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7 To 8 Pin Tubular Conversion

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huxleypig

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The Prestigious and Powerful Porcine Prelate

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Location: West Mids, UK

Post Thu May 15, 2014 6:25 pm

7 To 8 Pin Tubular Conversion

So this was my first milling project. I chose it because it involved drilling, using the rotary table, slotting...

Anyway, the idea was to add an 8th tine to my Southord pick. This gives it the ability to do 7 pin, 7 pin left (and right) offset and 8 pin. Also I added screws for each tine to control their tension individually and also to completely lock them down when necessary. Locking them down tight is something I have always wanted to do because tubular picks have the tendency for set tines to slip even when the collar is locked down 100%.

First operation. Drilling and tapping holes around the collar:

Image

At first I had things set up badly and I got bad results so a few of the holes I did at first are ugly and not 100% straight. I also got a carbide drill bit stuck tight in one of the holes (which was a major PITA to get out) and a crap Rolson tap broke in another.

Anyway, I got them drilled but there was a problem. When a screw was tightened it pulled the collar up towards it and so ended up pinching the tine on the opposite side against the collar and trapping that one tight too. Like so:

Image

So it meant I needed to mill little gaps from the inside of the collar so the pressure was relieved:

Image

Fixed! :akimbo: Now I can play with any of the screws independently of affecting any other tines.

This left the new slot and pin cup left to be milled:

Image

Image

I also had to make a new tine. I did it from brass first but it was just too weak so I did it from steel shim. It's good but still not quite as strong as the ones that come with the pick. It is as thick so maybe it would benefit from heat treatment?

But does it work?

Image

That is an 8 pin by the way.

:razz:

Interesting thing regarding the position of the pins from a 7 to an 8 pin;

On a 7 pin, the roll pin (or, the 12 o' clock position) sits directly opposite where you imagine the 8th tine would go.

But on an 8 pin (or 7 pin offset), the pins are all rotated around 22.5 degrees. So the roll pin no longer site opposite a tine, it sits in the gap between them. You can see this on the picture below, this is an 8 pin lock in the locked position. Notice that all the pins are shifted round a little from a 7 pin. I suppose this is what makes them 'offset'! :smile:

Image

In practicality, you can remove the roll pin and move it to the new position for a non 7 pin standard but it works without the roll pin at all. In fact, the roll pin is never necessary, the pick would work just fine without ever using it. This is how I had to set up for the drilling of this 2nd roll pin location:

Image

:shock:
There HAS to be an easier way but that rubber handle does not grip well!

Onto the next project...
Last edited by huxleypig on Thu May 15, 2014 9:30 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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10ringo10

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Post Thu May 15, 2014 6:37 pm

Re: 7 To 8 Pin Tubular Conversion

You always never fall to amaze hp ... great work buddy
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macgng

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Contributor / I Fought Tooth and Nail to Acquire BO...
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Post Thu May 15, 2014 7:00 pm

Re: 7 To 8 Pin Tubular Conversion

very nice work! congrats on getting it up and running! keep it up! :D
Nibbler: The poop-eradication is but one aspect of your importance.
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GWiens2001

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Post Thu May 15, 2014 7:08 pm

Re: 7 To 8 Pin Tubular Conversion

Way to go, Hux! Look forward to your threads.

Gordon
Just when you think you've learned it all, that is when you find you haven't learned anything yet.
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Deadlock

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Post Thu May 15, 2014 8:00 pm

Re: 7 To 8 Pin Tubular Conversion

*Pedant mode on* ''Tine.'' The Tyne's a river... *Pedant mode off*


Great job. Did you tap the threads using the old 'turn-the-tap-in-and-then-turn-it-back-to-clear-the-threads' method that we were all told back then? 'Cos you don't need to. Use tapping oil and just screw it in. Yeah, Rolson is cheap crap though.


Have you thought of silver steel for a new tine? That stuff is MADE to be hardened.

Mightily impressive for a first milling project, I'd say.
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huxleypig

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The Prestigious and Powerful Porcine Prelate

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Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2010 4:59 am

Location: West Mids, UK

Post Thu May 15, 2014 9:33 pm

Re: 7 To 8 Pin Tubular Conversion

Deadlock wrote:*Pedant mode on* ''Tine.'' The Tyne's a river... *Pedant mode off*


Great job. Did you tap the threads using the old 'turn-the-tap-in-and-then-turn-it-back-to-clear-the-threads' method that we were all told back then? 'Cos you don't need to. Use tapping oil and just screw it in. Yeah, Rolson is cheap crap though.


Have you thought of silver steel for a new tine? That stuff is MADE to be hardened.

Mightily impressive for a first milling project, I'd say.


Don't know what you're on about mate! I don't spell it like that (see OP) :razz:



Yeah, I backed off a bit with the tapping. I got some better ones now so next time I'll just go through.
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Deadlock

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Post Fri May 16, 2014 8:14 am

Re: 7 To 8 Pin Tubular Conversion

Ha ha ha!

Nice one on the YouTube clip.
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MrAnybody

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Post Sat May 17, 2014 6:58 am

Re: 7 To 8 Pin Tubular Conversion

:D I survived 1m 50s into Gazza doin his thing. The ol' brain couldn't take any more. My good god, I remember that :D

Hux, so cool to see your first mill project under way, and to see some results coming together. Really cool. I'll be sure to send you a Southord 7 pin some time.

Thanks for sharing all that.

One thing: milling some grip on the top of the screws? That would be handy.
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