Ball lock punch retainer

A method of forming a punch retainer, comprising the steps of:

• (1) mounting a retainer body to an abutment member;
• and
• (2) grinding a dowel passage through the abutment member such that it is centered on the center line of a punch to be received within a punch retainer passage in the retainer body, wherein the center line of the punch is determined by placing the retainer body and backing plate on a model punch, biasing the retainer body relative to the model punch such that the model punch approximates the actual working position of a punch within an assembled punch retainer, and then performing the final grinding of step (2), including grinding the dowel passage such that it is centered on the actual center line of the model punch.

A method of forming a punch retainer, comprising the steps of:

• (1) mounting a retainer body to an abutment member;
• and
• (2) grinding a dowel passage through the abutment member such that it is centered on an approximate center line of a punch to be received within a punch retainer passage in the retainer body, wherein the center line of the dowel passage is off-center from the center line of the punch retainer passage.

A method of forming a punch retainer, comprising the steps of:

• (1) mounting a retainer body to an abutment member;
• and
• (2) grinding a dowel passage through the abutment member such that it is centered on an approximate center line of a punch to be received within a punch retainer passage in the retainer body, wherein the retainer body and mounting plate are mounted on a model punch, and the retainer body and backing plate are biased by a spring relative to the model punch, such that the model punch is in a position within the punch retainer passage that approximates the actual position of a punch after assembly of the punch retainer, the dowel passage through the backing plate then being finally ground such that the center line of the dowel passage is coaxial with the center line of the model punch.