Niagara #65-5 Air Powered Notching & Punching Machine

[Peter Miles]

Earlier this year, I acquired this small pneumatic punch press.

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=256&pictureid=2803

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=256&pictureid=2804

Niagara, now Bliss Clearing Niagara (BCN) Technologies, initially could not identify this machine for me even though I provided them with the Catalog Number and Serial Number.

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=256&pictureid=2806

Finally after I sent them the above photos they identified this as a #65-5 Air Powered Notching & Punching Machine. The data plate shows this as having been made in 1957. Their initial difficulty in identifying this was apparently related to the fact that they only manufactured a grand total of eight (yes 8 ) of these!

Weight is approximately 450 pounds.
http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=256&pictureid=2807

The linkages are pairs of parallel flat bars pivoting on simple 1" diameter (I think) pins with a snap ring on each end.

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=256&pictureid=2805

I was unsure whether this might have initially been a hydraulic setup but the Niagara folks stated that it was built as a pneumatic machine.

[Peter Miles]

The machine cycles once per pressing and release of the foot pedal.

The pedal assembly is a very industrial-duty assembly by Hannah.

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=256&pictureid=2809


http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=256&pictureid=2808

A pair of mufflers go into the two ends of the T-fitting shown above.

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=256&pictureid=2810

[Peter Miles]

The Niagara folks did not have a lot of information available on the machines but they said that it was rated for 14 guage steel and they did provide me with a few drawings for it.

I don't have any tooling specifically for it, but it has sufficient throat height to install a set of stretching or shrinking dies, punch tooling, etc. Originally, there was a corner-notching set of tooling available for it but I certainly won't hold my breath looking for an original set!

[Dawai]

Cleveland tool and die.. provided the punches for my scotchman.
http://www.clevelandpunch.com/

They were not the cheapest.. but the literature said they could custom.. i"d make it work with a known dies... Piranaha.. or scotchman.. Keep a mist bottle of some light oil next to the machine.. and eye protection.. they shatter punches like glass.. usually on the withdraw.. stripping it.. Normally when you are in a hurry.. and do not have another punch...

Interesting piece..

A adjustable back fence, like for wood working.. gets the holes even along the edge.. lining them up on your punch marks? lift the metal up till the punch mark centers on the pointed tip of the punch, (important) make sure fingers are not between punch bed plate and metal.. let er rip.. right in the punch mark.. I clamp flatbar on the scotchman ironworker table for a fence..

Chain punching is a no-no.. it bends the punch and breaks it.. (don't ask)...