Tools
The most important tool you will need is a balance rail punch. Unfortunately, these are hard to find, and Instrument Workshop may or may not carry them. The good news is they're relatively easy to make. You will need a 4" length of stainless steel hex bar which is available at Online Metals, part #355, for less than $5.00. You can order two for less than $10.00. When you find the part, click on "Create Custom Cut" and enter 4". All you will need to do is grind one end to a point as shown in the illustration on the left. The most important dimension is the thickness of the pointed end which should be about .010" less than the diameter of your balance rail pins. My 35 year old punch, shown on the right, has been ground to .082" in thickness. As you can see in the photo, the bottom end of my punch has mushroomed from 35 years of use.