Homemade pick set No. 1243

[Exodus5000]

I like it when all of a sudden out of no where someone just posts amazing products they've made. That's probably the best/easiest DIY plug spinner i've seen. I would want a bit deeper of a hook than what you have there, but hell, you should feel pleased with yourself.

[bembel]

Most excellent. I think you said this before but, how did you make your handles?

Did you post closeups of your jigglers anywhere? - 1st through 5th from the left.

This is a high quality image, so you can save and zoom it if you want:



The first pick was inspired by a HPC computer pick, then there are 2 snakes - one of them rounded and the other one more sawtooth-like. The last both are some kind of versatile rakes, each one with a rounded and a sawtoothed side.

Making handles is quite easy: The feeler gauges almost have the shape of my picks, so there's no need to do them from a larger piece of metal. I just cut off 2 gauges for the handles, round the cut end with a Dremel sandpaper drum and glue them together with a pick blade between.
I use a sandpaper drum to equal the sides, then I put a piece of sandpaper flat on the table and move the pick on it. Nearly looks like one piece.

This is quite easy to reproduce for me, compared to Romstar's professionally riveted handles.

[bembel]

@xodishox: Approx. 1..2 hours for one.

@Exodus5000: The nice thing with homemade stuff is that I can add a deeper hook when I want to (and I probably will do that. Thx. ).

[raimundo]

thats beautiful work. and interesting designs too. i'm speachless

[Kigga]

they seem a little thick...like the one with the circle on it...
it would never fit in the lock im tryin to pick right now.
but still well done

[toomush2drink]

Judging from those works of art you must have a lot of spare feeler gauges lying about. The thinner ones are quite useful for making foil impressioning combs from

[silent]

Where did you buy the feeler gauge at?

[bembel]

I usually buy them at "Hornbach" hardware shops here in Germany.
The package only says "HaWe Qualitätswerkzeuge, Germany", where "HaWe" is the brand name. That's pretty much all I know.

@toomush2drink: I've only read some basics here about foil impression and they always mentioned the use of blank keys. How would a foil impression comb look like?

[Chucklz]

Here is the best description I can give without a picture.

The comb looks like an extensively modified key blank. There is a cut a tad deeper than the deepest cut in each position along the blade. Instead of a V shaped cut the cuts have straight sides so as to look like U. The comb is covered with a foil tape This can then be inserted into the lock with the aid of a tool to lift the pins. Wiggling this comb in the lock eventually impressions the lock.

[MrB]

This is quite easy to reproduce for me, compared to Romstar's professionally riveted handles.

Never underestimate the usefulness of glue. After all, some airplanes have their wings stuck on with glue. The right glue in the right place can often be the best possible solution.

[bembel]

Well, the glue...
Pattex worked very well so far - until I accidentally spilled some red whine on my picks, which left some ugly stains. So I got the idea to apply some oil on them (feeler gauges always come covered with oil), but unfortunately I decided to use some creeping oil. BIG MISTAKE!
The oil really crept under the handles and dissolved the glue. I nearly lost half of the handles. Now I'm using superglue. Seems to be much better, but you have only a few moments to arrange the parts. If it doesn't work out in time, you have to separate them with a knife, clean them with acetone and try again.

[MrB]

An epoxy adhesive like Araldite is probably best for permanent joins. It gives you time to arrange the parts, it makes a very strong bond if you prepare the surfaces properly, and once cured it is fairly resistant to oil and solvents.

[skold]

Yeah i use araldites 2 part epoxy on my handles, very good stuff.

[DrDetroit]

Holy cannoli, Bembel, those are beautiful. You have a real talent for making complex things look simple. My hat's off to you.

[bembel]

Thanks.
Btw: I always wanted to try some wooden handles. Yesterday I found some parquet wood samples (demo plates of 1mm thickness). Looks nearly like real wood, but it's some kind of scratch-proof laminate:



Romstar-style rivets would look supersharp on them, but the material is too hard for that and would break. So I glued them, too.