[wyomingclimber]

I know I've seen a tool that does this.

You put a cup on one side of the metal and a ball on the other, thread a screw through and then tighten, causing the correct size dent to accommodate your screw.

Anyone know what it's called? Google has been a bust and everyone I ask looks at me like I'm nuts...

Thanks

[47 Coupe]

They're called dimpling tools, here a link to some
[URL=http://http://www.averytools.com/c-72-dimpling-tools.aspx]

[S10 Racer]

Originally Posted by wyomingclimber

I know I've seen a tool that does this.

You put a cup on one side of the metal and a ball on the other, thread a screw through and then tighten, causing the correct size dent to accommodate your screw.

Anyone know what it's called? Google has been a bust and everyone I ask looks at me like I'm nuts...

Thanks

Aircraft industry uses what is called a "micro stop". Not sure if that is what you're looking for though. It is for countersinking sheetmetal.

[wyomingclimber]

Originally Posted by 47 Coupe

They're called dimpling tools, here a link to some
[URL=http://http://www.averytools.com/c-72-dimpling-tools.aspx]

Thanks. That's a much more obscure tool than I thought it would be.

Seems to me that I could get this done with a ball bearing and a piece of 2x4. I'll have to give it a try...

[Irelands child]

These are easy to make yourself. It's called a dimpler.

You need a drill driven countersink and a piece of scrap 1/4" or thicker steel (a piece of steel tubing will also work, but not quite so well).

Drill the hole the size you want in the piece of plate - I usually use a slightly oversized drill, i.e. 1/32". Countersink that hole to the depth of the flat head screw you want to use and, voila, you have your dimpler for the price of a bolt and nut. If you are only doing a few holes, aluminum plate will work as well and is easier to countersink.

Dave W

[Kevin45]

Originally Posted by S10 Racer

Aircraft industry uses what is called a "micro stop". Not sure if that is what you're looking for though. It is for countersinking sheetmetal.

Micro stop is a countersinking tool and not a dimpling tool. To make a dimple tool you really need a countersink to make the die. To make the punch you can use a ball although it is not accurate to the angle of the screw head but will work in a pinch. Most sheetmetal screws either use a 90 degree countersink or a 100 degree countersink. Flat head allen screws have 82 degree heads. What you want to do is drill a hole into a piece of metal the size of the threaded portion of the screw. Then with a countersink, start opening the hole up until you get it to where the screw head fits into it and will sit flush on the top of the metal. Now you have to open it up larger to compensate for the thickness of the metal. For example, if your metal is .032 thick, you will need to go approximately .032 deeper with your countersink into the metal you are using as your die. Now you will need a steel ball of the appropriate side to get it to form out, OR.....you can grind the end of a punch down to the same angle of your countersink and use that. Your main problem will be aligning the top and bottom without using a pilot.

[wyomingclimber]

Thanks.

I ended up drilling a hole in a piece of 1/8" as a backing plate, cutting off the threaded portion of the screw I was going to use, sticking it in piece I was making then clamping the whole thing in a bench vice until it was flush.

Not perfect, but close enough for what I was going to do with it.