Drill Press as Dimpler

[mculver]

I keep thinking about the cost of a dimpler -- both the financial cost and the space it takes in the shop.

Would it make sense to manufacture a shaft with the dimple set that fits into a drill press? No need to turn it on -- you would simply be using the mechanical advantage associated with the handle that ordinarily lowers the bit into the work.

Mike

 

[IowaRV9Dreamer]

Hi Mike - it's an interesting idea, but I can see 2 limitations. I assume you are trying to make a lower cost version of the DRDT-2 dimpler (which I have, and love).

The first thing is the force required - my tabletop drill press has a shorter lever, so you'd be pulling pretty hard. This would be easy to overcome by extending the lever.

The second thing is the reach or depth. When dimpling the skins, you often need to dimple a hole in the very middle of the skin. That requires a long reach in the dimpler - something like 20-22" I think. In fact I think the skins (or the dimplers) are designed so that there is just enough room to reach the inner holes. I've never seen a drill press with this kind of depth.

I'd highly recommend buying the DRDT-2 (you can skip the C-frame dimpler). You can always sell it when you are done. I just dimpled the last skin on my plane... but I'm keeping it for the next airplane

good luck

 

[DarylT]

DRDT-2

I have a DRDT-2 and I can tell ya the pressure needed to dimple is much more than you can put with the drill press. The DRDT-2 has a cam type mechanism much like the hand squeezers. If you have used those before you can relate to how the DRDT works.

Just pay the money and sell it after your done. These kind of tools hold their value so you wont loose much. I am not selling mine as I plan to build again and I have a few friends I am lending it too now.

Good tools are work it in time and quality of work.

 

[amilder]

flexy

Even if you could do without the lack of reach, and increase the pressure you can apply, the setup will flex too much. The DRDT-2 is huge and $$$ because it's super rigid.

You can save money by using the hammer type dimpler, lots of people have used them with great success.

 

[llavalle]

Get the DRDT2, you won't be disapointed. If you want to save a bit, just buy the front end and fabricate the steel C frame.

--> http://www.averytools.com/pc-878-84-drdt-front-end-kit--build-your-own-tool.aspx

That's what I did. I paid $50(CAD, around $30-40 in US) for the steel tube. Went to my dad's garage and welded it. Total cost : around $200 US

It's not as pretty as the pre-built one but it works A1 and at half the cost... not counting the shipping $$$ of such a heavy item.

 

[Doug]

I keep thinking about the cost of a dimpler -- both the financial cost and the space it takes in the shop.
Mike

At least acquire an Avery C frame tool (or equivalent), it is the cheapest option to perfect dimples. You need good dies and sufficient force to make properly formed dimples.

Poor dimples are very visible in the final product.

Like you I tried to save on a C frame tool and the VS and HS skins are not as they should be for this reason. I quickly acquired a C frame, left it unfixed to any bench so it could be tucked away when not required.

Doug

 

[N941WR]

I agree with Doug, a lot of very good RV's, including mine, have been built with C frame and a hammer.

Heck, I think Mel said he dimpled his entire RV-6 with a poprivet dimpler. That had to have taken some time!

 

[thilokind]

Hi Mike,
I built my own dimpler, since the shipping costs to Europe for the DRDT-2 were outragous. Plus, I saw some improvement potential on the current DRDT-2 design.
The dimpler turned out quite nice. Overall costs: less than $ 100 and that even with the steel supply guy ripping me off. I spent approx 4 hours on putting it together. Used the lathe from a friend to make the pin. If you are interested I can send you a few pics.

Thilo

 

[mculver]

It would be very interesting to see what sorts of improvements you made

 

[Rick6a]

DRT Simple

I keep thinking about the cost of a dimpler -- both the financial cost and the space it takes in the shop......

If my choice of dimpler was driven solely by cost and space considerations....I'd use the rivet gun. I cobbed this rig together using nothing more than a bucking bar and rivet set. With average skill you will discover this super cheap setup will dimple quality holes the deepest C frame dimpler ever invented cannot begin to reach. I was driven to create it when I needed to dimple screw holes on a fuselage side long after the skin was installed on the structure. After I made the tool and posted the results here, another builder chimed in saying you can buy essentially the same thing from some aircraft tool vendors.

 

[Bill Wightman]

Yet another way to make your own...

Made from some aluminum tubing and a couple old hinges off a metal computer cabinet:

It folds against the wall when not in use:

You get the idea, just fab something up that holds the die set square to the work, add a return spring, and viola - you have a dimpler.

 

[Jamie]

Rick's rivet gun method is a great way to dimple when you've gotta dimple something that's already assembled. I used that method quite a bit!

I had a chance to use the DRDT2 a while back and I still think if I were to build again I would use my trusty old c-frame. The DRDT2 is a single purpose gizmo...that purpose being dimpling. The c-frame is great for riveting as well (used to be the recommended riveting method for the 3/16 rivets in the spars before they were pre-made). I used the c-frame quite a bit to drive AN470AD4 rivets. If you have never tried the c-frame for riveting you are missing out. It allows you to set the material PERFECTLY PERPENDICULAR, allowing you to drive the rivets perfectly. I can tell you that the rivets I drove with the c-frame look better than the ones I squeezed when my pneumatic squeezer! Of course I have the c-frame tool from Cleveland which will hold a rivet gun's rivet set.

Bill, your contraption is very cool! I could see a lot of value in that setup.

 

[Mike Raviv]

great idea

Love this gun dimpler idea and I'm going to use it right now. First candidate is the firewall, for the rivets to hold the gascolator doubler. Lets see this baby up against stainless steel.

BTW, it you don't have yet a moniker for the gizmo, maybe "GUPLER" will do.

BSTRGRDS
Mike

 

[Pilottonny]

Gun set and enlarged squeeser !

The gun-dimpler was in the very first set of tools that I purchased. Dimpled 90% of the holes with it, cheap, easy and super fast. The ones that you can buy from the tool suppliers have a little swivel head, so it is not required to hold the gun perfectly at 90?. In some cases that I could not use the gun, I even used the set with an ordinary hammer.

I also had a huge C-frame made, at work, from very thick steel plate, to fit my manual squeeser. The C-frame is so big, it is actually holding the squeeser, in stead of the other way arround. Also worked well. The cheap squeeser just lasted long enough for building one plane though (to much play in it now).

Regards, Tonny.

 

[JHines]

If my choice of dimpler was driven solely by cost and space considerations....I'd use the rivet gun. I cobbed this rig together using nothing more than a bucking bar and rivet set. With average skill you will discover this super cheap setup will dimple quality holes the deepest C frame dimpler ever invented cannot begin to reach. I was driven to create it when I needed to dimple screw holes on a fuselage side long after the skin was installed on the structure. After I made the tool and posted the results here, another builder chimed in saying you can buy essentially the same thing from some aircraft tool vendors.

You can also use a rivet in place of the male dimple die.