Arrrrggggg!!!!!

[Chiro75]

So, I drilled #whatever holes and reamed with 3/16" reamer. No problems, then I fit one of my 3/16" pivots and lo and behold, there is some slop. I ordered some new 3/16" pivots from Halpern, so I tried those, they don't even BEGIN to fit in the reamed hole. I know there is going to be some variation in this stuff, but sheesh. Again, my question is this: do I need a bunch of different "3/16"" reamers for every possible "3/16"" pivot that I have or what? Anyway I can fix this with my existing equipment? I've spent $70 on being able to drill precision holes for 1/8" and 3/16" pivot pins and I can't. Talk about frustrating!

 

[mete]

I told you there might be variations in drill, tap and pin dimensions !! A real crafstman would lap the pin to the hole , but that's in Volume II .

 

[Don Hanson III]

Chiro, your 3/16 pivots are probably not 3/16, they do vary a little. most of my pivots are tight in the hole but after running the reamer in and out a few times they fit pretty good and I also polish the pivot for a little more clearance. You may want to get a caliper and measure the pivots, if they measure right then something is wrong with your reamer
You can dress down the oversize pivots to fit the reamed hole, I have turned pivots down very carefuly on the belt grinder. I've had very good results with pivots from Pops and R.B. Johnson. It just takes practice man, your first one or two are going to be tough. AND your drill press REALLY needs to be 90 deg. to the table for pivot holes.

Don Hanson lll

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Easy boy,don't want to throw your back out thrashing around like that!.
Cut the head off a bolt the size of your pivot threads and chuck it in the drill press (even yours will work).Thread on the pivot,and while turning slowly,polish down the pivot with 400 grit paper till it is just starting to fit (Back the paper with a smooth piece of metal or hard wood.)Then polish with 1000 grit.You can even buff it with a piece of leather charged with polish compound.Go slow and check fit often.

 

[Dan Gray]

when you ream you have control
and when you buy from others you lose that control ,,,
one of the reasons for sole authorship right
it looks easy doesn't it Steve..
it does get easier once you know..

 

[Chiro75]

I did get a little closer fit by reaming a bit longer, but not quite a perfect fit yet. I'll try enlarging a touch with the sandpaper. Good idea. What does it take to lap a pin? I will probably have to grind down the length of the pivot pins a bit anyway, so could/should I chuck them in my drill press, get it spinning, and apply some sandpaper that way to reduce the diameter a bit? Now I understand why folder makers have lathes and mills and all that. What a pain in the butt.

Also, I learned after breaking half a dozen bits in the last couple days that you should put something behind stainless steel when drilling or else when the hole break through, bye bye drill bit.

 

[Dan Gray]

I learned after breaking half a dozen bits in the last couple days that you should put something behind stainless steel when drilling or else when the hole break through, bye bye drill bit.

braking though is not your problem
allowing the bit to feed faster when it brakes though is one of the problems you can have ( it takes a big bite ) if you have a drill press that has play in the quill gear this can let it drop
as it brakes thought and/or you're not letting up as it brakes though..
on biger stuff if you don't hold down on the part it can suck itself up
into the bit also as it brakes though too. once you get the feel of it ..

you'll see what I mean..the backing plate is stoping this stuff from happening.

I don't use a backing Plate

 

[Sweany]

DUCT TAPE

 

[John Andrews]

Ol' Dan probably has one of those fancy expensive drill presses. I and others had to tolerate the cheapies for years. Mills, good lathes, more dream equipment to save for. I got used to using a backing plate for drilling, seeing as how the bit you break is always the size that you have only one of, and the stores are closed. This only happens if the hole is not complete, or if you have just one more hole to drill. Does this sound familiar, guys? If you have a problem with different size pins, drill a hole in a small piece of stock the size you want to use, a standard. Then you will have a gauge to inspect the intended parts before you get into the drilling and cussing. It's a simple jig that can save your remaining hair that you have been pulling out.

 

[Dan Gray]

Ol' Dan probably has one of those fancy expensive drill presses. I and others had to tolerate the cheapies for years. .

John it's called a vertical Mill

I to have and use 2 of the $69.00 wonders
BuT I know what I'm doing :footinmou

 

[John Andrews]

Dan, I have no doubt about you knowing what you are doing! The proof in in the pudding, fella. That certain fella that eats bottom feeders, with initials IG, would insert something here, though. You know that guy, the one that throws dog turds at his neighbors and has skunks for forge mascots.

 

[Dan Gray]

Dan, I have no doubt about you knowing what you are doing! The proof in in the pudding, fella. That certain fella that eats bottom feeders, with initials IG, would insert something here, though. You know that guy, the one that throws dog turds at his neighbors and has skunks for forge mascots.

I'm learning as I go.
I'm going to ship IG a few Pole cats to play with he can point them
at his neighbors

 

[Chiro75]

Back to the subject... Either my 3/16" ream isn't quite big enough or my 3/16" pivots are slightly oversized. My drilled and reamed 1/8" holes are PERFECT. I squared up my drill press table a bit better (it was off a teensy bit), which I'm sure helps. I noticed that my 1/8" ream removes a decent bit of material from the #33 drill bit hole. The 3/16" ream doesn't seem to do much at all to the #15 drill bit hole, though, so maybe the ream sucks?

I did chuck the 3/16" pivot and used some 400 grit sandpaper, flipped the pivot, sanded a bit more, etc and that will work as a quick fix. VEry annoying, overall, though.