tubular pick dimensions? please help

[machinist]

I'm planning on recreating a 7 pin tubular pick but I need some dimensions as far as the body/pins go.

what is the thickness and width of your pins? by pins I mean the flat strips of steel that directly manipulate the pins in the lock.

what is the depth of the grooves in the body? by grooves I mean the channels the pins are riding in.

thanks in adance.

[dxlocks]

you should buy a tubular lock

[raimundo]

read dimensions for interior diameter and exterior diameter from a key, also look at the thickness under a cut on the key for a clue, or you could slip a feeler gauge into a keyway to get some information, remember that it dosent have to be precise, there is a range of possiblility.

[machinist]

funny thing is I do, but I'm not sure what dimensions the channels should be.

I have a setup with 303 stainless steel all ready to go but I'm thinking I might want to use some scrap aluminum as a test first.

I have a set of calipers accurate to .0005" and a micrometer with .00005" accuracy the problem is the depth-circumference-relative-inward/diameter of the actual cuts on the key and how much play the channels should have for the pins ridding in them .001" is a tight fit but the'll move, .003" is a freely sliding fit. which do I choose?

[Shrub]

Freely sliding and youll make a tensiner, the feelers dont have to fit squarely on the pins if your useing flat stock so as long as they hit the pins near the middle your fine, if your useing round feelers youll have to be more acurite but i dont see the need to go down that route.

[machinist]

Once again this is an EDM based project an accuracy is really not an issue, I am planning on doing some projects this weeked if I get permission to come in the feelers are going to be .075" wide and .022" thick the channels are going to be .0005" oversized and if neccisary I'll hand polish it with steel wool till they slide free enough. I did consider round pins but, like you said it was too complicated compared to a flat feeler system. although it does look cool.

[Shrub]

I didnt mean the accuracy of the machineing but the accrucy of where the feelers hit the pins, in the past people have worried because they didnt hit the pins dead on centre.

[machinist]

Oh I see, I was talking about the difficulty making circular cavities VS square/rectangular ones. If I use flat style feelers I won't have to take it to the lathe and turn down the diameter wich requires indicating a part in with ridges running down the sides, meaning a pain in the donkey. It takes me 7 minutes if I'm at top speed with everything ready to go on perfectly round part alone I'd take a guess it takes 45 with removing/installing a four jaw chuck.

[Nasydave]

Ok, here's the measurements I can make. From a Southord 7 pin pick, and from an ACE II

center post of the ace lock : .308

Outer diameter of the southord (round part) .375

Southord diameter internal to feeler channels .335 (so each channel would be .020 deep

Feeler thickness .020

By the way, these should be reasonably accurate, but I'm using a micrometer (not a caliper) so the round dimensions are a little difficult to verify.

I picked up some 3/8? copper tubing at a hobby store (1.20 for a foot?) and the inner diameter fits the lock, and the outer diameter is .345, So it's a decent start to designing one. I also (for my design) picked up some .025 music wire. Supposedly if I circle the tubing with a ring of music wire segments, the outer diameter will be about .395 (a little larger than lock limit). This tool will (I believe) pick 7's 8's, 10's, or anything, as long as they don't have telescoping pins (as some 10 and 11's do)

I ran out of music wire, but even with 1/2 the diameter covered, it's too tight in the lock. I may need to sand down that end of the tubing a bit.

AS far as a tension pin, I also bought a wooden dowel that fints snugly into the tubing. I filed a slot, and glued a piece of thicker music wire in the slot.

[stratmando]

How about a used Ace key, that way holes are already located. Then Drill down in each so they are deep enough, so when it is put in lock, it does not push any pins. Then a Smaller hole drilled the rest of the way through for the Guitar String? Or After Drilling Cut a slot down the side where each of the pins go, them you could use a flat stock? Maybe turn down the key a bit to allow a band to secure everything, Like the band on some ink pens.
Lucky if the size worked, or check different Pens? Good Luck

[billdeserthills]

How about a used Ace key, that way holes are already located. Then Drill down in each so they are deep enough, so when it is put in lock, it does not push any pins. Then a Smaller hole drilled the rest of the way through for the Guitar String? Or After Drilling Cut a slot down the side where each of the pins go, them you could use a flat stock? Maybe turn down the key a bit to allow a band to secure everything, Like the band on some ink pens.
Lucky if the size worked, or check different Pens? Good Luck

I'd like to see a tiny hole drilled through 3/8 of an inch of brass accurately & in 7 places--You'll likely be working with drill #'s 60-80
Good luck, you'll need a specially expensive drill chuck just to hold many of those tiny drill bits,
which I suspect is the reason why nobody has begun churning these out

[GWiens2001]

Guys, the OP's post was 9 years ago. Now, if anyone else wants to make one, that is fine. But the OP probably has made or purchased a pick by now.

Gordon

[kwoswalt99-]

Guys, the OP's post was 9 years ago. Now, if anyone else wants to make one, that is fine. But the OP probably has made or purchased a pick by now.

Gordon

You might want to check your math there Gordon.

[GWiens2001]

Guys, the OP's post was 9 years ago. Now, if anyone else wants to make one, that is fine. But the OP probably has made or purchased a pick by now.

Gordon

You might want to check your math there Gordon.

Thurd graid math onlee tuk me too yeers to pfinish!

I meant the most recent post, barring today!

Good catch!

Gordon

[stratmando]

[quote="billdeserthills"][quote="stratmando"]How about a used Ace key, that way holes are already located. Then Drill down in each so they are deep enough, so when it is put in lock, it does not push any pins. Then a Smaller hole drilled the rest of the way through for the Guitar String? Or After Drilling Cut a slot down the side where each of the pins go, them you could use a flat stock? Maybe turn down the key a bit to allow a band to secure everything, Like the band on some ink pens.
Lucky if the size worked, or check different Pens? Good Luck[/quote]


I'd like to see a tiny hole drilled through 3/8 of an inch of brass accurately & in 7 places--You'll likely be working with drill #'s 60-80
Good luck, you'll need a specially expensive drill chuck just to hold many of those tiny drill bits,
which I suspect is the reason why nobody has begun churning these out [/quote]

My screwup, was thinking a different lock. A slot down the sides of each pin location could work. On the way to this post, read electric pick or scissors, then thought about an Electric ACE Pick, Just have something to Vibrate against the back of the spring loaded 7? Picks. Or is there something already like that?