Quote Originally Posted by Rambozo View Post
I made a similar punch and die to make rectangular dimples in stainless sheet (about 14-16 ga. as I recall) for heat riser block off plates for Oldsmobile V8s. The punch and die was just mild steel and used a small air over hydraulic piston pin press for power. Made a metric assload of those little plates and never had a problem with the tooling. If you don't go crazy with the pressure and have the proper clearance and edge radius on everything you should be fine. If you want to have your tooling punch the hole as well, you can always machine a place to install a commercial punch and die set in the middle of your dimple punch. Then it will be easy to replace just that part when it gets dull.
Wow, ok. So you did nothing to the tooling, no facing, treating, anything else? Not sure if I'll reach a metric assload, or even an imperial assload, but there will be quite a few for sure if all goes as planned.

As far as the punching, I hadn't really thought about incorporating a punch and die, but drilling them shouldn't be too bad, simple jig and clamps and I can run through a stack at once, pre-braking, then set them up and press them after braking to shape.

Question, how many tons was the press you used?