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#10 Dimple Dies?

K

kcameron

Well Known Member
Yesterday, I got to the point in the rudder instructions where I'm supposed to dimple the counterbalance rib for the #10 screw that holds the counterweight (which I've countersunk). "No prob" I thought. I'll just grab the dies from my dimple set which came with my Avery RV tool set. To my surprise, the set only includes dies up to #8! I took a look on various web sites I kow of:

1) Yard store - they don't list #10 dies. A shame since their other sizes are $14.95 for a pair.
2) Avery - $19.50 for each die - $39.00 for a pair
3) Cleaveland - $36.00 for a pair
4) Clear Air - $36.00 for a pair

$36 seems like a lot for something I'll use just a couple of times. Does anyone know a good alternative? I'm not trying to be cheap but I'd feel like a shmuck wasting money on this if there's a simple alternative.

I've already dimpled the hole to #8 but it's not big enough. I've thought of just tightening the #10 counterweight screw until it's flush but I'm not sure if that would cause problems.

Kev
 
Make one yourself, it's easy.

Kev,

I just used a 3/4" piece of steel shaft I had laying around. I countersunk the end and then opened up the hole so a #10 screw would fit. This became my female die. For the male die I used an extra #10 screw I had. Just hit the screw with a hammer. It worked fine.

Mark
 
#8 will work just fine

Per the advice of other builders, I just used an #8. The #10 screw sucked up into the #8 dimple just fine (virtually flush). Indeed, the counterbalance skin is still well below the screw head. If the HS were to catch on anything, it would be the C/B skin, not the screw. Just my thoughts.

Steve
 
You know, with all the planes getting completed -- or so it seems -- at such a rapid rate, I'm kinda surprised there isn't more tool rotation among RVers. Makes me think that maybe folks -- wayyyyy back in their mind -- are thinking of building again.

Theoretically, there should be lots of #10 dimple dies for sale as a bargain rate.
 
Now, what kind of builder would you be if you sold all of your tools after you finished building an airplane? Of course we are thinking we can do the next one better. And I haven't even finished the first one yet.
 
It's done

Thanks for the advice, guys. I stopped at the hardware store on the way home yesterday and got a set of #10 flat-head screws and nuts. I tightened them into the #8 dimples I'd already made using the counterweight as the female die. I tightened the screws until they broke. I was amazed at how little force it took to break them. I'll try to find some stronger screws next time. Still, the #10 AN screws fit almost flush now; close enough for me.

Kev
 
Be carefull using hardware store screws as dimpe dies. They have 82 degree heads. Aircraft screws are 100 degrees. Maybe the extra is just enough to take care of springback.
Mel...DAR
 
Dimple Dies

On a similiar note, today I nearly finished up the rudder assembly on my RV-8A. As you may know, the R-703 tip rib and the R-704 bottom rib require close quarter dimple dies to access the aft-most rivet holes. Out of shear necessity, I used common paneling nails as a mandrel and they endured much more tension force before breaking than the steel mandrels supplied with the close quarter dimple dies.
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Rick Galati RV-6A "Darla"
RV-8A empennage
 
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