Cheap Dimple Die sets -Barbed Wire Off-Road?

[beartj]

$139 (about 150 shipped from TX to WV).

"7 piece set includes dies to fit the following hole sizes (see below for other options): 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, 1 inch, 1-1/4 inch, 1-1/2 inch, 1-3/4 inch, and 2 inch"

CNC'd from 1018.

Was thinking about slowly making some but all I have at school is a mini-lathe and not a whole lot of time.

Seems to be a decent deal. Anyone have any experience with these guys?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Custom-Dimple-Dies-7pcs-1-2-2in-by-1-4s-more-avail_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZQ7c301Q3a1Q7c293 Q3a1Q7c294Q3a30QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em14Q2el1262Q QhashZitem25548b645aQQitemZ160332211290QQptZMotors Q5fAutomotiveQ5fTools

The ebay store is Barbed Wire Off Road (user whiskeyv8).


I don't think it appears otherwise but I don't have any affiliation with them just interested in maybe picking up a couple and trying them out.

[maxyedor]

1018 steel won't last long dimpling thick mild or 4130, but for the price they mite be okay for light use.

[Big91RustyBucket]

Let RoxRoes Post Up . He Just Bought some.

[solarpower]

1018 is mild steel..basically common cold rolled.

They will not last long unless used very sparingly on other mild steels.

[adampfisters]

Could these be heat treated to last? I don't know crap about dimple dies except that I don't want to spend $700 on a set.

[dopeassjackson]

Could these be heat treated to last? I don't know crap about dimple dies except that I don't want to spend $700 on a set.
have your priced out heat treating, its strength and to forth?

[FRIZZLEFRY]

Could these be heat treated to last? I don't know crap about dimple dies except that I don't want to spend $700 on a set.

You cant heat treat cold rolled.And your not going to get a set made from tool steel for $140.

What makes those so cheap is they are not tool steel.

[jamscal]

I'm looking into having some made and these guys are making me rethink that.

I can't have them made for that price in 1018, and it's an additional 20% per small die set to up the material to 4150HT (I think that's the material).

FWIW, I think it's possible to case harden 1018.

Hard Chrome?

And one of my sources says 1018 is fine for several hundred holes before needing to be remachined.

That's a day in a production shop, but possibly years to the home user.

As long as the clearances are good I think it's a great deal.

[JeffHPK5]

You wouldn't be able to harden 1018 past Rc 28-30... The hardness isn't what will cause premature failure , surface finish will.

Clean material , die maintenance and some draw form lube and these things will last a lifetime in a home shop... assuming they come in with a good quality finish.

[beartj]

I was thinking about that today (getting them HT).

I'm all about supporting the vendors and buying quality but the difference b/w this set and a bling light racing or leduc is the difference between having a set and not having a set.

We had a couple different ones that were made out of random chunks of scrap at shortbus's shop that he made. One was 1.75 out of a piece of 7075 T6 and we've used it quite a bit...it's starting to show a little wear but it's still fine. The 1" was made out of a couple pieces of random mild steel and it's held up fine to occasional (much more than home shop but a lot less than a full time fab shop) use.

We used them for thicker mild too (i consider 1/8" to be thicker) quite a bit.

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4153/img0208wd0.jpg
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=336022&stc=1&d=1194938321
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=369098&stc=1&d=1210277724
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=340605&stc=1&d=1197249077

[Rowdie]

I've been looking at these...

http://www.allphaseoffroad.com/products.html?filter=on&s=10&a=8&n=28

Say they will do Chromoly.... a little less expensive than some.

[SirMrManGuy]

You wouldn't be able to harden 1018 past Rc 28-30... The hardness isn't what will cause premature failure , surface finish will.

Clean material , die maintenance and some draw form lube and these things will last a lifetime in a home shop... assuming they come in with a good quality finish.
Yup. This man is correct. While there is some correlation between hardness and wear, it can be largely mitigated by good practices.

[ROXROES]

Clean material , die maintenance and some draw form lube and these things will last a lifetime in a home shop... assuming they come in with a good quality finish.

Bought the 7 piece set, they will be here tomorrow. Sending them out for heat treat immediately. If necessary I'll have them retuned for fit afterwards. I'm not sparing with the white lithium. :D

[ROXROES]

They came yesterday, UPS was a day late. Just dropped them off to get sent out to get carburized. Hopefully case harden them about .050" deep. The fit felt pretty tight, didn't put calipers on them but I would guess .010-.020 of slop. Which they may have to be re-machined if they swell etc when they get carburized.

Anyways, I'll post some pics of how well they work when I get them back.

[beartj]

Sweet, excited to see the results.

Is it cost effective for people that don't have "ins" to get small batches of parts like this heat treated? Would cry treatment yield any benefit for surface wear?

I think I could probably get them done pretty cheap back in Indiana but I have ZERO connections in WV. If I get a set this summer, I'd probably just be careful about oiling and deburring (which I'm used to anyway) and just run them as-is.

[ROXROES]

Sweet, excited to see the results.

Is it cost effective for people that don't have "ins" to get small batches of parts like this heat treated?


My quote was $41 and they may be done tomorrow, its based on weight which the UPS box said 20 lbs. I just have our Tool & Die department send them out and pay COD.

You can only do so much with 1018, basically I was told carburizing and case hardening is it.

I'd be willing to get them done for yah if you had them shipped here from Texas. Then ship them down to you, UPS corporate rate so it would be cheap. :smokin:

[JeffHPK5]

You can't get any more than 28-30 Rc surface hardness on thicker machined 1018 parts... thinner stuff like .25 plate and down you can get higher Rc. numbers and to a greater depth. Things like chamfering the hole in the stock to be dimpled will make your male die last a lot longer before galling.

I don't believe cryo. does anything for hardness , it's more for stress and stabalization.. could be wrong.

[ROXROES]

You can't get any more than 28-30 Rc surface hardness
You already said that. :flipoff2:

"Machinability: 1018 is rated at 62% of 1112 carbon steel. The alloy can be easily brought to a fine finish, its chips are continuous and hard and it can be machined in all conditions.
Forming: 1018 can be easily formed in the annealed condition.
Welding: 1018 has been successfully welded using most all the common practices including gas, resistance, oxyacetylene, and submerged melt welding.
Heat Treatment: 1018 can, in thin sections, be case hardened to Rc 42. In thicker sections, over 4", Rc 28-30 can be obtained"

The hardness will be well over Rc 28-30, the thickest die is only 3" OD for a 2" dimple. :p

[ROXROES]

Well they're done, $35 total. You can see where they tested the hardness on the largest die, and the paperwork says it was 60. The two smallest male dies need polishing to get them to fit. Probably be tomorrow night before I have pics.

