Vermont made ironworker – punch, shear, bender

HUMPHREY MACHINE · Sep 15, 2014

I see this manufacturers has already been discussed on PM but on a different forum. Here is a recently acquired number 2 ‘ironworker’ Marked J F Kidder MFG Co Burlington Vt Patent July 8 02. It punches, shears and bends angles. The company still seems to be in business. Anyone have any info – old catalogues etc? Know what the large diameter hole in the base is for? Bending?

HUMPHREY MACHINE · Sep 15, 2014

Here are several more shots. What would be a good tool steel to make new punches with?

neilho · Sep 16, 2014

Is the hole in the base for a stop rod?

Neil

maynah · Sep 16, 2014

I picked up a Kidder "Little Blacksmith" corner notcher a while back. Can't help with any other information.

jdleach · Sep 16, 2014

I would consider using A2 for punches. Stuff machines well, works good as a punch, doesn't distort much in heat treatment, and is easy to harden.

Neato ironworker there.

timekiller · Sep 16, 2014

What would be a good tool steel to make new punches with?

I would take the punch & die out get measurements and check if a common produced product. I can purchase sets, for less money than the raw material D-2. And don't have to do the machining and heat treating.

Also post here the dimensions. I know I have odd punches & dies laying around, that wont fit my current equipment. You might get really lucky!!!

Ray

Ries · Sep 16, 2014

my guess is that the punches and dies are off the shelf from the guys in Cleveland.
One, or more likely, all three, of these companies probably has them.

Cleveland Punch and Die Company - Home
American Punch Company - The Punch, Die, and Shear Blade Experts
Ironworker Punches and dies-Cleveland Steel Tool Co. - USA ph: 800-446-4402 or 216-681-7400

I probably have some catalog info, but I dont have the time to look for it right now- got a whole shelf of pre WW2 hardware and tool distributor catalogs. Maybe tonight.

oops- just saw the 2011 thread- still, I will check again thru catalogs, might have something.

HUMPHREY MACHINE · Sep 19, 2014

Thank you all for the help and suggestions. I couldn’t open Kidder’s web page for some reason but they may well still carry punches and dies which fit their early machines. I see that American Punch carries compatible sizes. I tried punching a piece of 3/16 inch mild steel today and found that I was unable to unless I bolt the base to the floor. Even 3/32 steel took some effort to pierce @ 17/32 diameter.

northernsinger · Sep 20, 2014

I don't know what that machine should do but neither your punch nor your die look in good enough shape for full capacity..

Limy Sami · Sep 20, 2014

Yup, both punch and die are long overdue grinding - the radius / bevel on the die stick out like the wotsits on a bulldog, and the punch isn't far behind.

Stripping out, cleaning and greasing of all pivot points etc etc on the press can only help.

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Vermont made ironworker – punch, shear, bender

HUMPHREY MACHINE

Cast Iron

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HUMPHREY MACHINE

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neilho

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maynah

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jdleach

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timekiller

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Ries

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HUMPHREY MACHINE

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northernsinger

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Limy Sami

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