Originally Posted by Metalmuncher Originally Posted by

Interesting idea! Now you've got me wondering, to get more assortment in hole sizes, if using the head of a grade 8 bolt, properly dressed on a grinder, pressed into a six point impact socket, could punch a hex shaped hole in the same sheet metal? If so, I think there are sockets made for square head bolts, too. That could provide an assortment of square hole punch sizes. With reference to how the punch for a rotary broach is ground, would grinding a concave in the socket-extension punch (or bolt head bunch, if that gets proven to work) help the punching operation? It would extend the 4 or 6 points of the tool out into piercing points to start the punch penetration.