These were carburized, then case hardened.
Recommended Rc for Carburized 1018 (http://www.eastlind.com/resources_max_hardness_recs.htm)

[76scoutman]

Looking forward to picts cause I've been wanting to build a set but time is a factor and for the money these may be worth it.

[JeffHPK5]

If it makes you feel any better the same contamanents/galling or tonnage that causes damage to 28-30 Rc steel will have very similar results on 40 Rc stock.... nether one is really that hard. Anything with a carbon content of 18% isn't going to get very hard... even the hardest 1018 is still easily machinable with HSS tooling.

You have a hell of a set of dies for $200... I don't think I could machine a set that cheap with my limited CNC lathe capabilities.

I'm considering buying a set and having them treated... lucky our shop does it's own vacuum furnace processing..:grinpimp:

[ROXROES]

Looking forward to picts cause I've been wanting to build a set but time is a factor and for the money these may be worth it.
Ask and ye shall receive! :smokin:
You have a hell of a set of dies for $200... I don't think I could machine a set that cheap with my limited CNC lathe capabilities.

I'm considering buying a set and having them treated... lucky our shop does it's own vacuum furnace processing..:grinpimp:
Like you said though, use lube and they should last a LONG time. :D We outsource our heat treating, but I'm very happy with the job and time they did it in.

Dug around in my 400 lb pile of scrap and got sick of looking for some 1/8" scrap I thought I had. So here's some pics of an 1 1/4" dimple on 1/16" Stainless. The two smallest dies are missing in the pic, they should be polished to get them to fit tomorrow.
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/snopro007/MISC/MiscFab184.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/snopro007/MISC/MiscFab185.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/snopro007/MISC/MiscFab183.jpg
Blurry, sorry about that......
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/snopro007/MISC/MiscFab179.jpg

[JeffHPK5]

Here's a nice little chart on recommended materials per application.... simple but helpful.

I was thinking S5/S7 would be the best all-around choice , this is just based on tooling I've built for coining and embossing which is pretty similar to what these dimple dies do.

http://www.pvsteel.com/docs/Tsb-093.pdf

[patooyee]

I am probably about to buy a set of these. However, the front face of the dimples produces by these dies does not appear to be very sharp. It is really hard to tell because even the photos on the eBay ad are not very clear in this regard. (The ones above are also fuzzy.)

Here is what I consider a sharp edge on the front face of a dimple:

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r124/shaggy10000/ZUK/DSC01568.jpg

How would you rate that front edge using these dies so far?

J. J.

[ROXROES]

How would you rate that front edge using these dies so far?

J. J.


Those dimples look very similar to the pics of the truck arms done with LSR dies in the following link.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=516640

I have to get some 1/8" to try them all on, I'm curious to see the results on some heavier material. Wondering if the die will "pack out" more and produce a sharper dimple.

EDIT
I'll see if I can't get some thicker plate to dimple and get a better picture of for yah before the weekend.

[pmaddy]

I see they are selling 4140 heat treated versions for $250. Anyone have any experience with these?

[patooyee]

No but I just ordered every die they make in 1018 from 1/2 - 3". I can't make them that cheap. Very nice people to deal with so far.

J. J.

[keepviper13]

I am probably about to buy a set of these. However, the front face of the dimples produces by these dies does not appear to be very sharp. It is really hard to tell because even the photos on the eBay ad are not very clear in this regard. (The ones above are also fuzzy.)

Here is what I consider a sharp edge on the front face of a dimple:

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r124/shaggy10000/ZUK/DSC01568.jpg

How would you rate that front edge using these dies so far?

J. J.

Why are you wanting a sharp edge?
I would think you'd want a nice smooth edge to reduce the stress risers in the transition from flat to dimpled...? ?

[patooyee]

Maybe so ... the sharp sure does look better though. :)

I ordered the dies yesterday. I'll let you know what they do once I get them.

J. J.

[pmaddy]

I asked the guy to send me some pics of a 3/4 dimple in 16 guage so I could see the pattern better. Here are the photos he sent. He used 16 guage stainless. They looked okay to me so I ordered a set of the 4140 heat treated ones. I will post some pics of the dimple results when I get them.

[DisturbedS10]

Their ebay store shows 4140 dies. $244.65 for a set of 7. If I can swing it they'll be ordered by this weekend. If not I'll live with the cheaper ones:smokin:

[pmaddy]

Their ebay store shows 4140 dies. $244.65 for a set of 7. If I can swing it they'll be ordered by this weekend. If not I'll live with the cheaper ones:smokin:

They have adds on craigslist in many cities for 240 + shipping which works out to 250 to your door anywhere in the us via usps. Search google using "dimple dies craigslist".

[DisturbedS10]

They have adds on craigslist in many cities for 240 + shipping which works out to 250 to your door anywhere in the us via usps. Search google using "dimple dies craigslist".

Thanks:D

[crawlin'YJ]

Is it worth it to get the 4140 over the other ones.

[87JeepWrangler]

they also now have a 3rd type for sale, they call them their Bolt-On series http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Barbed-Wire-Off-Road/DIMPLE-DIES.html_

does anyone have any input as to whether a "sharp" or soft edge will produce a stronger final product?

[ROXROES]

does anyone have any input as to whether a "sharp" or soft edge will produce a stronger final product?

For a plate to twist or bow you have to contort the dimple itself as well as the plate. This is how dimples make plate stronger IMO. I would dare say that due to increased yield strength due to cold forming in the dimpled region. That the strength in that area is more (sharp or soft), versus the rest of the plate that is still flat. So due to this I don't really percieve there to be any noticeable benefit.

A harder edge will be more abusive to the diesets, that I do know. :D

[ROXROES]

Is it worth it to get the 4140 over the other ones.

It is harder and has higher strength than 1018. I'd consider it to be a $50 insurance policy, but would still use proper maintenance.

[Jorge Meza]

I just ordered a set of 4140. Will let you know how fast the shipping is and will post up pictures when the package gets here.

[95geo]

I'll be ordering a 4140 3.0" to go with the rest of my JMR set, it'll be interesting to see how they compare. They do look very similar.

[jimmyrig]

I picked up the bolt on ones will let you know how they work...

[craigellis77]

J.J. did you get your dies in and try them out yet?

