RPM COOL TOOLS
Hey, Nice Dimples!
>> We try out a set of precision machined dimple dies from NEXGEN Off oad to add style and rigidity to any sheetmetal project
by
Toby Brooks
F
abricating pieces and parts for your street machine or drag car takes three things: skill, time, and tools. Typically two out of three can yield passable results. But if you have all three, chances are good that the finished product will be pretty solid. With our project car back on location, we have turned our attention to sheetmetal fabrication. In the coming months we will show you what we’ve learned so far about box and pan brakes and motor-
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ized bead rollers. However, for now we wanted to turn our attention to a set of tools that can seriously transform the finished look of your project. The best part is, they are easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and—if used properly—should last forever. Dimple dies have been around for decades, but their use in high performance auto fabrication has significantly spiked in the last decade. Using a dimple die allows the fabricator to lighten components by cutting holes in it
july 2016 | RPM Magazine
but actually increasing strength and rigidity due to the added angle of the material. Confused? Don’t be. Think of the difference between flat bar stock and angle iron. Orienting the material in multiple planes makes it stiffer, even if the flat stock is composed of a thicker material than the angle stock. To top it all off, not only do dimple dies add rigidity and shed weight, parts that have been dimpled just look cool. After regognizing that we just HAD to get
a set for a recent tech piece we did on our shop Camaro, not to mention some upcoming projects, we started shopping around. THat’s when we discovered NEXGEN Offroad. Located in Temecula, California, NEXGEN markets primarily to the Baja truck and sand rail markets. However, they have an impressive assortment of parts and tools that will come in handy for a fabricator regardless of whether it is intended to race in the desert or the local strip. Like many fabrication tools, it is difficult
1: The 10-piece kit from NEXGEN includes pretty much any size die you might need for just $399. The small black die to the left with the bolt through it is for Dzus fasteners and can be used anywhere, while all the other dies need to be used with a hydraulic press. In order for your project to turn out perfect, though, you’ll need a good hole saw kit and a drill press or a good punch press, otherwise your cleanly dimpled hole will end up ragged and sloppy, which is no fault of the die.
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