T]

For something as basic and simple as a gasket hole punch where precision and quality
control is NOT an issue and something thats NOT used all that often SURE HARBOR
FREIGHT would suit my needs and not pay for like Snap On etc. If I dont have one
handy I just use a bolt the right size, gets me by, gets the job done easy peasey no
effort required lol.

John T

 

[Roger in Iowa]

Spent ammo cases of various calibers works.
22LR works for belt holes. May only work for one or two holes in leather.

 

[matthies]

Got a set like that from Snapon years ago, the Harbor Freight set was a better tool. Just remember to put wood under the material when punching, saves the punch.

 

[gab]

I got a set of gasket punches. They work good, bought them at the Oprey Mall about twenty years ago.

 

[Mule Meat]

Geo. I have a couple of hollow gasket punches that have served me well for many years.

You do not want to be using a hole puch with metal as your backing. It will dull the punches in no time.

Best to lay the gasket material on hard smooth wood ( plywood) or use a cheap plastic cutting board about 1/2" thick. I prefer a plastic cutting board myself. Does not dull your utility knife or razor blade when cutting or dull your punches.

 

[DMartin9N-2N]

Good evening, John in la: I have a set similar to your picture, I bought years ago at a monthly flea-market at our local fairgrounds. Pretty cheap, and last a long time if I use a wood back-up underneath.
.
Dennis M. in W. Tenn.
.

 

[504]

I was taught to use a ball peen hammer to make gaskets and it works on most bolts holes too. Just like golf putting in a movie,tap.tap.tap. I do get a kick out of making a gasket for one of the grandsons, when they think driving 60 miles round trip is the only way to fix something.

 

[stevieb49829]

Steel tubing of various sizes, chuck up in the drill press and file sharp on the end. I've even got a few made out of tempered aluminum arrow shafts. Spin them in the drill press on a block of wood and they make nice clean holes.

 

[wp6529]

I haven't had an opportunity to try it yet, but I suspect my little K40 laser cutter would work well for making gaskets, especially complex ones. It seems you could place the part on your flatbed scanner to get a very accurate reference to CAD the gasket from and you can build a library of known gaskets so you can make a new one in short order in the future.

 

[caterpillar guy]

And all these years I have been doing it wrong. I just use a broken off carriage head bolt and use a hole in a plate that is the size I need for the bolt tap the head on the gasket over the hole and done. Or I also use a paper punch to nibble the edge out till it is the right size. I can even leave a little so the bolts will stay in the hole if I need like an oil pan.

 

[Russ from MN]

I used to make them out of black iron pipe, but now I have a set from HF. work best when you have the gasket material on a piece of end grain hardwood.

 

[old-9]

Ten bucks and up.
here

 

[Skipper]

Been quite a while since I had the need but I usually used a thin walled socket and had no problem. Plus the ball peen hammer tapping as suggested below was all I knew when younger.
Your system works for you and you probably had fun being creative doing it.
Its great to use all the options you have to get it done!

 

[jimlll]

I have a peanut butter jar labeled as GASKET PUNCHES and filled with various home machined punches. Some made from small nails.

 

[Stephen Newell]

Very often I use a paper hole punch. If it's not close to the edge I use a sharp gouge chisel

 

[da.bees]

Why waste time waiting for store bought gasket material,grab a cereal or shoe box and gitterdone.