[extremetoy]

i just got my 1018 set. used them on some thinner steel (16g). Work awesome.

[patooyee]

Nope, not yet. Haven't received a shipping confirmation yet either. I'm going to email them and see what's going on ...

J. J.

[patooyee]

My dies were unexpectedly delayed and will be shipped tomorrow. So much for the 2-day handling period they quoted me. Oh well, does anything ever happen on time in the 4x4 industry?

J. J.

[solarpower]

Is it worth it to get the 4140 over the other ones.

I use 4140 on dies, Dies that have to make thousands of parts before it's serviced. 4140 is a tool steel.

So I would say yes..for $50.00 more it's a no brainer.

[87JeepWrangler]

$139 (about 150 shipped from TX to WV).

CNC'd from 1018.


I see they are selling 4140 heat treated versions for $250. Anyone have any experience with these?


So I would say yes..for $50.00 more it's a no brainer.

It is harder and has higher strength than 1018. I'd consider it to be a $50 insurance policy, but would still use proper maintenance.

$250 - $140 = $110
where do you guys keep coming up with $50 difference?

[ROXROES]

$250 - $140 = $110
where do you guys keep coming up with $50 difference?

:laughing:

Brainfart, its $50 more than I have into mine after carburizing and case hardening.

[patooyee]

They shipped my dies today. I bought one 1018 die of every size they make all the way up to and including 3". They were very appologetic for the delay and say that they included an additional 1" 4140 die for free to make upf or the wait. That was very stand-up of them.

J. J.

[pmaddy]

I got notice that mine shipped today also. Not the quickest turnaround but I will post some pics when they arrive.

[Jorge Meza]

Mine shipped today also.

[72blazer]

I know it's not a tech thread, but what's the thickest metal one could flare using the 1018 or 4140? Thanks :D I may be in for a set...



EDIT: Searched...1018=1/8 AND 4140=3/16

[jimmyrig]

Just got my set Will post pics later:D

[BigWoodyWag]

No but I just ordered every die they make in 1018 from 1/2 - 3". I can't make them that cheap. Very nice people to deal with so far.

J. J.

I took your lead and did the same but in the 4140. Hopefully they'll last my lifetime. That 2.5" and 3" is what gets ya on the price, dang!

[pmaddy]

X2 on them being very nice to deal with. I told them up front I wasn't in a big hurry because I was having knee surgery and wouldn't be in the garage much. It did take them a little longer to ship them out then they orginally said but without me even whining about it they sent me an email apologizing for the delay and said they would toss in a complementary bolt on die for the hassle.

So customer service from these guys is great, I guess we will have to see whether folks are just as stoaked on the dimples these bad boys produce. I gotta think for money you can't go wrong even if the dimple isn't quit up to speed with a Lightspeed, Leduc or JMR. I mean I have seen pretty worthy dimples made with a friggen socket. :D

[ROXROES]

They are a member on here "barbedwireoffroad", hopefully they'll pay some vender fees and post up in here? hint hint cough cough

Sure there are other suggestions for affordable product that could be made to further expand their product line and profitability!?

I'd post up more pics, but I don't have a use for them until I finish the buggy thats currently in the shop. Well that, and I have to order a sheet of 1/8" steel.

[BigWoodyWag]

I guess we will have to see whether folks are just as stoaked on the dimples these bad boys produce. I gotta think for money you can't go wrong even if the dimple isn't quit up to speed with a Lightspeed, Leduc or JMR. I mean I have seen pretty worthy dimples made with a friggen socket. :D


I dont see how there can be much difference. We are talking a flared endge on a hole in some plate/sheet metal. So I doubt I'm disappointed and saved good coin going this route.

As for the socket dimples. My co-driver thought I already had a small dimple set because I'm that good with a piece of tube and a ball peen hammer.
:laughing:

[patooyee]

I got all mine today. They said they were sending me a free 1" 4140 for sending late but when I opened the box there was that plus a free 1/2" bolt-on in there! Talk about service! Crappy cell phone pic but beautiful nontheless.

BTW, someone asked above and I asked the same before my purchase. They said that the shock towers they list on eBay are 3/16 and they dimple them with the same 1018 dies that they sell.

J. J.

[86Yota4.70]

Any one buying these 1018 dies that would like to get them carbonitrided/cryoed Pm me.. I can usually get parts done in a 1-2 day turn around...




Taylor

[pmaddy]

I didn't have any 1/8 steel sheet laying around so I did some test dimples in some scrap 0.090 5052 aluminum. I dig them.

[patooyee]

Guys,

I just received a very long, heart-felt email from Leah Mosley. I'm not going to get into the meat of it as I'm not sure that she would want me to. I'm not completely certain as to why she chose me to send it to other than that I was very appreciative of the additional free dies that she sent. But suffice it to say that I feel for her and her situation and I have great respect for her position as a mother running a fairly well equipped machine shop in a male-dominated industry and small town. I'm not sure that anyone knows the extent of her misfortunate right now but I am a firm believer in making lemonade out of lemons and I think that she is, too.

Long story short, I believe that both she and the 4x4 community have an opertunity right now that could benefit us all if we are willing to take advantage of it. She is a 4x4 enthusiast who made a living in the petrleum industry with machine tools who is now just trying to make a living doing anything she can. She is looking for products that she can make to benefit the 4x4 industry that others either currently make and overcharge for or that no one currently makes at all. She is looking for ideas and is desperate to keep her machines up, running, and making money. She asked for my help in suggestions but I'm not very imaginitive outside of things that I personally have need for which oftentimes are not items that others need.

I'm going to link her to this thread. If anyone has ever thought of a product that they wish someone made but could not make themselves due to lack of machinery, this is your chance to maybe get it made! I think that Leah is exactly the type of business owner that the 4x4 world respects and wants more of. She just needs help figuring out how to serve a new market which she is highly dedicated to. I think the fact that she was able to bring dimple dies down to a level of affordability that the average Joe could consider says a lot about her and her company's business philosophy as they are just average Joes themselves.

J. J.

[maxyedor]

I'd be willing to bet that if she picked up a yellow star and threw an add in the vendor section she'd sell dimple dies faster than she could make them. Start slapping them in flat-rate boxes and shipping would get cheaper too. Then add stuff like tube adapters, interlocking tube clamps, bump-stop cans, maybe even lower cost bender dies.

Waiting to see some good photos of the dimples these dies leave in .120 plate, but a 4140 set could be in my future as buying a whole new set is going to be a lot cheaper than finishing out my Light Racing set.

