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Does anybody here make Steel Rule Dies?

G

gmatov

Diamond
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Location
SW PA
Title says it all. Do ANY of you make Steel Rule Dies, in the size of 9 X 12?

I'd like to know if anybody can. We have mold makers and die makers and machinists, but if I asked you to make a die that can cut a crystanthemum from 65 # card stock, I would like to talk at you.

Might be the wrong place to ask. More of you read this thread than the RFQ thread, and I think you have more smarts.

Cheers,

George
 
I worked in the printing industry right out of H.S. We used steel rule dies to cut cardstock on an old handfed platen press I ran. If all else fails maybe do some searching in that area of industry.
 
Leatherworkers use them. Try Tippman Industrial in Fort Wayne IN. They are the paint ball people, but they also make leather sewing machines and clickers, the machine that stamps out leather parts. They make custom dies. Very nice folks.
John Lewis
 
I highly recommend Paragon Steel Rule Die in Rochester NY. Fast turn and good to work with. They also do laser and water jet cutting. Mike McDeid is the boss man
 
Yep i will secound the print die supplier route, there a lot of them over here and something like you want would be in the $200 range here. Probaly turn around in a day or 2 as well.
 
McNeillMachine said:
I use Apple Die. Send 'em a .dxf, get back the die a week later. not too expensive either. something that size would be 2 or 3 hundred bucks tops.

http://www.appledie.com/
Click to expand...

I'll second Apple Die, haven't used them for a while, but they always turned it around fast. I always had a die in my hand in 2-3 days(they're right up the street, 400miles), and reasonable prices and good quality. I'd also wager $200-$300 depending on complexity, I've had dies made from them for as little as $90.

Edit: I could have sworn they were in Phoenix, apparently not, still 2-3 days.
 
Thanks, guys,

I've been in touch with Ace, Paragon, Key, waiting for a response.

I gotta say, the prices you are mentioning are on the high side. Think she is going to have to stay with the guy who made the one die she has bought so far. That was 70 bucks, ordered from the guy who did her stamping on an old letterpress or clamshell.

One site I went to said theirs were 2 bucks an inch. Measured the steel in hers and it was about 70 inches counting creasing knives.

So, for the price, and very quick delivery, she'll probably stick with that guy.

Big plus is that she can send the file, have it made, delivered to the print shop, and drive 20 miles to take her own paper in (specialty paper, tries to use all recycled) and look at the first cut to make sure it is properly cut. Out of stater would be 5 or more day turnaround to make it right.

Wrong place to comment on this, but I have found roller presses that seem as though they would do the job. Just don't know if it is justifiable in cost. Nor whether they will register on her prints.

Cheers,

George
I would like to try making them myself. Don't know if I can make the accuracy needed.
 
I just had a simple 2 x 4 rounded corner rectangle made for 45 dollars, press die, ie laser cut board with pressed in rule. Bolt dies or open dies are multiples of that. Another die is a 6 inch circle with 8 tabs sticking out and 9 round holes, 3/4 dia, that was 195 dollars.
 
Davis,

I have been Union all my life. I would hate for that to be the case. I think the guy is a go it alone type, one man op, but I don't know. I will have to ask.

John,

Send me a pic of that one and I will ask the guy what it would cost. I can't promise that, since I don't know him.

She has done fine with the Robot Cutter I bought her, on smaller jobs. BUT, that thing takes at least 2 minutes per piece, and when quantities get over 100, hell, over 50, it does eat up time, and knives, at 15 per. Good for maybe 100 fewer complex pieces, so 15 cents each in consumables on something that sells for 3 or 4 bucks.

True diecuts on repeat jobs save much time and knife wear. Mebbe 15 minutes per hundred total.

I'm supposed to be retired. But I'm lovin' it.

Cheers,

George
 
Steel Rule Die

I use a guy by the name of Bob Hacker in Williamsport. His contact info is:


Williamsport Dies and Cuts
570-323-8351 phone
570-323-8812 fax

joker
 
For those of us not in the know, why are these punch & die sets called `Steel rule dies'?

Thanks,
Rich C.
 
its a steel rule set on edge in a shape cut in a nice bit of plywood. Rule has cutting, perforating or scoring edges to it and comes in a million zillion heights and thicknesses.
 
My search is basically over, as I got a pretty firm estimate on another die, this one I think less complex. Basically a rosette, 5 1/2 D, with "petals" spaced on about a 1 inch pitch, max about 1/2 inch projection. Think of a daisy.

Probably about 24 inch max of knife. Even was asked if roots had to be sharp or could be slight radius. Radius is OK. Est. was near 270, 11 bucks an inch, approx.

Told my kid about it and she is happy to know she is not being taken advantage of by the guy who is currently the go to guy. One day delivery to boot, so that makes me think he is a retiree filling his hours and keeping his hand in as well as possibly keeping body and soul together.

My kid has no contact with him, just through the printer.

Another side note, a cousin on my ex's side retired from doing diemaking for a living, last place he worked was just that, steel rule dies. He said he would love to help but doesn't have the tooling. Bad timing on our part, I guess. He WAS a Union Die Maker.

Cheers,

George
 
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