How do you make domed pins?

Jason Magruder

Jason Magruder

Joined
Mar 27, 2004
Messages
570
I'm thinking 1/16" pins sticking out of the handle maybe 1/32 and rounded over like Tim Hanckock does alot. Can anyone tell me how to do that?
 
There's a little tool called a head spinner that one can use after cutting to length, or a jewelry bur called a "cup bur". You can sort of make one by drilling a dimple in a piece of rod or a bolt. Chuck it in the drillpress or rotary tool and dome away.

Otherwise, carefully peen using old riveting techniques.
 
Head spinner does great.Cup burrs wear out too soon.Koval , K&G,etc. has them.The tool does two sizes of pins.
 
Something else that works good for spinning small pins such as 1/16" is to use a small tack or nail punch like you would use for driving in paneling nails. If the butt end of the punch is square, you will need to cut it off before you can chuck it up into a hand drill or drill press. -chris

__________________
Chris Crawford Knives

 
The tool I made was a piece of scrap something or the other steel and I used a Dremil tool with round head burrs to dimple the steel. I just chuck the stock in a mini drill press on high speed and lower into the dimple.

Same as Mikes jig just round headed.
 
I make mine from O1 drill rod. Chuck a piece in the lathe, make the dimple, heat it cherry red and quench in oil. No tempering; works beautifully.
 
everyday. I wear out and throw away at least two or three a week. Problem with useing them for doming is that when they are chucked up and running clockwise in my Fordom, they are "cutting" not burnishing which is more or less what your trying to do. If you've a Fordom (as I do..) or a rotary tool that is "reversable" then the cup burs will do a great job. I'd add that you still must peen them in the first place for them to look/work properly. The burs and hed spinners just make the pin look uniform.

m
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top