I am wondering if someone could tell me where to buy drill rod for making tools and what sizes that I should buy, also is there a difference in the type of metal that these things are made of.

K. David Gruber
3/3/2006 2:58:03 PM

I'm not trying to be a wise guy but what do you want to make from drill rod? With all the pre-made gravers now available made from the latest steels, why would you want to bother? You have to deal with tempering drill rod and of course just shaping it into something usable. Of course, I'm the kind of guy thay hates to sharpen tools let alone make them.....

Rex Pedersen
3/3/2006 4:53:44 PM

David, like Rex, I very seldom use drill rod any more but you will find Brownells a good sourse. www.brownells.com



Sam Welch
3/3/2006 6:14:59 PM

David, if you want to make gravers you probably want to order 1/8 inch or 3/32 inch round.
A gcouple of good suppliers are MSC, look on the Internet, or Enco 800-use-enco.
Drill rod is available in three types, oil hardening, water hardneng and air hardening. I would advise buying the oil hardening type. Look in some machinests handbook for simple ways to harden or email me at jbarraclough@sbcglobal.net
Hope that is some help, best of luck. John

John Barraclough
3/3/2006 6:54:34 PM

Thanks for the info. In all of the engraving books that I have read (including Ron Smiths) it mentions making a matting tool out of drill rod so I thought that I probably needed some to be a good engraver.

K. David Gruber
3/4/2006 7:35:50 AM

David, Ron Smith is correct, as usual.
A good way to make a matting punch is to flatten the end and square it to the long axis.
Cut a pattern on the end with a liner of your choice, Two directions, 60 degrees apart.
Shape the ends as needed to get into the small spaces. Harden and slightly anneal the end.
Hope this helps some folks. John.


John Barraclough
3/4/2006 5:14:28 PM

Thank-You John it certainly helped me
David

K. David Gruber
3/5/2006 9:32:35 AM

WWW.MCMASTER CARR.COM BUT WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY , WHEN VERY GOOD QUALITY, FAIR PRICED-TOOLS ARE ALREADY
MADE TO BUY ?? GOOD LUCK

J.D. SWARTZFEGER
3/10/2006 12:54:10 AM

JD, where are you finding texturing punches ready made in the size and shape we need?????
I have McMaster-Carr catalog and I can't find any Texture punches, never mind in the correct size and shape.
What catalog and page, please.

John Barraclough
3/10/2006 11:56:26 AM