How To Make Dimples In Sheet Metal

Punch and dimple die tooling is common in shops for making holes in sheet metal or to add strength enhancing dimples.

How to make dimples in sheet metal.

To make the tool i used and old 1 2drive x 5 8 socket as the receiver for the forming dies. After the hole is drilled insert the pilot bolt along with the male and female dies. Metal ready for hammer texturing should be clean oxide free annealed and bone dry. Center out the die in the hole.

Wet metal causes tool rust and oxides on the metal will become embedded into the sheet during hammer texturing. What this will do is create a dimple in sheet metal for a screw or bolt head in this case a 1 4 fastenor. No expensive tooling or fancy tools were used. Tape the four corners down with painter s tape or masking tape.

Most common in the current market for experimental aluminum homebuilt aircraft are the 100 and 120 dimple dies for the 30 or 1 8th hole size. Diy dimple dies no fancy tools. There are different angles of dimple dies. Punch dimple die arbor kit h 9000 our arbors your punch dimple make the mitey mate jr 1685s a powerful sheet metal punch.

Start off by drilling a hole or series of holes in the panel or bracket that you want to make using a drill bit that fits the pilot hole of the dimpling die. For the thinner sheet metal under 040 or so dimple dies are used. Pic 1 shows the socket 1 4 bolt and washer i put the washer on the bolt and drive it into the socket pic 2 this will automatically center the bolt for welding.