[patooyee]

Mine did come in a flat-rate box. USPS lost their ass on it, too, I can tell you that! Probably every bit of 75 lbs in a box the size of a shoe box! The mail man left it outside my door and it stayed there until I got to work because no one else could lift it! :) She also already sells tube adapters if you look in her eBay store.

J. J.

[maxyedor]

Could have sworn I saw shipping was like $23 the first time I looked at them, but that may have been something else, been spending way too much money on ebay lately.

Now what are the chances of me convincing you to go put a 1" and a 1.5" dimple in some clean .120 and taking a good sharp photo of it so I can make up my mind?

[DisturbedS10]

I'd be willing to bet that if she picked up a yellow star and threw an add in the vendor section she'd sell dimple dies faster than she could make them. Start slapping them in flat-rate boxes and shipping would get cheaper too. Then add stuff like tube adapters, interlocking tube clamps, bump-stop cans, maybe even lower cost bender dies.

Waiting to see some good photos of the dimples these dies leave in .120 plate, but a 4140 set could be in my future as buying a whole new set is going to be a lot cheaper than finishing out my Light Racing set.

x2 on the low cost bender dies:D

[pmaddy]

Now what are the chances of me convincing you to go put a 1" and a 1.5" dimple in some clean .120 and taking a good sharp photo of it so I can make up my mind?

I will pick up some .120 steel next week and do a couple samples for you. I ordered 2.5 and 3 inch 4140 dies also so I will post some pics of those big dawgs.

[patooyee]

I think I only paid like $17 for shipping and that was for every die they made. The 3" die was as heavy as the rest of them combined almost.

I've still got to get some material to dimple and the tolerances tightened up on my plasma table a hair to cut a better circle before I'll be doing any dimpling. When I do though I'll take very detailed pics and post them.

J. J.

[76scoutman]

very nice guys, I'll be getting my order in soon... :smokin:

[ROXROES]

Well, they now have a yellow star. :smokin:

Some ideas to expand upon:
Removable tube clamps for removable tire carriers, cooler racks etc.
Hi Steer arms - Make these more affordable and you'll sell tons
Affordable clevice mounts for double ended rams
Threaded link inserts, misalignment spacers - if you can ship quick your reputation will grow fast
Build 7075 links
Clocking rings
Doubler adaptors
Custom fairleads

[Big91RustyBucket]

Definately doubler parts...

[chumly2071]

How about a set of the dimple dies sized to go along with the cheap on ebay Greenlee conduit knoockout punches?

[carwash]

How about a set of the dimple dies sized to go along with the cheap on ebay Greenlee conduit knoockout punches?
better yet, a set to match the super cheap harbor freight knockout kit...

[95geo]

better yet, a set to match the super cheap harbor freight knockout kit...

precisely!!!

JMR has done this already too, it could be a LOT cheaper though. :smokin:

[patooyee]

Affordable clevice mounts for double ended rams

x2 on that! What people are getting for those things is absofuckingludicrous! To me they're so overpriced that I won't buy them simply out of principal. IE, I WILL NOT be willingly ass-raped like that.

J. J.

[ROXROES]

x2 on that! What people are getting for those things is absofuckingludicrous! To me they're so overpriced that I won't buy them simply out of principal. IE, I WILL NOT be willingly ass-raped like that.

J. J.

I personally haven't needed a set yet, but about shat myself when I saw the price on them. But figured when I did I'd have a tool & die guy I know bang them out.

I'd be willing to provide the 3D model and print for these to the vendor if I can have a set. :grinpimp:

[patooyee]

I would also.

J. J.

[SonicDonkey]

better yet, a set to match the super cheap harbor freight knockout kit...

precisely!!!

JMR has done this already too, it could be a LOT cheaper though. :smokin:

Maybe a knock out set that matches the size dies and tube we already use. Knock outs to match their dimple die set???

[Big91RustyBucket]

I personally haven't needed a set yet, but about shat myself when I saw the price on them. But figured when I did I'd have a tool & die guy I know bang them out.

I'd be willing to provide the 3D model and print for these to the vendor if I can have a set. :grinpimp:

Instead what you did for mine worked out well :D

[95geo]

Maybe a knock out set that matches the size dies and tube we already use. Knock outs to match their dimple die set???


that's my other dream, to get the greenlee ones for the right size it'll cost about $550 for a 7 piece kit. the alternative was the dies made for the knockouts.

this is a prime example of being gouged.... I bought the hydraulic unit and dies for $80 at HF, they are charging 8 bills :eek:

http://www.jmrmfg.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=113&zenid=7f3951f2a67d28436894677abec385f0

[BigWoodyWag]

mine were waiting for me when I got home tonight.

Bling bling mofo's!!!
4140 all the way through 3", 'spensive but should last a damn lifetime!
And yes they got their moneys worth out of USPS flat rate box, that thing wouldnt have lasted another truck change.

[carwash]

so i guess i can't get the 4140 set with holes drilled for a bolt?

[carwash]

bought the 4140's... just the set of 7. will add the two larger ones later if need be...

guess i can bore some holes in them if want to as well...

[patooyee]

I'd be willing to bet that if she picked up a yellow star and threw an add in the vendor section she'd sell dimple dies faster than she could make them. Start slapping them in flat-rate boxes and shipping would get cheaper too. Then add stuff like tube adapters, interlocking tube clamps, bump-stop cans, maybe even lower cost bender dies.

Waiting to see some good photos of the dimples these dies leave in .120 plate, but a 4140 set could be in my future as buying a whole new set is going to be a lot cheaper than finishing out my Light Racing set.
OK, sdon't complain about size as I could have posted them larger but didn't.

Here's a 1" and 3" dimple using the 1018 dies in .125 mterial. The 3" really needed to be cleaned out with a die grinder to fit on the die after being cut with the plasma table but my die grinder took a shit on me and my new one isn't here yet so I just had to use a grinder which is why the hole sucks so bad and has some divots in it.

http://www.patooyee.com/miscpics/dimples1.jpg

http://www.patooyee.com/miscpics/dimples2.jpg

http://www.patooyee.com/miscpics/dimples3.jpg

http://www.patooyee.com/miscpics/dimples4.jpg

http://www.patooyee.com/miscpics/dimples5.jpg

It's amazing how much they stiffen up a piece of steel. I could bow that 2x2 foot hunk of .125 by hand before the 1" dimple. After the 1" dimple was in the center I couldn't humanly bow it anymore.

