I'm planning to make a sheet metal seat for my singles seater. To keep the weight down, I want to punch and swage some 50mm or so holes in the metal. Swaging tools are quite expensive, as are sheet metal punches. Is there a locost way of doing this?

On my front panels where the wishbones exit I swaged the edge of the holes by first drilling holes with a hole saw. I then cut a similar sized hole in a bit of thick MDF then chamfered the edge of the hole all around to the profile I wanted. Then place the panel over the hole and gently work around tapping the alloy into the chamfer. I used a domed wooden hammer but a rubber faced hammer should do equally as good. Time intensive but CHEEP, Locost and effective.

You can make your own from mdf or steel (if you have the use of a lathe).

Cheapest I've seen for pre-made tooling are here:
http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/FAB-PARTS-2009__W0QQ_armrsZ1

Using a bearing under the nut makes things easier.

Using a 50mm hole saw is fine but needs more cleaning up than a punched hole.

Depends how many you want to do really.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=138582

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Originally posted by jossey
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=138582

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Ive got one made out of steel, and also have two ali seats that i was going to swage. The tool will fir the holes cut in the seats, i just havent done them yet.

U2U me if you are interested in the seats and the tool.

This is the picture of my seats.