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You too can have the cutest dimples

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by TRIUMPH TERROR, Feb 15, 2012.

  1. TRIUMPH TERROR
    Joined: Nov 14, 2004
    Posts: 1,000

    TRIUMPH TERROR
    Member

    Havent done much posting lately but I thought this might be worthy.
    Well been busy doing alot of hot rod building lately and sheetmetal is my favorite part.
    Working on a 31 Plymouth sedan and building a dry lakes modified.
    So I bought me a set of blair cutters for cutting holes and I have sworn myself off of hole saws forever. If you ever use a set of these you will throw all off your hole saws in the trash.
    So I am gearing up to build the body for the modified starting only with a donated 27 cowl from Randy D and a pile of sheetmetal. I really have been jonesing for a set of punch/dies or dimple dies.
    These things are very cool but very exspensive like 700 to 900 hundo for 5 dies.
    So sitting at my desk I researched these and I realized my machinst skills are not up to par for a project such as the style mitler bros and others make...and there has to be a better way...and bam it came to me.
    I have made my first die for 12.96 and 45 minutes on my lathe.
    Parts needed a long shank 2 5/16 tralier hitch ball and some old miller special tools collars and tubes from work.You could use round stock and make it. I just modified old things I had laying around.
    I spent 45 mins on the lathe and this thing dimples 20 gauge sheet metal like a champ.
    1. Chucked up trailer hitch ball in lathe and turned the collar that fits agaianst bumper down to just slighty under a 1 1/4. Like a few thou.. just for clearance.
    [​IMG]
    2. at this time I took the sleeve that will make the dimple and bored the center out to 1 1/4 as well so it would slide over stem of ball.This is all done so it will center itself in the 1 1/4 hole in the sheetmetal.Now tighten down the nut with metal between the two it will cause the dimple process.
    Place the sheetmetal on the ball then the collar, nut and then locking the ball end in the vice, Now all you do is tighten the nut till it bottoms out. I just used a pair of channel locks laying on the bench to tighten the nut and it dimples with very little effort. a socket and a ratchet would be ideal.
    [​IMG]
    3. Back the nut off and You have the cutest dimples you have ever seen.
    [​IMG]
    4. So remember there is always more than one way to skin a cat. For 12.96 and 45 minutes work you can have dimples too.....
    [​IMG]

    Thanks For Looking
    Shoe
     
  2. POLYFRIED 35
    Joined: Sep 1, 2010
    Posts: 886

    POLYFRIED 35
    Member

  3. Willy301
    Joined: Nov 16, 2007
    Posts: 1,426

    Willy301
    Member

    Way to use the old nugget!
     
  4. pastlane
    Joined: Oct 4, 2007
    Posts: 1,063

    pastlane
    Member


  5. iammarvin
    Joined: Oct 7, 2009
    Posts: 1,196

    iammarvin
    BANNED
    from Tulare, Ca

    Hmmmmmmmm........................Gooseneck balls, bigger dimples........................



    If you thought of anything then trailer hitches, time to rethink.............
     
  6. BashingTin
    Joined: Feb 15, 2010
    Posts: 270

    BashingTin
    Member

    Hey, that's neat! I love re-purposing stuff like that.
     
  7. Cool trick man !
     
  8. TRIUMPH TERROR
    Joined: Nov 14, 2004
    Posts: 1,000

    TRIUMPH TERROR
    Member

    Yes the gooseneck balls are a possibility. I have another idea though that should make this one do up to 13/4 holes. I am working out the particulars and need to spend a little time on the lathe. I will update if it works.
    Thanks Shoe
     
  9. 54reno
    Joined: Dec 4, 2009
    Posts: 139

    54reno
    Member

    Being in the trailer business I think it is a great idea! Thanks for the idea. Different size balls for different size holes. Reno..
     
  10. AfterhoursFab
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 30

    AfterhoursFab
    Member
    from NJ

    Very cool idea, I might just try that.
     
  11. Thanks for sharing. My next project will be a modified .
     
  12. damagedduck
    Joined: Jun 16, 2011
    Posts: 2,341

    damagedduck
    Member
    from Greeley Co

    very cool! i make all kinds of tools too.
     
  13. BBYBMR
    Joined: Apr 27, 2007
    Posts: 612

    BBYBMR
    Member

    You still have to make a hole, right? No hole-saw?
     
  14. TRIUMPH TERROR
    Joined: Nov 14, 2004
    Posts: 1,000

    TRIUMPH TERROR
    Member

    Yes I use blair cutters they are like a hole saw. Kind of expensive but you'll never use another hole saw again once you have a set of these. they come in standard sizes inch inch in 1 quarter and so on.
     
