SkelePunch

surfdaworld · **on:** January 09, 2017, 11:12:19 PM

Nothing fancy, just a small punchdown bit I made for my Skeletool for those rare occasions that I need to terminate a CAT5 wall jack or dig into our telephone patchbays at work.

Sparky415 · **Reply #1 on:** January 09, 2017, 11:23:01 PM

Neat work Surf

T14 · **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2017, 06:22:41 AM

Quote from: Sparky415 on January 09, 2017, 11:23:01 PM

Neat work Surf

+1

Now I want one with a wire stripper head

Gerhard Gerber · **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2017, 02:24:45 PM

I worked at a mine that blasted twice a day, so twice a day the buildings shook.......almost had to EDC a Krone tool!

Great idea and well executed!

Made me think, a Skeletool with a sidecutter instead pliers and a few crafty bits could be a winner.

For general IT duties and cutting apples the Skeletool is my daily winner

ironraven · **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2017, 03:12:24 AM

Neat! Could you give us some info on the making of?

surfdaworld · **Reply #5 on:** January 12, 2017, 03:30:55 AM

Not a very glamorous tale, I'm afraid!
I had a cheap punchdown tool from Home Depot lying around, similar to this one:

https://www.amazon.com/DataShark-70034-Non-Impact-Punchdown-Tool/dp/B000KMFDZ0/ref=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&qid=1484187569&sr=8-34&keywords=110+punchdown

I squashed the handle in a bench vise to remove the non-reversible punchdown bit, then used a bench grinder to grind down the shaft to the right profile. Slow grinding and frequent fit-testing was the key.

It works fairly well, my only frustration is that the retaining clip on the Skeletool bit holder isn't quite strong enough to keep the bit from being pulled out of my Leatherman after I punch down a connection with it. I usually have to grasp the bit in order to pull it back off the punchdown block. I may be able to improve that by deepening the notch, I just haven't taken the time to bother with it yet.