Just got my hands on the Astro 608ST ONYX punch/flange tool, and wow, what a difference it makes compared to my old Harbor Freight one that died mid-job!
This thing is a beast—sliced through metal like butter, putting clean creases in a quarter panel in just 10 minutes. The hole punch feature? Effortless. No more struggling with uneven edges or weak crimps.
Some reviewers mentioned issues with thicker gauges (14ga is a stretch), but for 16ga work, it’s flawless. Also, heads up: the lever design is a bit awkward—you’ll need a firm grip near the air inlet to balance it. Not a dealbreaker, but worth noting.
Bonus points for the rotating head, which makes repositioning a breeze. Downsides? Amazon left mine under my truck tire (rude), and the anvil jaws gave out after minimal use for one user. Still, for the price and performance, it’s a solid 9/10.
Pro tip: If you’re doing resto work on old cars, this’ll save you hours. Just maybe don’t lend it to ‘friends’—some tools are too good to share!