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  #1  
Old 07-21-2009, 08:00 PM
Stan Fulton Stan Fulton is offline
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Default Loren Richards Thumbnail dies

We have reached an agreement with Loren to manufactured his thumbnail dies. We currently have them in stock. They sell for $395 for the toolsteel dies with 5/8" or 3/4" shanks. The 7/8" and 1" shanks are $405. The plastic dies (for aluminum) are $90 for the dies and $75 for the shanks in 5/8" and 3/4" or $85 for 7/8" and 1". Plus postage ($15 most places). The dies are hardened toolsteel with the shanks made of coldrolled steel in true metric sizes machined after welding that bolt together.
Fulton Metal Works (217) 476-8223
Ashland, Il. 62612

Here's a youtube video of the plastic dies in action on aluminum:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jekGIDpbZpk

Last edited by Stan Fulton; 03-23-2011 at 06:46 PM.
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Old 07-22-2009, 01:22 AM
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Gleeser Gleeser is offline
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Awesome, thanks Stan.
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Old 07-22-2009, 09:28 AM
heidesign heidesign is offline
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Pm Sent.

Thanks Stan!

Great product.

Stan, I edited this to ask a question about your dies being used on 304 s.s. (19-24 gauge). Do you think they would hold up to doing this kind of work? Im very interested. Thanks,

BH

Last edited by heidesign; 07-22-2009 at 09:49 AM.
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Old 07-22-2009, 06:20 PM
Stan Fulton Stan Fulton is offline
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Default Shrinking stainless steel

The thumbnail dies will hold up to the S.S. the problem is getting the S.S. to shrink. I know of several including myself who have tried and had some success. You have to make your shrinks as quickly as possible as work hardening begins immediately! I'm not sure of the annealing process for S.S. but I'm sure it can be done and would need to be done if you are changing a lot of shape.
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Old 07-22-2009, 07:21 PM
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Kerry Pinkerton Kerry Pinkerton is offline
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I made the mistake of paying twice what Loren/Stan charges for another persons dies. I've seen and used Loren/Stans dies and actually prefer them to mine. I do own the phenolic dies for aluminum and absolutely LOVE them.

In my opinion, these dies are at the top of the store bought thumbnails food chain in terms of price/performance. I'm not saying that other vendors don't make quality products but rather that these are at least equal quality for less cost. I'll also admit that I have not used EVERY commercially available thumbnail on the market.
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Old 07-22-2009, 07:26 PM
steelsmith steelsmith is offline
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Default shrinking SS with thumb-nail dies

In 1981 I learned how to torch shrink on stainless steel. This wasn't a short process, as I worked at a locomotive refurbishing shop. We'd gotten a contract to modify about 40 self-propelled railcars built in the 1950's. They were a part of the rapid-transit system back east.
If you've ever seen what a cinder-block dropped from a bridge does to the top of a rail-car, you have a good idea of what we were faced with. The fact that they were stainless steel just made the straightening more of a challenge.
I was partnered up with a guy who'd been doing hotrod/restoration type bodywork. We did all of the reshaping by hand, using a torch, hammers and dollies and water to quench. We had to reform everything hot, and then quench if it needed shrinking. Sometimes the shrinking process was repeated many times before we got the stretched metal back to form.
The point I'm trying to make is, have you tried using thumb-nail dies on hot stainless? I haven't tried it myself, it's just a suggestion.

Dan Stevens
dba, Steelsmith
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Old 07-22-2009, 07:28 PM
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I haven't tried them but have been told by a few friends that I really respect,that they are the best choice hands down.

I have one item that I have my eye on after that I will be ordering a set.

Thanks for posting the add.
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Old 05-11-2010, 09:45 AM
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Joe Hartson Joe Hartson is offline
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Stan sent a set of the thumbnail dies for steel for us to try when we had the gathering at Bennett Chapman's shop to build the dedicated shrinking machines. Here is a link to that build, http://www.allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=856 . I bought the set he sent because they worked so well. Since then I bought the plastic thumbnail dies for aluminum. I am happy with both sets of dies because they work very well and mark the least of any of the dies that I have used. The price is right and Stan is very easy to work with. I highly recommend these dies.
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Old 03-23-2011, 06:47 PM
Stan Fulton Stan Fulton is offline
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I just posted a video of the dies on youtube. The link is in the first post. Please take a look if you're interested.
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Old 03-23-2011, 08:02 PM
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Joe Hartson Joe Hartson is offline
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Stan, nice video on the dies shrinking aluminum. You might want to add the price of the plastic dies to the thread.

I have a set of the steel and plastic dies and they are excellent. Use them in the group build reciprocating machine built at Bennett Chapmans shop. They mark the least of any of the thumbnail dies that I have.
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