J. J.

[robs88yj]

How about an affordable reamer set-up for boring out FF Dana 60 spindles to accept a 35 spline shaft.
x3 on Doubler parts.

[blacksheep10]

on clevis ends doing some out of 2" square right now cheaper than tube and easier to clamp to knock out quickly.

[patooyee]

on clevis ends doing some out of 2" square right now cheaper than tube and easier to clamp to knock out quickly.
Pics?

J. J.

[BarbedWireOffRoad]

Curious to see what kind of interest there would be for dimple die sets that would fit the HF knock out sets. We'd be able to start producing new sizes quickly but I'd like to see what kind of possible volume it might mean. Let me know. Thanks.

[72blazer]

What di hell does everyone mean about the HF knock outs...Searched them but still unclear on what they do. Really wanting to get a dimple die setup to finish out the cage on my Blazer.

[gn3dr]

What di hell does everyone mean about the HF knock outs...Searched them but still unclear on what they do. Really wanting to get a dimple die setup to finish out the cage on my Blazer.

It''s this set.http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=96718

So you can punch your hole with this and dimple it with the dimple die and this punch afterwards. I'm thinking about going this way myself - gives the capability to dimple a panel that you can't remove from a vehicle or that won't fit in a press.

[87JeepWrangler]

according to their website...
Punch holes up to 2" diameter in 11 gauge mild and 16 gauge stainless steel

with most hf tools, you can't use the tool at the capacity they rate it for. anyone know how thick of material you can actually knock out holes with this?

11 gauge is right around 1/8", right?

[76scoutman]

So according to the HF site the punch set does actual holes of the following sizes....

1.115"
1.362"
1.6875"
1.9375"
2.375"

When matching dimple dies to these size holes, how close does the die need to fit to the hole? For example the first knock out is 1.115" that seems too big for a 1" DD but would be too small for a 1.125" DD.

1.115" -- too small for 1.125", too large for 1"??
1.362" -- too small for 1.375", but too large for 1.25"??
1.6875" --too small for 1.75", but too large for 1.5"??
1.9375" -- too small for 2", but too large for 1.75"??
2.375" -- just right for 2.375 but do they make a DD in that size?

[ROXROES]

When matching dimple dies to these size holes, how close does the die need to fit to the hole?

Really depends on HF's tolerances, and Barbed Wire tolerances. Just don't want them to overlap. So for this stuff, if I was designing it to be done in house. I'd hold those two diameters tight and have a .010 nominal slip. But assuming HF is cheap and has alot of variance, probably more like .020-.030.

EDIT
Maybe even more, would be best to actually put a caliper on some holes once knocked out.

[beartj]

Not doubting, just curious but have you guys that are recommending the HF knockout punch sets actually used them? I seem to remember reading several instances here in "the good, the bad, and the total POS tools at HF"-esque threads about how their knockout sets were totally worthless POS. They may have changed them up but I feel like i read that enough times to remember it over the years even without caring enough about knockout punches to otherwise notice or give a rat's ass.

[carwash]

Emailed with Leah at Barbed Wire, and she says you can get the 4140 with holes drilled in them as well. I sent another $14 to cover this. Just wanted to give an FYI.
.

[95geo]

my cheap piece of shit useless harbor freight hydraulic knockout kit works just fine on .120" mild steel. the problem is that I want standard dimple die sized knock outs so I dont have to buy another set of dies to use it.

[72blazer]

What I'm wondering is when we'll get the Pirate4x4 pricing...not the ebay pricing...:grinpimp:

[blacksheep10]

What I'm wondering is when we'll get the Pirate4x4 pricing...not the ebay pricing...:grinpimp:

My guess is that being priced below other sets by FAR on the market, She has a low overhead compared to some and is selling at the minimum price point.
These prices are smoking. If the product line is expanded I think its very exciting making some things out of reach to some home fabricators and small shops very much in reach. :smokin:

[HandBuilt]

Curious to see what kind of interest there would be for dimple die sets that would fit the HF knock out sets. We'd be able to start producing new sizes quickly but I'd like to see what kind of possible volume it might mean. Let me know. Thanks.

Build a set of good quality reasonably priced knockouts IN THE USA and sell them alongside your dimple die sets, you will be running double shifts. The HF knockouts are for pipe, they are made in CHINA. I am sick and tired of buying junk from China instead of supporting someone in North America, especially small businesses. Start building these and we will buy them.

[ROXROES]

I think its very exciting making some things out of reach to some home fabricators and small shops very much in reach. :smokin:

Maybe she can start making ORI's? :p

Sorry, couldn't resist, you'll be getting my money for a set sometime in the near future.

[keepviper13]

Build a set of good quality reasonably priced knockouts IN THE USA and sell them alongside your dimple die sets, you will be running double shifts. The HF knockouts are for pipe, they are made in CHINA. I am sick and tired of buying junk from China instead of supporting someone in North America, especially small businesses. Start building these and we will buy them.

I'm going to second this...

Make a set of knockouts to pair along with your 4140 dimple die set and sell it all for $300 and I know I'd be all over them.

[Rowdie]

HF knockout dies at the correct sizes would be nice but this site sells the sizes in the Greenlee line, A little pricey but still not to bad.

http://www.irvansmith.com/scart/punches-knockout-punches-c-3_54_56.html

I would be interested in just dimple dies with holes.... the holes need to be large enough for draw stud.

How large are the holes in the Dimple dies. The green lee draw stud is 3/4 id for the large and 3/8 id for the small.

I think the HF draw studs are the same as the greenlee.

[DisturbedS10]

http://www.irvansmith.com/scart/hole-punchflare-p-430.html
What about that? Punch + flare all in one?

[EZDUZIT]

Hey guys.

I'm an old man that has never done e-bay before.
So does Leah at Barbed Wire Off Road have a # or a site that i can call to order a set of 4140 with the hole drilled for the bolt and the 2 1/2" and 3" ?
Or is it all just e-bay order?

Thanks for the help
EZDUZIT

[cabletech]

Here is their web site:

http://www.mosleymachine.com/

[95geo]

A little pricey but still not to bad.
http://www.irvansmith.com/scart/punches-knockout-punches-c-3_54_56.html


are you kidding me? the knockouts cost more than the JMR dimple dies I bought!!! $300 for a 3.0" knockout is fraud.

