materials to make .015 picks out of & has anyone tried this

[Pickybastard]

https://www.amazon.com/Panduit-MSW50T15 ... less+steel

this is not my listing just using as an example of the material i'm not even sure it's a good deal....

it's ss package strapping it says 304. i read through a couple other listings on ebay etc., and in some it talks about it being annealed which would make it too soft? i'm a second away from ordering feeler gauge but at $30 for 7ft i was looking for a cheaper alternative. plus i like having a roll of pick material laying around for when i get inspired so the huge roll is kinda appealing too. any thoughts or experience welcome.

[dhk42]

I've used a lot of the 0.019" version of this feeler gage and it is good stuff and quite a bit cheaper (per foot, anyway). I just got some of the 0.015, but I haven't made any picks yet.

It is <not> stainless, but I've never been bothered by that.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00065UX5Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

David

[tpark]

I've made a number of picks with the Precision Brand feeler gauge - it's really good stuff, and I would recommend it. The Starrett feeler gauge is stiffer, and I like it too, but it's harder to work with, and final polishing takes longer, but you can make great picks with that too. Just don't overheat it.

If you're going to spend that kind of effort to make picks and order materials, use feeler gauge, you won't regret it. I"ve never made picks with strapping material, so I don't know how well it would work.


Top two are from Starrett .016, last one is Precision Brand 0.020

[Pickybastard]

I've used a lot of the 0.019" version of this feeler gage and it is good stuff and quite a bit cheaper (per foot, anyway). I just got some of the 0.015, but I haven't made any picks yet.

It is <not> stainless, but I've never been bothered by that.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00065UX5Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

David

im thinking that's what im going to do. thanks for the response.

[Pickybastard]

I've made a number of picks with the Precision Brand feeler gauge - it's really good stuff, and I would recommend it. The Starrett feeler gauge is stiffer, and I like it too, but it's harder to work with, and final polishing takes longer, but you can make great picks with that too. Just don't overheat it.

If you're going to spend that kind of effort to make picks and order materials, use feeler gauge, you won't regret it. I"ve never made picks with strapping material, so I don't know how well it would work.


Top two are from Starrett .016, last one is Precision Brand 0.020

nice picks!! do you find the added stiffness to be a benefit with the starrett or more difficult to flex into keyways?

[dhk42]

One tip for that feeler gage. It is too wide for picks (to my taste) and I've tried a ton of things to get rid of the excess.

The best is to get ahold of the old style tin snips (the ones that look like giant scissors, not the kind with the pliers type handles - those leave a very rough serrated edge) and slice 6" strips down the middle - giving you material for two picks.

It does coil a bit and you have to straighten it, but it works far better than any grinding/filing/nibbling/sawing technique I've tried.

David

[tpark]

The tin snip idea is a good one - I actually do this to cut the rough outline, but I leave enough room so I can grind off the areas deformed by the snips. The Starrett stock is requires more work to shape. I don't really feel too much difference between using Precision or Starrett stock when picking, but I'm not really leaning on the picks either. I use the full width of stock, because I like the larger handles. I use my bench grinder initially to get the shape down, then file/sand the picks to their final shape. I work relatively slowly, so I don't overheat the work piece.

[Pickybastard]

One tip for that feeler gage. It is too wide for picks (to my taste) and I've tried a ton of things to get rid of the excess.

The best is to get ahold of the old style tin snips (the ones that look like giant scissors, not the kind with the pliers type handles - those leave a very rough serrated edge) and slice 6" strips down the middle - giving you material for two picks.

It does coil a bit and you have to straighten it, but it works far better than any grinding/filing/nibbling/sawing technique I've tried.

David

I've been using drain snake which is about 1/4" wide and i like it. I was concerned about the 1/2" being too wide. I've been trying to come up with a feasible method to split it in half. I'll give it a shot. Thanks!! maybe i'll end up liking it...

[Pickybastard]

The tin snip idea is a good one - I actually do this to cut the rough outline, but I leave enough room so I can grind off the areas deformed by the snips. The Starrett stock is requires more work to shape. I don't really feel too much difference between using Precision or Starrett stock when picking, but I'm not really leaning on the picks either. I use the full width of stock, because I like the larger handles. I use my bench grinder initially to get the shape down, then file/sand the picks to their final shape. I work relatively slowly, so I don't overheat the work piece.

i do the same except i usually just remove the bulk with a bastard file. I work annoyingly slow but in the end it shows. should be showing up today so we'll see how it goes! thanks for the response!!

[TORCH [of KCK]]

https://www.amazon.com/Panduit-MSW50T15-CR4-Pan-Steel-Stainless-Thickness/dp/B00B5M021E/ref=sr_1_61?ie=UTF8&qid=1485991171&sr=8-61&keywords=.015+stainless+steel

this is not my listing just using as an example of the material i'm not even sure it's a good deal....

it's ss package strapping it says 304. i read through a couple other listings on ebay etc., and in some it talks about it being annealed which would make it too soft? i'm a second away from ordering feeler gauge but at $30 for 7ft i was looking for a cheaper alternative. plus i like having a roll of pick material laying around for when i get inspired so the huge roll is kinda appealing too. any thoughts or experience welcome.

There's a good chance that you might be able to make it work. ..the issue you will face, is that you have to cut to sections, then experiment with trying to re-temper just before you take to final shape (not finish). For this you will need fire (obviously) & oven (toaster -preferably).
The question is how much work do you want to put in to save what might not add up to that much?
More so, not certain what level of durability you end up with.

[Jacob Morgan]

....it's ss package strapping it says 304. i read through a couple other listings on ebay etc., and in some it talks about it being annealed which would make it too soft? i'm a second away from ordering feeler gauge but at $30 for 7ft i was looking for a cheaper alternative. plus i like having a roll of pick material laying around for when i get inspired so the huge roll is kinda appealing too. any thoughts or experience welcome.

The 30X series of stainless is not heat treatable. When it is cold rolled to gauge it can become hard through work hardening. For metals like this, hardness is imparted by the "rolling schedule" at the mill. How aggressive the cold rolling pass reductions are and what anneals, if any, the coil of metal goes through between rolling passes or after the final pass. Metallurgists design rolling schedules and annealing practices to hit target hardnesses. Bottom line, from the rolling mill, 30X series can be hard enough for picks if the rolling mill left it hard, but if the mill annealed the metal after rolling then it will be soft and nothing can be done to get that hardness back. You need to know the hardness when buying it and then do not overheat it when grinding.

Panduit makes industrial cable trays and such, this is probably strapping to hold cable trays in place in a corrosive environment. Soft metal is good for that, something an electrician can cut with tin snips then shoot a screw through it.

High carbon steel can be heat treated in a home shop (although it is not recommended unless there is a real need for it). Stainless steels tend to either be non-heat treatable, or can be heat treated but the way to heat treat it would be beyond the home workshop.