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Posted: 9/11/2006 5:34:44 PM EDT
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I saw this recommended somewhere and was wondering if anyone else could vouch for it - it's the Starrett automatic center punch. It looks like it could make simple tasks much easier if one doesn't have access to a vice in order to use normal punches. Has anyone here used on of these? It looks pretty handy. Thanks all! Starrett Automatic Center Punch |
| i've used the heck out of them for breaking auto glass during rescue training. works awesome for breaking all tempered glass (doea not work on windshields). i have also used them when i needed to to make re-alignment marks when rebuilding drive shafts and such. they are interesting, but haven't used one for real in over 10 years. |
Not really. Eventually they will dent it enough but it would take several hundred impacts to do so---each. They are fantastic for what they are designed to do. Namely, make a starting mark for small drill, or a divot to hold dividers or trammel points at the center circle you want to scribe. The Starret is a much better tool than the General, or other cheaper knock-offs. The points are replaceable, and there is even a little jig available that will allow you to make repeated marks at the same distance from a previous mark. Dave. |
Yes, if you hit it with a hammer, but that wouldn't be a good thing.  I have a few laying around. Often they don't mark deep enough, particularly with hard metals. They are great for soft stainless and aluminum. For the rest, you need a hammer and punch. |
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order some lathe tooling or go to a machine shop and ask them if they have any junk pieces and make yourself a staking tool with it the starrett's are definietely nice, but not cut out for the job, you can use them to mark your magazines to identify them as yours, even some hidden center punch marks on a gun is'nt a bad idea in case of theft, i do my tools at work like this since a lot of my co-workers use the same stuff, there is no arguing that way |
+1 I have three of the Snap-On versions I use in aviation for sheetmetal jobs. They have no application that I can think of when it comes to AR's. If your thinking of making a gas key staking tool you can modify a 1/8 pin punch or a screwdriver for that. There's even one guy around here who uses a large nail! |
Have a link? I'd like to check that out. I don't think the Snap-On automatic center punch has the balls for correctly staking carrier keys. I'd like to see how this guy does it with the Starrett automatic center punch. |
Don't see how it is possible. |
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MOACKs Staking Tool About half way through the description of the MOACKS staking tool, he talks about the couter staking with an automatic punch. I believe there is more info on his tool usage for staking on the 10-8 forum. |
Thanks for the link! That Starret punch must pack quite a “punch” to be able to “field stake” the gas key screws. As I stated, my Snap-On punch won’t cut it so using it to stake gas key screws never entered my mind! I did manage once to put the thing through my left thumb! 
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I used them all the time when I worked in a machine shop. They're NOT to be used as like a solid punch. Place it where you're going to hammer a solid punch and press down. It will pop and leave a small indent where you can then place the solid punch and not worry about it slipping out of place. |
It wouldn't work if you're trying to use it to say keep a drill where you want drill a hole. The size of the indent it makes is only about the size of a paper-clip. Or about the size you'd need to keep the solid punch where you want it. |
I guess it would depend on the material your trying to center punch. I use mine in aviation where the majority of the time I’m drilling aluminum. On occasion I’ve center punched thin stainless with normal results. A drill bit “walking” in aviation work can be very costly! In that application, the Snap-On CP worked just fine. |
this is a question to people that know AR's not people that know machine shop tooling.the punch shown by QUIB is the smallest and the weakest one made. the one I use in machining work is 2x that size and works very good on steel parts and I would only press on it to punch once because a second time would probably damage the aluminum. these can be had at mcmaster carr the web page shows different strengths and they are made by General. these have thier use, and that is usually sheet metal but work just as good on stock as well. they are for a production environment where you have many places to punch. if you have a touger material I just pop it 2x. the one pictured is junk the ones I use are twice the body size and punch just as good as a traditional one.see mcmaster.com page 2168 part 3422A3. |
Well I’m not a machinist, but an aircraft mechanic of 21+ years so I hope I know my AR’s well enough to make the following statement: I agree that the CP I own, which is the one pictured above, is not strong enough to stake a gas key. There for it never entered my mind to use it, or for that matter, any CP for that purpose. It is not a piece of junk though and I happen to own mine since 1993. It’s just not made for every day production line work. I have no doubt that the Starret model could handle the job since it looks beefier than the Snap-On version, and I have no reason to doubt the individual in the above link who uses his Starret to field stake gas key screws. |
I RTFA. He says he uses the Starret for "counterstaking". He stakes the key with his solidly built 'mother of all gas key stakers', and then counterstakes the bolt head with the Starret. I am not sure how effective this is on a grade 8 socket head cap screw, or if it is really necessary. |
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