[95geo]

http://www.irvansmith.com/scart/hole-punchflare-p-430.html
What about that? Punch + flare all in one?

no "Capacity 20 gauge steel" not going to work. 20 ga = .035"

[blacksheep10]

Maybe she can start making ORI's? :p

Sorry, couldn't resist, you'll be getting my money for a set sometime in the near future.

not to jumble a thread, but if you need them in 3 months, put your 10% down now. They take some friggin time with the 150ish strut backlog the other vendors and I have loaded him with.

Wow, I consider myself fairly capable in the shop with several turnkey and other stages of builds under my belt and I'm not seeing what the hell the knockout set does or how it works? on an panel already in a rig? how are you backing up the lower (backside) die? I have a punch on my iron worker and burn holes on the table, I guess I'm not really in the market anyway, but enlighten me. :confused::laughing:

[gn3dr]

not to jumble a thread, but if you need them in 3 months, put your 10% down now. They take some friggin time with the 150ish strut backlog the other vendors and I have loaded him with.

Wow, I consider myself fairly capable in the shop with several turnkey and other stages of builds under my belt and I'm not seeing what the hell the knockout set does or how it works? on an panel already in a rig? how are you backing up the lower (backside) die? I have a punch on my iron worker and burn holes on the table, I guess I'm not really in the market anyway, but enlighten me. :confused::laughing:

Basically the backing die is threaded and there is a threaded shaft going through both halves of the die. The hydraulic pump pulls the threaded shaft which forces teh dies together.
You can kind see a small picture of it on this ebay auction.

Knockout Punch (http://cgi.ebay.com/HYDRAULIC-KNOCKOUT-PUNCH-HOLE-DRIVER-KIT-W-DIE-TOOL-SET_W0QQitemZ300321315664QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item45ec8b9b50&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1205%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50)

[95geo]

Wow, I consider myself fairly capable in the shop with several turnkey and other stages of builds under my belt and I'm not seeing what the hell the knockout set does or how it works? on an panel already in a rig? how are you backing up the lower (backside) die? I have a punch on my iron worker and burn holes on the table, I guess I'm not really in the market anyway, but enlighten me. :confused::laughing:

its a poor mans ironworker. you drill a 1/2" or 5/8" hole where you want the hole and then assemble the dies and pump it up. The hole will be perfectly punched and ready for the dimple die (if you have the right size dies). it is 10x faster than a hole saw and they are much easier to use and not as picky when it comes to loading up the teeth on the hole saws.

[95geo]

I talked to Leah about the correct sized knock out dies when I placed my order for a dimple die, she said they will look into it and see what they can do.

Its refreshing to talk to a business owner and have them receptive to new ideas and not be afraid of making a jump!

[BigBlue&Goldie]

I wish she was making these when I got my Light Racing China special dimple die set..... they work well, but every time I use them I cringe knowing there is somebody in America who could have made them.

[DisturbedS10]

no "Capacity 20 gauge steel" not going to work. 20 ga = .035"

Is there a way to design them to have a thicker capacity? I'm sure barbed wire could make them cheaper

[ROXROES]

not to jumble a thread, but if you need them in 3 months, put your 10% down now. They take some friggin time with the 150ish strut backlog the other vendors and I have loaded him with.



They won't be needed till the very end of the build. I'll just pay in full when I'm ready. ;)

[87JeepWrangler]

I wish she was making these when I got my Light Racing China special dimple die set..... they work well, but every time I use them I cringe knowing there is somebody in America who could have made them.

1. sell yours on ebay
2. use the money to buy the barbed-wire ones
3. have money left over

[EZDUZIT]

Cabletech
Thanks for the info.

I called Leah today and ordered a set up to 3" 4140 with the bolt holes.
Very nice person to deal with.
Can't wait to get them.


EZDUZIT

[twentyfootdaredevil]

Are the HF knockouts the same size as Greenlee?

Guess I should wait a couple of weeks before I order a set of dies.

[patooyee]

Here's an LPG tank floor I made out of 11-guage using my new dies. My brother uses standard 20# grill bottles mounted up-side down in his buggy. The two large round areas are where the tanks sit.

http://www.patooyee.com/tyknife/knife21.jpg

http://www.patooyee.com/tyknife/knife22.jpg

http://www.patooyee.com/tyknife/knife23.jpg

http://www.patooyee.com/tyknife/knife24.jpg

Here's a gusset that I made, also out of 11-guage:

http://www.patooyee.com/tyknife/knife28.jpg

The dimples were easy to make in my 20-ton press. Even the 3" dimple in the gusset above was no problem for it. The 11-guage was a bit thick for the dies as there is not enough clearance between the male and female for it which resulted in the material not flattening out at the end of being pressed. I found that I could run the dies back through the dimpled plate backwards though and the plates would straighten back out perfectly.

Before the dimples the foor would bend easily by hand. After the dimples I think you could probably drive a truck over them without them bending.

I would like to see some female dies produced with clearances for thicker material. I could chuck up my female dies in the lathe and turn them out a bit more but I'm not sure that I want to permanently modify them liek that yet.

Leah, if you would consider making some female dies with higher clearances sold as a set of just female to match what I already have I would consider buying them.

J. J.

[patooyee]

Here's the CAD model if anyone cares to see it:

http://www.patooyee.com/tyknife/lpgfloor.jpg

J. J.

[BarbedWireOffRoad]

Hi everyone, this is Leah Mosley, president of Mosley Machine/Barbed Wire Off Road...

Thanks for the interest in our dimple die sets and thanks to those of you who suggested we become a vendor on pirate4x4. The encouragement y'all have given us is what has us staying at the shop after midnight and back at 8am everyday when it seemed like all that was left to do was give up. You can see our official Yellow Star Vendor ad here on pirate in this thread:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9950352#post9950352

As many of you know, we've been out of production work for the past 4 months now so in April, we put a listing on Ebay for a dimple die set. We were desperate for a new product that we could machine. The oilfield industry had kept us so busy that we never had needed to diversify. Our main customer stopped outsourcing work and we discovered what a mistake having one customer was when the slow economy hit our area of Texas in early January. We began making calls all over the country to get machining/fabrication work but it was already too late because the rest of the country had already been hit by the economic downturn and no one had work they would sub out so 5000 phone calls later,we found ourselves saying "what now?". That's when I put that pic on Ebay of the dimple die set and the orders slowly started coming in.

After we'd used up all our crop ends of 1018 that I'd always kept around "just in case", we started getting questions about 4140 dimple dies, so I bought a small order of 4140 heat treated bar stock and these sets started selling too. I'm still only able to buy small quantities of the larger bar stock because I'm trying to stay a step ahead of my budget since we've been without steady income for these 4 months. But even with sales picking up, I figured I had only the rest of this month to be a business owner because only one of my CNC machines is staying busy producing these dies. I have 6 other machines that need work or my banker will need to increase the size of his repo lot to accomadate my equipment.

