Fowler Automatic Center Punch - Ideal for Marking Metal and Wood Surfaces

Lee Fottler: Bought on advice of one of the machinist forums. I was not aware of Fowler tools, but they spoke highly of them if you didn't want to spend the money on a Starrett. As mentioned there it is significantly larger than the good old General Tools variety, and I am speaking of their "larger' one. I bet it is at least 50% larger. Not a concern for me but keep in mind if it is for you. Tested on some EMT conduit I has been drilling, which prompted "it's time for a new auto punch". The Fowler punches a detent 100% or more larger than the General. I did notice however that it does not change size when you adjust the spring like you would on the General, for heavier or lighter strike. Again not an issue for me , but if you need adjustable impact, I didn't find this one to adjust. I am happy with my purchase.

United States on Oct 05, 2023

BMF: Punch has more snap than any other punch I've used. Makes a far better divot.

United States on Aug 28, 2023

Juan Rivera: I really recommend this item so many that looks the same but they are just junk

United States on Apr 23, 2023

Derek: one of the few automatic center punches that still works after hundreds of uses. Very well made.

It was very difficult to use at first, required much pressure, but I guess the springs tension decreased a bit and its more reasonable now.
Great!

Canada on Mar 26, 2023

Pierre Morency: Excellent

Canada on Feb 11, 2023

Amazon Customer: Quality product, works great for my requirements.

Canada on Jan 30, 2023

David Takeda: I got tired of working with a lower quality auto centre punch with a red plastic knob. I was constantly disassembling the tool to lube the internal pin as it would not reset properly. I was ready to buy a Sterrett for more than double the cost of this Fowler auto centre punch but glad I didn't. The Fowler is more than adequate for my wood working needs & any metal jobs as well. The Fowler is all metal & very heavy compared to my old tool & sets a hole too deep on hard wood if it is set to the strongest position. I have it about 1/3 the strength & it still leaves an indent far deeper & larger than the old punch. The reset action after using is immediate & solid. Quite impressed for the cost compared to the cheap punch. Can't compare to a Startett but for my needs, the Fowler is an excellent investment.

Canada on Dec 31, 2022

New England Yankee: If you're looking for a slim, lightweight auto punch to slip into a pencil pocket, look elsewhere. The Fowler 52-500-290 is described as "super heavy duty" ... and it is. Longer than some, large in diameter, and heavy. It's capable of delivering quite a punch. Set full strength with the back cap fully screwed down, it take some effort. The surprise was how light the punch can be adjusted, too. The back cap has a lot of travel and at the light end is suitable for softer metals and other materials. For me, it covers everything I need in an auto punch. For delicate punching and very fine punching, I prefer to punch manually and with a finer tip.

Excellent tool. Not only bigger than expected (per the headline), but better than expected.

Delivered in a simple box in perfect condition. Unlike with some reviews, mine was a Fowler box and also clearly marked "Made in Japan."

United States on Sep 20, 2020

Aleksey: Very solid, powerful and simple

Canada on Aug 13, 2020

Charles Enfield: I wanted the convenience of a spring center punch but my import ones were crap. I turned to Amazon expecting to order a Starrett. I found this one from a reputable brand with good reviews, so I decided to save a few bucks. I don't regret it at all. If I had the kind of job that required me to carry a punch in my pocket I would have ordered the Starrett on reputation alone, but for the home shop or weekend mechanic the Fowler is more than sufficient. It's reliable, large enough to get a good grip on, and shows no visible deformation from use on mild steel. Obviously it will have to be sharpened eventually, but it will stay sharp a good. I tried it on a forged wrench and it made small marks in the hardened steel too, but too small to start a reasonable sized drill. A handful of tests on the wrench also noticeably flattened the tip, but not so much that a few seconds on the belt grinder didn't fix it. I have no idea how the Starrett would do on the wrench, but thought potential buyers may want to know the limits of this punch.

United States on Nov 02, 2019