question about homemade stamp die for sheet metal

I am restoring a old c3 corvette , the floor pans are rusted out (common problem) replacement floor pans start at $279 each at Ecklers so they would cost $558 plus tax and shipping and since I have much more time them money I was considering making my own floor pans, unfortunately around here scrap steel plates to make a stamp die form is pretty much impossible to find so I'd have to buy new steel which defeats my propose of saving money. (local steel scrap yard doesn't sell to public , but the aluminum scrap yards do which is great form my other projects:))


Now I know the stamp die should be a harder metal then what I plan to stamp which is 20 or 22 gauge steel sheet metal , BUT this is for a one time personal use and each stamp die would only have to make one part each (one left side and one right side) I was thinking I could use 2x6 lumber in two layers chris-crossed with 2x4 press braces on top and bottom of the male and female dies, I realize there mite be some deformation/crushing of the wood die but don't think that with one pressed part that it would be noticeable in the stamped part with that thin of material, what do ya'll think?

Has anyone else tried this with any luck?

Here is link to a picture of a right side floor pan just to get a idea of the shape require to be stamped

Photo Gallery for Corvette Floor Pan, Right, 1975Late-1982 - Corvette Parts and Accessories


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what about cement or concrete ?

I didn't really consider concrete other then sitting the dies on a slab and using bottle jacks to the frame of the truck to press the dies.

my personal experience with concrete is that under pressure it tends to crack/crumble therefor I didn't consider that it would work for a stamping dies where I would apply allot of pressure

I build experimental aircraft and we commonly use wood as form blocks for making aluminum wing ribs and bulkheads. I think with a wood form and some auto body hammers, etc. you could do what you need to. Don't forget that you don't have to form every bend in one sheet either. When making complex shapes it is common to do it in pieces and weld them together.

The master on metal forming with these methods is Kent White. Check out his web site at TM Technologies: Tools, Sheet Metal Shaping Machines, & Gas Welding Supplies for Better Metalworking. He has books and videos. You can probably find metal forming youtube videos if you look also.

If you are going to put carpet in the car, fabrication and welding would do it fairly easy.
It is not the easiest to get that sort of deep drawing and the pressures are right up there with 20 or 30 big bolts each side.

Making wooden forms out of hardwood and some careful hammering would go very close. I have completely made new inner door skins using just panel beating techniques.

ok thanks guys

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Originally Posted by neilw20

If you are going to put carpet in the car, fabrication and welding would do it fairly easy.
It is not the easiest to get that sort of deep drawing and the pressures are right up there with 20 or 30 big bolts each side.

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-I would agree. After examining the image of the pan I don't think you're going to be able to build a die that will achieve this. For starters, these were made with a progressive die, not something that made all the forms/shapes in one hit. The shapes/deails were made in one station and then it moved down the progression for the next detail/shape. There's also the possibility that there were several dies made that were all loaded into the press as a cell. One detail/shape was made per stroke with the part being handed off to the next operator to load into the die he/she was responsible for, sort of a stamping cell.
Even if you could create the die there will be trial/error with draw angles/radii to avoid tearing/galling of the metal. The tonnage required is beyond the means of most home shops. Far easier, as someone already suggested, to create the pan from seperate pieces that are welded together, especially if this is a one time thing. Dies/molds are almost always for production use, even for simple shapes. Hate to discourage you from making a die but I wouldn't make a die for this and I've made more dies than I can remember. Do the multi piece construction method, you'll get a finished product much quicker. Good luck.

The manufacturing process of metal stamping die
1) The manufacturing process of metal stamping die: accept orders--design drawings --drawings confirm--meter material requirements--material requisition--produce scheduling--manufacture and process--midway inspection--final inspection--load into shipping.
2)Quality Control Act:IQC control--inspection process control--product testing controls--quality assurance

I really don't think so it happens. Efficient ways and its applications on stamping die the best Manufacturing Industry gives you the right details on it.
Know more details on Stamping die and its domestic usage at https://www.eigenengineering.com/sta...manufacturing/