My new test samples

[Spectrum]

I just got done making a few new test picks, and I was hoping that I could get some feedback on them.

Be sure to tell me what you honestly think. This is important to me since I will be making a variety of picks in the near future.




Thanks,
Romstar

wow, where do you get your handels?

[Romstar]

wow, where do you get your handels?

The handles, like the picks are hand made, and fitted to the picks.

Romstar

[raimundo]

They look like they were made on a punch press, amazing that you do this by hand. On the other hand, making them by hand will make them more expensive, but also you can do custom shapes and handles. If I used such handles, I would ask that the front of the handle be wider, where the thumb and forefinger grip it, and the back of the handle be tapered, like those rattail hair combs, The wide part by the grip would be better for control, and the back dosent need any width. I would have the shafts come off the end of the handle not in the middle, but at the top side, and angle toward the middle, so that the fingers holding the pick do not obstruct sight lines to the keyway, I might make the hook less of a lazy curve, and just make it a near angle like the cut of a key, or even more steep. And I would make one diamond pick of very steep angles on both sides but with a little flat on the top taking the sharp point off, But that is just my wanting to do things differently than the HPc type of thing. If you do make a wider front to the handle, that would not require a wider tang on the pick, you could just pinch the two sides together. PICKMAKER makes handles that seem to be one piece and folded. Have you seen those boxcutter knives that are laying around the local quickymart? Where the single edge razor is inserted, and the handle can cover it. I would start thinking about how to make a pick that might have two ends and can be contained in a handle, extended from it, and perhaps reversed.
That said, Your work looks very professional. kudos. Ray

[bembel]

What kind of rivets did you use?
You were talking about a hand set. How does this work? Are they also rounded at the opposite side?

I was using simple Aluminium rivets before (cut to length, using a hammer) but I am somehow unsatisfied with the look of them, especially the opposite sides.

[_Ethereal_]

I am also unsatisfied at the look of the alluminium rivets, especially on the hammered side, i was thinking of custom making some rivets on the lathe, but that would be too time consuming, what type of rivets are you using, are they the same as what hpc use, if so what are the rivets named by?

[_Ethereal_]

I found a few " tubular " rivets a couple of minutes ago, that when hammered looked similar to HPC pick rivets, so i'm guessing you use something similar?

[oldlock]

Try either countersunk rivets which will look better one side or proper old style rivets which you swage using a pair of cupped punches - you will need to find a specialist fixings supplier for those though.

Paul

[Romstar]

Oldlock got it in one.

I use steel rivets, one side is pre capped, and the other used a swaging tool. Basically, it's a small metal rod with convex dish shape. The dish shape properly rolls over the edges of the rivets, creating the other capped head.

Romstar

[Peaky]

You can make your own mandrels by cutting a shallow hole with a ball nose cutter but the bought ones are allways better, they have a hole at the side of the dish so you can put the rivet stem into it and knock down the work to its tight before doming the end over.

Takes practice though doesnt it Romstar

Looking forward to you 'new design' one's

[Romstar]

Yeah, it does take practice. I screwed up a few of them.

What I would love to build is a locking lever press. I can think of a lot of things that it would be useful for in addition to pressing the rivets.

Romstar

[Peaky]

Romstar,

Im not familiar with one of those we must call them somthing differant! what is a lever locking press, we tend to have fly bar and punch presses.

The worst thing with rivets when you are starting out is all the ones which you think went well untill you turn them over and the dome on the other side isnt centred

[Spectrum]

Three things:

first, very nice workmanship and construction
second, where do you get your handles pre-made like that,
third, how can I get some froom you

[stick]

[quote="Romstar]The handles, like the picks are hand made, and fitted to the picks.[/quote]

[stick]

That should be...

The handles, like the picks are hand made, and fitted to the picks.

[Romstar]

Romstar,

Im not familiar with one of those we must call them somthing differant! what is a lever locking press, we tend to have fly bar and punch presses.

The worst thing with rivets when you are starting out is all the ones which you think went well untill you turn them over and the dome on the other side isnt centred

I think the locking lever press is similar to the fly bar press. The lever press uses a cam system and lever to driver the ram rather than hydraulic or electric. The lock refers to the fact that you can lock the ram down.

I know what you mean about getting going with rivets. They can be a pain in the rear.

Romstar