  15. Shoe,
    Damn I thought that the aliens got you bro. Glad to see you are doing well.

    Pretty neat holes you make there.

    Just for keeping up I am useing almost all the pieces that I have gotten from you in the past few years now.
     
  16. TRIUMPH TERROR
    Joined: Nov 14, 2004
    Posts: 1,000

    TRIUMPH TERROR
    Member

    Yeah I am like a ghost from the past just popping in from time to time. I hardly recognize most on here and at one time knew most in person.
    Hahaha yeah I been living in the real world quite a bit the last few years. Been doing alot of bike stuff. I am glad you are getting use out the stuff. I may have to try and make the drags this year. I guess need to post some pics of the cars we building right now.
     
  17. Gator
    Joined: Dec 29, 2005
    Posts: 4,016

    Gator
    Member

    Cool idea Shoe - I love low buck tech!
     
  18. Tin Can
    Joined: Nov 18, 2005
    Posts: 2,096

    Tin Can
    Member

    Any details on the black part of the tool?
     
  19. Pics are good, or you could just shoot me a PM on occaision. ;)

    I may need to find a cheap basket.

    I got a chance to take a scoot to Bonny, its just a cowsucker but I am thinking that I should do it before I get too old. The real deal is its not my scoot and it would fit my budget real well.
     
  20. TRIUMPH TERROR
    Joined: Nov 14, 2004
    Posts: 1,000

    TRIUMPH TERROR
    Member

    I will post up the dimensions tonight ..it can vary on diameter as this controls your depth on the dimple. I just did it trail and error till I got the depth I wanted.I am gonna try to turn out a piece that will put a radius type ring around hole also so it will be a option of dimple or ring.
     
  21. That's an awesome idea.........way to to think outside the box...
     
  22. TRIUMPH TERROR
    Joined: Nov 14, 2004
    Posts: 1,000

    TRIUMPH TERROR
    Member

    Yeah let me know if ya need something I would be glad to help ya if I can. I have a whizzer that I started to build as a board track bike style thingie to take to the salt but its off to the side for now.
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2012
  23. I have destroyed several holesaws building the Bonneville car and am going to go to the Blairs!

    Nice to see you posting again.

    BTW, your blog needs an update cupcake.
     

  24. I wish you were a little taller, leathers are going to cost me a ton. I wonder if they'll let me run in dungeries with leather patches in them in the appropriate places. :D
     
  25. Motor_Psycho
    Joined: Jan 21, 2008
    Posts: 81

    Motor_Psycho
    Member

    Love this, thanks :) only talking to my mate Joe about drilled and dimpled rails yesterday! Will be using this real soon
     
  26. TRIUMPH TERROR
    Joined: Nov 14, 2004
    Posts: 1,000

    TRIUMPH TERROR
    Member

    All warm and fuzzy now that beaner and t man missed me. Now we just need germ to drop in and call me a newbie puke or something.......like the good old days hahaha.
    Yes beaner the safety equipment for a bike is salty(no pun intended) and it makes no difference if its a scooter or 200 mph rocket its the same requirement.
    And no your leather thong will not pass tech either......hahaha


    T the blairs are the shit the slower you can run them the better they are. I have both styles one for sheetmetal and one for metal. As far as my blog my droids camera took a shit and its alot of work to use a camera and upload and then the computer......I am lazy :)
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2012
  27. Iceberg460
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 880

    Iceberg460
    Member

    Very cool idea, thank you for posting man.

    I wonder if those of us that don't have access to a lathe could use some 1/8" wall tube with the same OD for lighter gauges of sheetmetal... Maybe?
     
  28. brady1929
    Joined: Sep 30, 2006
    Posts: 9,253

    brady1929
    Member

    great idea. you should have saved it for tech week. i think it starts march 1st
     
  29. I'll need to break down and buy a book. I'm not sure what this one is going to do to tell you the truth, I ran 135 in the quarter (or there abouts) about 15 or 20 years ago. Held some sort of an NHRA record.

    I figure if I can make it break a record and I live through it that will be really cool. But even if I don't it will be a blast. And like I said earlier I need to do something else epic before I get too old.
     
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2012
  30. TRIUMPH TERROR
    Joined: Nov 14, 2004
    Posts: 1,000

    TRIUMPH TERROR
    Member

    Yes I am sure you could just cap the end with thick plate and drill your hole. You still will need a lathe to turn the hitch ball flange down. What makes it work is turning the shaft to the desired hole size for centering purposes. That way the shaft holds the sheetmetal center to the ball to make the dimple in the hole squared and centered. I am sure with a little luck you could find a back yard machinist who would do it for.
     

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