While teaching the GEKA class I discovered that someone had put a 5/8 punch and 5/8" die in the machine, and misaligned them. The size selection is wrong, and the misalignment damaged the punch and dies both. .
The punches and dies we have are marked with actual sizes and the in use should have 1/32" clearance. The die needs 1/32" all the way around for mild steel, and that clearance should be as uniform as possible, so 1/16" larger die diameter than punch. A 5/8" punch should use an 11/16" die.
The previous user had made the (entirely reasonable) assumption that the parts were matched sets, and they are not. I’ll try and generate a card and some signage about this.
