Core plug type cups

[gordon stephenson]

As per title folks, I made this christmas tree recently, and as a final addition fancy welding a cup shaped holder to each branch end to hold one of those small battery T lights, I believe the cups would need to be 40mm inside dia, Question is could I press some of these myself from 1mm to 1.5mm sheet steel, and what tool would i need to make. got a shape in my head but don't know clearances and exact shape req'd, I only have a 10 ton press. I'm planning on making another couple of the trees, so would need a few cups. Unless you chaps know where I can buy some fairly cheaply.

 

[the snooper]

Can't you just slice up some tube and use some narrow flat bar to span the circle and attach to the tree it would hold the candle ok

 

[gordon stephenson]

Thank you snooper, may resort to that would prefer to use cups if poss, Plus I could enjoy learning a new skill.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

View attachment 75042 As per title folks, I made this christmas tree recently, and as a final addition fancy welding a cup shaped holder to each branch end to hold one of those small battery T lights, I believe the cups would need to be 40mm inside dia, Question is could I press some of these myself from 1mm to 1.5mm sheet steel, and what tool would i need to make. got a shape in my head but don't know clearances and exact shape req'd, I only have a 10 ton press. I'm planning on making another couple of the trees, so would need a few cups. Unless you chaps know where I can buy some fairly cheaply.

For dished cups use a ring and a ball tool in the press, a towbar ball hitch is a handy press tool.
For 'drawn' cups you need a tool similar to a punch and die but with a bigger clearance:
Die diameter = Punch diameter + (2 x material thickness)
Shallow cups should be fine but you need a clean radius on the die edge and a decent lube helps.
If you want to draw deeper cups you need to think about pressure plates to hold the material surrounding the top tool while its drawn into the bottom tool.
Getting everything lined up can be a struggle so a Hunton Bolster is useful.

 

[gordon stephenson]

Thanks for the reply Wendlspanswick, The image I had of the die is virtually as you describe, I was thinking small radius on the die top edge, and clearance to suit the "punch" dia, would it also help to have a recess in the die to locate the blank plate centrally?

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Thanks for the reply Wendlspanswick, The image I had of the die is virtually as you describe, I was thinking small radius on the die top edge, and clearance to suit the "punch" dia, would it also help to have a recess in the die to locate the blank plate centrally?

It would help, its one of those things where it takes a while to get it to work as you want, without any faults and then if you change material supplier or something moves it all goes to pot. It's fun playing with though!

 

[MoreWellie]

Getting everything lined up can be a struggle

for this particular job could you just drill a hole through the centre of the cup and use a rod to align the punch and die. You would also then have a convenient hole to "plug weld" on to the branch end

 

[gordon stephenson]

Yes, the intention is to plug weld thro' the base, Will just touch the top of each branch with the grinder to reach bare metal and a quick weld to fix the cups, Wrap a damp cloth below to stop burning the paint.

 

[gordon stephenson]

Decided the quickest solution would be to fab some, scouted around an bought a short length of new exhaust pipe and found some stainless "penny" washers to suit, Sliced the pipe into 15mm sections, put a small rebate in the tubes to take the washers and gave them 4 spots of mig, turned out quite nice , just have to plug weld through the washer holes onto the branches.