quick question. What size pins for 1/4 holes?

JG Custom Metal Works

JG Custom Metal Works

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Nov 27, 2013
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About to place an order and was hoping you fine gentlemen could clarify something for me. I've drilled 1/4in holes for my scales and need to confirm pin diameter. I'm thinking 7/32, am I right? Should I get 1/4in pins and drill holes out a little bit more?

Also, I was planning on using stainless steel. The place I'm ordering from has 303 stainless available. Is that good to go for handle pins? Would there be any advantage to using brass?

Thanks in advance!
 
7/32" (.218") will be pretty sloppy in a 1/4" hole. That's probably not a problem if you're going to countersink and peen them. I use 1/4" bolts and a size F drill (.257")... they don't need much extra clearance because they don't need to be peened.

303 stainless works very well. Brass is a bit easier to peen, but it can get ugly quick.
 
james terrio said:
7/32" (.218") will be pretty sloppy in a 1/4" hole. That's probably not a problem if you're going to countersink and peen them. I use 1/4" bolts and a size F drill (.257")... they don't need much extra clearance because they don't need to be peened.

303 stainless works very well. Brass is a bit easier to peen, but it can get ugly quick.
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Awesome, thanks for the help. I found a 17/64 bit and reamed them out a little bit more. Made them about .010 wider(.260).
 
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James is correct. I use the next size larger letter or number bit on all my pin holes. I actually drill undersize before H/T and then use a Carbide letter/number drill after H/T. That way I have a nice clean hole with no decarb.. I also drill the handle material with letter/number drills. This allows for easier fit-up and a little room for epoxy between the pins and handle material.
 
Probably not the best way to do it, but I've drilled 1/4" hole and then chucked up my 1/4" pin stock in my drill press and took some 240 grit sandpaper to it while it was spinning until I got the proper fit for my hole. A lot of fit check though.
 
creature7 said:
Awesome, thanks for the help. I found a 17/64 bit and reamed them out a little bit more. Made them about .010 wider(.260).
Click to expand...

That will work fine. :)

darrin sanders said:
I also drill the handle material with letter/number drills. This allows for easier fit-up and a little room for epoxy between the pins and handle material.
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Same here :thumbup:

If you have to pound the pin/bolt in... stop and redrill. You're just going to end up cracking something.
 
Metric drills are handy too. 1/4"=6.35mm so drill to 6.5, always got a good fit. The only time I have problems is drilling/reaming too close to size in annealed steel, then heat treating...the holes often shrink enough that the pin won't fit. I posted a thread about that once.

In the UK it is harder to get good quality drills in letter and number ranges, whereas metric can be had in higher spec HSS, better precision, more grinds and flute designs, coatings and more consistent quality. I actually bought some number and letter drills from US knife supplier and the quality was poor. Maybe US industrial suppliers are better? Quite probable. All drills are not equal :)
 
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I drill 6.4mm holes to put in 1/4" pins. You can find those at Enco tool or McMaster-carr.
 
creature7 said:
quick question. What size pins for 1/4 holes?

About to place an order and was hoping you fine gentlemen could clarify something for me. I've drilled 1/4in holes for my scales and need to confirm pin diameter. I'm thinking 7/32, am I right? Should I get 1/4in pins and drill holes out a little bit more?

Also, I was planning on using stainless steel. The place I'm ordering from has 303 stainless available. Is that good to go for handle pins? Would there be any advantage to using brass?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I think that's backwards

what size holes for the size pins you have.

You can always pick your hole size, changing the pin size is much harder
 
I like "cigardoghd"'s method the best.
I would probably drill the hole with a letter C = 0.242 or a D = 0.246. Then finish it out with a 1/4" precision reamer. Drill holes are seldom perfectly round, which is 1/2 the challenge of fitting perfectly round pins. The reamer will straighten that out.
Then use the drill press/sandpaper method until the pin fits. :thumbup:

cigardoghd said:
Probably not the best way to do it, but I've drilled 1/4" hole and then chucked up my 1/4" pin stock in my drill press and took some 240 grit sandpaper to it while it was spinning until I got the proper fit for my hole. A lot of fit check though.
Click to expand...
 
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