How to make "speed holes" using dimple dies

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If you were making a bracket that required stiffing to make it ridged, this is what you would end up with after making a series of holes and using the dimpling dies. A ridged panel that would flow air through it, not hold air back.
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If you were making a bracket that required stiffening to make it ridged, this is what you would end up with after making a series of holes and using the dimpling dies. A ridged panel that would flow air through it, not hold air back.
  
 
[[File:Pickup_panel.jpg]]
 
[[File:Pickup_panel.jpg]]
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The male die
 
The male die
 
From an off cut of the 2” bar, I machined a ½” hole through the centre (to match the bolt), and machined a large chamfer at approximately 15 degrees (any bigger of an angle and you will have difficulty in ‘nicely’ flaring the hole, at least by hand anyway…..
 
From an off cut of the 2” bar, I machined a ½” hole through the centre (to match the bolt), and machined a large chamfer at approximately 15 degrees (any bigger of an angle and you will have difficulty in ‘nicely’ flaring the hole, at least by hand anyway…..
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== WHERE DO YOU WANT TO USE 'EM ==
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As you looked over the pictures that you seen here, more than likely your creative juices have started to flow on where you would use them. If I was making a bracket to hold up a piece of sheet metal under a fender, I would bend up an angle bracket or gusset plate and weld or bolt it in. With this idea of dimpling, I would now layout my bracket on sheet steel (satincoat or stainless) take my plastic circle template and black marking pen and draw a series of different sizes of holes on the sheet steel. I would then find the center of each hole, center punch and drill an appropriate hole for my dimpling die and dimple the sheet steel. The dimple would not only make it more ridged, but the flaring would add strength to the bracket. You would then bend up your bracket and weld or bolt it in. The bracket would let air flow through, wouldn't gather debris and would wash cleaner in the rain.
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Could you also imagine using these dimple holes or oblong flared holes in your frame or panels to allow access to bolt-ons or accessories. Flared holes make good access holes to master cylinders that are located below floor panels and its easy to make covers for them too.

Revision as of 21:33, 11 December 2009

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