My gumption was getting pretty low even though I'm not normally one to give up without a fight. But thanks to several of you here on pirate who have been sending ideas and advice and encouragement, I still have hopes that we can survive. I hope you'll find that we are producing a quality product at an affordable price. And to those I've already been talking to, thanks again. Feels like I'm making friends, not just earning a living.

Maybe, when I get caught up on bills,I'll get back on the trials and meet some of y'all super nice pirate 4x4ers. I'll be in a blue '79 CJ7 that I got to help build every step of the way from my fuel injected chevy 350 engine,to the custom rock sliders,fenders,roll cage,bumper,to my hydraulic assist steering that we made the cylinder for(big thanks to Matt,at WestTexasOffroad for my steering box that I haven't even gotten to try it out yet..maybe soon)to my blue under lighting,to my paint job,to my drive shaft that we made and they let me paint candy cane striped. I'll probably have a cracked windshield. I'm on my 5th one and can't seem to keep one whole for very long. We'll be the ones with Whiskey V8 logos on our tailgates.The folks at Barnwell Mountain gave us that name. I've learned how to do a lot of things that I didn't know would be a part of being a Jeep owner but that are now part of the passion I have for Jeeping.

So thanks for the opportunity to make a product for the off road market because off road is where my heart is. Hope to hear from you soon.

[BigWoodyWag]

Leah,
I'm the guy that got the up to 3" DD's set down here in Sugar Land.
Thank you, and I even saved out your letter to show my main sponsor (Wife).
I greatly appreciate the product, and am much happier not only supporting Made in the USA, but Made in Texas. I dont think you could be more right on the economy across the country, we had been very lucky in Texas shielded by oil over $60 for so long. But that $40 dip hurt us all. Good thing oils back up.
Add me to the list of ready to make an order if you make knockout punches that match your current DD sets. Save hole sawing or tracing a template with a plasma. We'll be able to punch the hole on the press, then dimple it all from the same work station with same tools. And will require zero edge preptime in between processes.

Keep on keeping on!

Wyatt Pemberton
Triple Nickel Racing
Sugar Land, Texas

[feva4u]

Ordered a set of your fender blanks :smokin:
Did anyone give BWOR a print for bender dies yet? Seems like they have the lathes sitting there, seems to make sense to me.

[snowshoebrue]

i don't have a press so I am interested in a set of dies made for the hf/greenlee punches if you make them. How hard are the the bolt together dies to use?

[carwash]

Greenlee makes conduit punches as well correct size punches... i have a couple that are actually sized the size they say, not the larger conduit size... I looked up a few to piece meal it together, my god they think these things are made of gold...

[EZDUZIT]

Thanks Leah

Got my Die set today.

I still didn't get your e-mail. at o4green@cox.net
(Oliver in Florida)

What is the best way to store the dies when not in use?
I want to keep them looking great.

Thanks again.
EZDUZIT

[BarbedWireOffRoad]

Hey Oliver, I sent the info to your email address. Thanks, Leah

[ATTICus Finch]

Glad things are turning up for yah.
x4 on the doubler adaptor (ford 203/205)
-R3

[ROXROES]

Well finally got to start to play with my dies today on some 1/8".

Updated 8/28.
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/snopro007/JK/WoodsJK031.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/snopro007/JK/WoodsJK026.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/snopro007/JK/WoodsJK019.jpg

[whatdyisit]

A few more pictures of the dies. These are real nice pieces. I am very glad I picked up a set.

http://dirtballsgarage.com/images/Web/dimpledie1.jpg

http://dirtballsgarage.com/images/Web/dimpledie2.jpg

http://dirtballsgarage.com/images/Web/dimpledie4.jpg

http://dirtballsgarage.com/images/Web/dimpledie3.jpg

[Clark102]

Just curious as to what gauge you guys are able to dimple with the 1018 and/or the 4140 with the drill threw option, without the bearing? Also are you able to do any thicker with the bolt on, with the bearing?
Thanks

[Jeep07]

Can you run the bolt on dies in a press too? (Assuming yes) Also what dies are people using the most? I usually go all out and buy the big set for the most $ but money is tight as of lately and I think I might go for a smaller 3-4 piece set.

[keepviper13]

Can you run the bolt on dies in a press too? (Assuming yes) Also what dies are people using the most? I usually go all out and buy the big set for the most $ but money is tight as of lately and I think I might go for a smaller 3-4 piece set.

I have the 4140 bolt on series and have yet to use them with the bolt... couple dozen holes with the press so far...

I think i've used about every one of the dies so far at least once. (standard 7 piece set) I thought I'd use the bigger ones more often but I've used the .5" one the most probably....

[Myanarchy]

hey leah, this shipped to 38127 sent money order don't need stupid heat treated, just need normal

Standard 7-piece Set (Best Value!)
(dies to fit 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, 1 inch, 1-1/4 inch, 1-1/2 inch, 1-3/4 inch, and 2 inch holes)

PM a quote and a mailing addy for the money order:D

[EZDUZIT]

Leah

Got the stuff you sent me.
Thanks


EZDUZIT

[76scoutman]

for those with the 1018 dies, how are they holding up and would you buy them again or get the 4140's?

I'm still on the fence on which set to get. I can order the 1018's now but will have to wait to get the 4140's.

[Aggie007]

I am a newb to dimple dies, so apologize for the newb question. Do you just use a ball joint press for the dimple dies? Mentioned above is a bolt style, would you just use an impact on those to suck the two pieces of the dimple set together, so a press isn't used?

[BigWoodyWag]

for those with the 1018 dies, how are they holding up and would you buy them again or get the 4140's?

I'm still on the fence on which set to get. I can order the 1018's now but will have to wait to get the 4140's.

I got the 4140's but would say that unless you are running a production shop the 1018s should be fine for 500 or so holes maybe more.

But for not much more, save you're pennies, and you'll never have to think about replacing the 4140's




I am a newb to dimple dies, so apologize for the newb question. Do you just use a ball joint press for the dimple dies? Mentioned above is a bolt style, would you just use an impact on those to suck the two pieces of the dimple set together, so a press isn't used?


