After calling numerous shops in my area, I finally found a place willing to make the 4 flanging dies needed for plans-building. The shop wants $1,000 for 4 dies. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this seems way too high! At that price, I'm better off buying sub-kits!

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Comment by Greg Harris on July 27, 2011 at 5:47pm
Thanks for all the follow up replies! I started experimenting with my fly cutter and my router...I think I can do them pretty easily that way. It'll just take time.
Comment by Dan Dempsey on July 27, 2011 at 5:25pm
WHen scratch building my 601 I made my own out of wood.  http://daniel.dempseyfamily.us/zodiac/wings/skeleton/flangingdie.htm
Comment by Ron D Leclerc on March 29, 2011 at 10:23am

Gregory

The 750 and 701 use the same size of dies... you won't find them as a stock off of the sehlf item!   You will have to have them custom made... as many builders do.   I made mine out od fir plywood and oak... very easy to do and they work great.  You are dealing with soft aluminum... you don't need more expensive ones unless you are building more then one plane.

Ron

 

Comment by Greg Harris on March 29, 2011 at 8:05am
The Sonex flanges are exactly the kind of die I'm looking for. Unfortunately, the hole sizes for the Zenith line and Sonex line are not the same. The CH750 takes the following die diameters: 51 mm, 65 mm, 95 mm and 115 mm. The Sonex dies are 3" (76.2 mm) and 4" (101.6 mm) . I've been looking for a setup like the Sonex plastic dies, except for the Zenith.
Comment by David Peterson on March 27, 2011 at 6:51pm

Hi all ... I'm new (very new!) here, and still waiting for my 750 plans, but regarding flanging dies I did come across these recently (offered by Sonex):

 

http://www.sonexaircraft.com/eshop/cart.php?target=product&prod...

 

I'm not sure of the lightening hole sizes called for in your plans (or mine until they arrive!), but the above dies come in a set of two, 3" and 4".

 

There is a great vid on the EAA site showing how to scratch build a rib (6 part series). Part 5 shows the flanging dies in action:

 

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=1817719343

 

Hope this helps!

Comment by Scott Ehni on February 3, 2011 at 2:19pm
Contact mitlerbrothers. Thay make race car equipment and have them in stock.
Comment by Ron D Leclerc on January 27, 2011 at 9:50am

Hey Gregory

 

You are working with soft aluminum and wood dies work very well... very forgiving.    I made all for 4 sizes out of scrap fir plywood!  See my album for Flanging Dies... A  $1000 is a lot unless you are  using for more then one aircraft!  All you need to make is a drill press and router/table... and a little  imagination a  creative mind.

Ron 

Comment by Greg Harris on January 22, 2011 at 1:11pm
Well, I have a router and a drill press, so the wood die should work. Although I'm intrugued by the other method too...thanks for all the tips & suggestions!
Comment by Steven Ward on January 22, 2011 at 12:57pm

Hi Greg, here is an alternative to the dies. I made a roller type hole flanger for about $4.00 and it has worked great through out my project. This link shows a fancy one that I seen lately.

 http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/flanging360.php

Here is the style that I made.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/holeflangtool.php

Here is a page showing a fellow making one.

http://zodiacbuilder.tripod.com/ribforming.htm

Take a look at my pictures and look at some of my flanged holes, I think they turned out great for $4.00.

I hope this helps.

 

Comment by Richard and Debbie Cowles on January 22, 2011 at 12:53pm

Gregory,

 

You do not need a lathe.  A drill press and a router. 

 

Richard

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