My first batch of homemade picks

[T-Real]

[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v381/t-real/My-Picks-web.jpg]
Click on image for larger size...[/url]

I just thought I'd post a picture of my first homemade pick set.

The three upper-left tension wrenches are made from windshield wiper strength members, next to that are a couple from allen wrenches (great for high torque applications such as stiff padlocks, etc). Below are a three made from the flat, spring-steel plumbers snake, and two made from 16-penny nails. The one with the spring attached was the tip of the plumbers snake.

The first three picks are my originals, from hacksaw blades. I realized after creating the extremely short one that longer handles are much easier to work with. The rest of the picks are from using the plumbers snake. I prefer these.

I attempted to plastic-coat the handles on them with tool dip, and as you can see it had mixed results. I had a hard time keeping the dip from settling at the bottom of the picks, hence the dense section at the bottom of them. When the solvent from the dip evaporates, it leaves small craters in it. Defiantly not the same results that the can shows pictures of. Oh well. I may end up stripping this material back off, but am not sure yet. After hours of practicing, the thin metal handles start digging into my hands.

One thing I've learned is that I really only use two of the picks, a short (I think) hook, 6th from the right, and a snake (or rake, not sure), 3rd plumbers snake pick from the left. I rarely use anything else, unless I just can't get something with one of my favorite two.

I made these using a bench grinder with a rough wheel and a wire wheel (which is fantastic for deburring), and a Dremil using an emery cutoff wheel and a diamond grinding bit (for the really fine details and smoothing). Actually, I should specify that I've gone through multiple cutoff wheels. I either wear them down to nothing, or break them (oops....Less pressure...).

I know their not the best, but I am proud! I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the actual process of making them. I am thinking of making more, just to make them, although I probably wouldn't use them. I guess eventually I'll wear the ones I use often out...

[Serethipas]

wow,i feel really bad now...heres my 1 pick,and tension,if you would call it that

www.angelfire.com/ill/serethipas/door3.jpg
gotta copy and paste link

[T-Real]

wow,i feel really bad now...heres my 1 pick,and tension,if you would call it that

Don't feel bad. If you're not happy with your current picks make new ones. I found it to be very relaxing and entertaining. I haven't really made much in my life, so I had a lot of fun taking strips of metal and turning them into picks.

Actaully, I left a couple of my picks out. I have two more (which I also never use), one made from a metal handled butter knife, and the other made from a plastic handled steak knife (looked identical to the one in your picture). Grinding on them took forever, and I broke a few cutoff wheels.

I'm confused, the first pick looks very straight, and the steak knife looks like a regular steak knife (although the tip is cut off in the picutre).

[Serethipas]

because it is very strait,(all i can really do is angle it a bit and rake)
and that IS a steakknife,i just put it where i have room and where it is able to get support from wards to add torque

now you see why im sad
a strait thing,and a steakknife...

[Serethipas]

ugh,no edit

i plan making my own set once i can get some kind of rotary device,most likely the drill type thing you see in pyros video for pickmaking

[Hojo]

Hey, Nice picks, I myself make picks and I have a few constructive critosisim

1. The handles look a little too long, but thats your choice
2. The tangs (Shaft) on your picks look too thin

apart from that good job, + it is your first set and look alot better than my first, also you should try putting on two layers of the plasti drip and then getting the dremel buffer tool and smooth them out a bit...well thats it...

[skold]

they are some nice picks....tangs not to thin or thick..nice long handles..the way i almost like it


Goodwork!

[S3rratedSp00L]

Nice Picks!

The tips look pretty good! Make extras of the ones you use most often! Sawtooth rakes are something I haven't had much experience with.. I might have to make a couple of those myself!

I don't know why, but I actually like short handles. Keeps me from using too much force and it's more compact. Your handles look really long, but that is just fine! If you wanted them shorter, you'd have ground them that way, right! The tangs look like they might be thin, but I like to make some thin ones on purpose. Sometimes you need a thinner pick. They may be prone to breaking if you use a lot of pressure. I would suggest more taper in the tang if you find that they are prone to breakage. They can be as thin as you want, but a nice taper will tend to make them a bit stronger.

Nice straight pick as well! I like to make a straight pick as a sort of all purpose tool. It can be used as another pick or like a screwdriver to turn the plug when you just need a little more torque. Also makes a great wafer pick or mini-knife style tool!

You mentioned which picks you prefer. Which tension tool do you like the best?

[T-Real]

You mentioned which picks you prefer. Which tension tool do you like the best?

That's a tough one. Honestly I use just about all of them with differant locks. The wiper blade strength members have a tendancy to bend when opening spring loaded locks (padlocks), so I like the allen wrenches for them. Other than that, the wiper ones keep me from using too much tension on other locks, which is good. The springed one is good for reducing tension as well, although I would like to soder a longer handle onto the open end of the spring.

I guess the easiest answer is to say which tension wrench/tool I like the least, and that would be the double-ended wiper strength member. For some reason I just don't like having one end hanging out...

[Helmeester]

nicely done! looking good

[pick_maker]

That's a lot of work there dude, good job. Nice idea for the tip of the snake. Yeah plasti-dip sucks. Not very durable over time either. I see you used nail steel for tension tools. Maybe you discovered this already but that kind of steel is too flexible- you'll think the plug is turning when actually the nail is bending, it breaks off and, oops, there sits a piece of evidence in the keyway. game over.

[T-Real]

I see you used nail steel for tension tools. Maybe you discovered this already but that kind of steel is too flexible- you'll think the plug is turning when actually the nail is bending, it breaks off and, oops, there sits a piece of evidence in the keyway. game over.

I haven't had any problem with the nails being flexible, at least not as of yet. I did attempt to harden them after making them by heating them and dunking them in 90W gear oil. I really don't use them that often though, I primarily use the bent plumbers snake or if I need a really stiff tension wrench, the allen wrenches. The wiper strength members are also too flexible in my opinion.

When using a flexible tension tool I find that I don't over-tension as much, however I lose a lot of the feeling (as in my tension tool with the spring). So I am learning to use a lighter touch with the more rigid tools, which I think will be best in the long run.

Thank you everyone for you comments on my tools. As stated, this is my first batch. I enjoy making them, so I will continue to make more, which will hopefully be improvements to these. I'm thinking of brazing the handles of my next ones.

[deepsix]

What would happen if you twisted the handle portion of the tension wrench? It should make it stiffer and provide more feedback.