How to "bell" a hole?

I bought one here cheap to do visor. http://www.irvansmith.com/scart/punches-hole-flares-c-3_54_55.html

 

I use an old Greenlee manual electrical knock out set and flip the cutting die. If dimpling a 1" hole I use the 1 1/2" top and an inverted 1 1/4" cutter and just crank till its where you want it. Low tech, cheap and easy to use in tight spaces.Clear as mud?

 

now I got something to do after dinner

 

There is a whole bunch of them on Ebay. Reasonable prices, too.

 

I bought one from this guy and I really like it.

http://stores.ebay.com/Barbed-Wire-Off-Road

 

I dun maded my ownses

The only problem I have with the "Storebought" ones is they are made on even 1" 1.5" 2" etc.. sizes. I made mine to fit Greenlee KOs, as The KOs are easy to find, and much nicer to use than a holesaw when you need to make a bunch of holes, this is a bed floor for an OT project, actually it is for my 99 Dodge Ram 2500 that is my tow rig:



I also bored/threaded the center of my dies, so I could use a Greenlee Hydrulic KO punch, as it allows me to do dimples in the center of large panels that my press would not allow.

They also make nice drink holders:

 

I have found that 30 degrees is nice angle for the dimple, with the OD of the dimple 1.5 x the diameter of the hole makes the most visually pleasing dimples.

 

This is my die before I did the center hole:


The male die is 2 pieces, welded together, just because I had some 6" rounds laying around that were 1" thick, and they were free, + it made for less machining.

 

It works on heavier material too, this is 10 Ga Stainless:

 

Here's another source:
http://www.vansantent.com/sheet_metal_machines/dimple_dies.htm

 

I've had good luck with my dies from Irvan Smith. I've even punched .125 chrome moly sheet no problem. I used to make my own out of aluminum but they lost there edge to quick. The ones I have from Irvan Smith are heat treated. Very resonably priced to

 

http://www.r-fabriplus.com/english/store/pipe-sized-dimple-dies/

 

Harbor Freight sells them.

 

A wheel nut, an old socket and a hammer work well on sheetmetal

 

Really, Dave? Care to provide a link? I did a search, but came up with nothing.

Roger

 

Go to the Harbor Freight site. I bought my kit there seven years ago.