Four years ago I made THIS dimple die out of steel plate and a big ass bolt and nut. It worked… but not well. Fourteen gauge sheet was enough to seriously mangle an M14 bolt… but I used it all over my AE86 and felt pretty good about it.
Now, my tool collection is growing rapidly and I’ve retired my home brew dimple dies in favour of the TMR pieces pictured above. They are not cheap, but somehow for the first time, I’d way rather give up a few bucks than fight with stuff that barely works. The more tools I buy, the better I feel about wrenching. The better I feel about wrenching, the more tools I want to buy…
Next on my list is a milling machine. 😐
It’s not the milling machine (and/or lathe) that eats your savings — it’s the cutting heads and bits.
There is always this if you want to truly go broke:
http://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/2014/11/13/video-see-a-crankshaft-created-from-a-raw-steel-billet/
Hole punch kit goes well with these. Drilling with a hole saw makes for gross edges.
Haven’t used one before. They good for heavier gauge stuff? 10gauge?
I definitely hate hole saws… seems like I’m buying new ones after every project.
Bits and blades I guess eh…