First attempt at a die

[Metalmann]

Looks fine to me, and since it's circular, you don't HAVE to use alignment pins if you don't want to.

It looks like it could use a little polishing on both dies.

I used to do a lot of die making/polishing, also; and when I see a rough surface on dies of any kind, I cringe.

 

[Kevin45]

Looks fine to me, and since it's circular, you don't HAVE to use alignment pins if you don't want to. It looks like it could use a little polishing on both dies. I used to do a lot of die making/polishing, also; and when I see a rough surface on dies of any kind, I cringe.

It's always a good practice to get into though instead of cutting corners. Just as Bill C. mentioned above, it's too easy to get one portion turned 90 or 180 degrees. Almost every die I have ever made like that, we'd use one size of pin on one corner and a different size on another corner. This makes it foolproof as far as putting the top die portion on. By doing that it won't allow you to turn the top block 90 degrees and with different size pins, you can't turn it 180 degrees either. Getting into the habit of doing something in the shop to make it safer is just good practice. I've literally rebuilt tons of dies and tooling because of a portion if it turned 90 or 180 degrees. Just as in the simple die above, turning it 90 degrees and putting it in an arbor press or hydraulic press would ruin it and either call for making a complete new one or having extensive rework.

 

[Metalmann]

For sure. You are correct.

I just thought this may be your one and only die, in your shop.

Best practice always trumps.