I use a 10 ton press, a Ball Joint press should work though, you may be limited to size of material you can fit in it to dimple though or depth to dimple. The bolt style are handy, I wish I'd waited a couple months before they started doing this. Mine dont have the through hole. But yes thats the sweet thing about the through hole. Run a "FINE" thread bolt through and honk down on a good impact and you'll get it done. If you run a Coarse thread bolt the Impact has to work much harder to suck the two dimple halves together.

[ROXROES]

I'm using a 12 ton press, and spray the metal with wd 40 before pressing. I got the 1018's and sent them out for carburizing ($30) which gets your surface hardness to that of 4140. Now if I tried to dimple something ridiculous I could break through that .050 thick layer and deform the die but that won't happen. ;) Can't even tell I've used them if you look at them...

EDIT
They have an awesome 11 pc 4140 special going in the vender section.

[76scoutman]

Got mine in friday. Nice product. Had a buddy cut out a pannel with the CNC plasma and dimpled 6 holes 1.5".

I'm hooked!

[76scoutman]

Here's some picts...

Material is 16 ga steel with a Harbor Freight 12T press.

Before. Plate cut with CNC plasma. I had to open the hole up and clean out just a little bit with a sanding drum to get the die to fit but that was because of the slight angle the plasma cut with.

After.

Project it's going on is my son's power wheels Jeep project. Full buildup will be coming soon. :grinpimp:

[BarbedWireOffRoad]

I'm letting ya'll know that we are now in production of the next style of dimple dies. This set will fit the Harbor Freight hydraulic cylinder. It will be a 5 pc set and will be similar to our bolt-on series so that they can also be used in a press. These sets will be located in a new thread as soon as I have a stock supply. They will be drilled instead of threaded so that they can be used to dimple in either direction when used with the HF knock out kits.

We have also made a prototype of the punches that will fit our BWOR dimple dies. It will also be a 5 pc kit, beginning with 1" to 2" punches with others possibly to follow. We will be in production with these in two weeks. Look for the new thread of this product coming soon. Let us know if you have any other ideas for us to manufacture.

Thanks, Leah

[Rocco]

What RC are you heat treating the 4140 to?

[BarbedWireOffRoad]

Check out our new dimple die products in tools and supplies. Let me know what y'all think.
Thanks for your support,
Leah

[BarbedWireOffRoad]

WE'RE STILL MAKING DIMPLE DIES DIRT CHEAP BUT........................I'm looking for more work for my machines. I've got 7 cnc machines-4 lathes, 3 mills and 3 shift capacity for them. If you've got some work you need done, please let me know. I've been looking for new products to manufacture in house but I don't have enough work to keep all my machines busy, so I'm asking for sub out machine work if there's any to be had out there. Maybe someone has too much work and can't get their product out fast enough or someone's thinking of trying to expand their product line but can't see spending the money on new equipment right now to get the job done so if you're in this situation or know someone that is, please contact me and let me put my machines to work for you. It'd help us both out.

Thanks for you time, Leah

[fordxranger]

has anyone with these dimpled 3/16 or c channel? I searched and it says that the limit for the 4140 set is 3/16. I plan to make some bumpers with that size material this winter and I want to know how well these do with that size.

[Swag Off Road]

has anyone with these dimpled 3/16 or c channel? I searched and it says that the limit for the 4140 set is 3/16. I plan to make some bumpers with that size material this winter and I want to know how well these do with that size.

I have BWOR 4140 dies and I have been dimpling 3/16" A-36 steel for a while now. I was using the supplied 5/8" bolt to do the dirty work but that is just to much for the bolt, and Impact gun, I only got ~12 holes dimpled before the bolt's threads gaulled up.

I went to HF and picked up their knock out set with hydraulic pump/ram. I had to drill the center hole of the dimple dies to 3/4" dia to work with the HF hydraulic ram. It worked well and took ~15 seconds to make the dimple. Then I hooked up the HF ram to the JMR air over hydraulic foot pump and WOW in one second I can dimple 3/16" steel like butter. I was giddy like a school girl. :smokin: Nothing in my shop is safe, everytime I look at a metal cabinet, shelf, file cabinet I have to think........does that piece of steel need dimpled? :laughing:



Troy

[fordxranger]

I have BWOR 4140 dies and I have been dimpling 3/16" A-36 steel for a while now. I was using the supplied 5/8" bolt to do the dirty work but that is just to much for the bolt, and Impact gun, I only got ~12 holes dimpled before the bolt's threads gaulled up.

I went to HF and picked up their knock out set with hydraulic pump/ram. I had to drill the center hole of the dimple dies to 3/4" dia to work with the HF hydraulic ram. It worked well and took ~15 seconds to make the dimple. Then I hooked up the HF ram to the JMR air over hydraulic foot pump and WOW in one second I can dimple 3/16" steel like butter. I was giddy like a school girl. :smokin: Nothing in my shop is safe, everytime I look at a metal cabinet, shelf, file cabinet I have to think........does that piece of steel need dimpled? :laughing:



Troy

I don't know how I didnt see your bumper in the other thread, but it looks like the dimples will do the job without busting a sweat. I think now im going to sway toward their hf knockout set. hopefully leah posts the 4140 set prices sometime soon, to see what I can afford. maybe ill make my friends some parts to earn back the price of these and I can get them all!

[beartj]

So I asked Leah for a quote on a couple dies in 1018 about a year after starting this thread. When she responded with a quote I was amazed. Out of thanks for starting the thread (which I did just out of curiousity) she said that she would send me a full 7pc set upgraded to 4140, along with a lot of other kind words and thanks. She wouldn't even let me pay for shipping! Shortly thereafter (although i felt like a little kid waiting for their first bike and it felt like FOREVER) I had a box at my door with the dies. It says something about a vendor when they actually feel connected to the people that buy their stuff. It became clear within a PM or so that Leah is a CLASS ACT!

I had used the BBOR dies before at a buddy's place so I wasn't that surprised when they worked flawlessly.

I don't have any 4x4 projects at school but i do little projects here and there and use tools in my research work and now I understand when i see people get a set and after a month or two...nothing is safe from the dimples.

I don't have a press and didn't get a drilled set so I dimple everything right now with a mini sledge.

The first couple pictures are a desk organizer I made for a friend out of .060 alum which dimpled EASY (obviously). The large piece is a TV stand made for another friend out of 3/16" alum (which my "little" diversion 165 welded just fine). I was a little concerned about being able do dimple something that thick without a press but I lubed it up and even the 2" was fairly easy and took a few good whacks with the sledge before the die bottomed.

THANK YOU LEAH! I can't wait to use these on something besides furniture.