Tip: Another idea for dimpling in tight spaces

Tumper · #1 05-05-2009, 01:34 PM

I needed to squeeze some dimples in a tight space this past weekend and I didn’t want to wait to order a new tool so I came up with something that maybe someone else can use. I started with a pull rivet dimple set I had in my arsenal of tools, and added a pair of vise grip pliers (available at your local aircraft supply store, Lowe’s).

I used an angle grinder with a $2.00 .045” thick DeWalt thin cutting wheel blade to cut a slot in the teeth of a pair of $8.00 - 10” vise grips. I also cut out the top of the jaw on one side of the vise grips to allow the head into a smaller area.

As the picture shows the nail normally used to pull the dies of the dimple set together now only hold the dies in position until the vise grip pliers squeeze the dimple.

Not bad for the price, and it fit well into the tightest location in the rib of my RV-9 elevator (pictured).

WenEng · #2 05-05-2009, 01:55 PM

ideas like yours. Simple and effective. Keep posting more..
Thanks.

JHines · #3 05-05-2009, 02:36 PM

Except I drilled holes through the jaws to accept the shanks of regular dimple dies. Your method would appear to involve much less cursing and dull drill bits.

Tomcat RV4 · #4 05-06-2009, 06:34 AM

What another great idea.....I did a similar thing with large pair of channel
lock pliers for reaching in 2" from edge.........Tom

rocketbob · #5 05-06-2009, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHines

Except I drilled holes through the jaws to accept the shanks of regular dimple dies. Your method would appear to involve much less cursing and dull drill bits.

Easy answer....get some carbide drills.

Rupester · #6 05-06-2009, 06:53 AM

Great idea !! Thanks for sharing.

BSwayze · #7 05-06-2009, 07:06 PM

Great idea! Thanks for posting it!

Instead of carving up a pair of vice grips, I cut the nail very short. It's only use was to hold the two dimple die halves in place through the hole in the rib. Then I could get a thin-nose yoke in there and use my rivet squeezer to squeeze the dimple. My thinking is, the rivet squeezer can develop more squeezing pressure than the vice grips. In any case, I found that cleaning up the dimple a bit with my deburring or countersink bit removed very little metal but left a very nice dimple.

SmittysRV · #8 05-07-2009, 05:43 AM

Great idea Dean. Keep em' coming!

Experimental Chaos · #9 05-09-2009, 10:30 PM

The method that has always worked for me, was to take a piece of ? or 3/16 flat steel bar stock, and drill and counter sink a hole near the end. Put the steel flat stock in a vice and use rod that comes with your C-frame dimpler and a male dimple die, all loaded into your rivet gun, use the steel flat bar for the female die, and a couple of rattles with the rivet gun and you have a perfect dimple. I think it helps to hit the home made female dimple die with a scotch bright wheel, and you must be careful to keep the rivet gun straight, or you risk breaking the guide pin on the male dimple die. I?ve done this for years and only broken one die. Of course practice on a piece of scrap.