Is there any particular type / category of die that I should be looking for, or will any of the GMI dies work this way?
Never mind... I checked their website (which I don't think it's currently taking orders but you can still take a look at what they've got).
On one level I'm not surprised that a highly specialized durable tool like this is expensive, but on the other I can't help but wonder at the $350 plus price. Are these costly / difficult to machine?
@MrP - Ken here from GMI, The dies are not that expensive to make, but the time taken to setup and the equipment required is expensive, as in the fixtures, measuring systems, probes etc. Making slugs on a scale is an arduous industrial process, back in 2019 (2017- R&D) when we started, we just made it portable. Many copies and imitations followed but the SOC remains the most successful most affordable tried, tested tooling system for starters.
Here are some insights
a. A swaging die has to be made of tool steel with its post machining and final hardness at upto 60 Hrc max and 50 Hrc min. - anything more than 60Hrc will crack the die if over stressed. Any die set made of 304,316 or 300 series stainless steel is a scam- They may shine but wont survive long.
b. The heat treatment process takes 4 days as it is done using vacuum autoclaves and usually air quenched - Reason, post machining stress relief and heat distortion.
c. Free shipping - Its expensive but worth it.
d. Part alignment- All the tools and accessories are made on different machines, the final part alignment demands a lot of precision, and fixtures are important, we just cant use a machine vice.
So, its kind of sophisticated but we will work on options to make things more accessible. Thanks. Ken.
