Thread: Pinning

I also use a very small drill chuck and a small piece of RR track.

Try searching on EBAY for RR track.

Pete <:-}

But they have miles and miles of it just lying aroun!

Originally Posted by RezDog

But they have miles and miles of it just lying aroun!

Shaun, the problem that I had when I was looking was finding a piece that was small enough to use as a pinning anvil. The railroad guys I met pretty much had only full sections of track or pieces that were very close. I couldn't find small pieces anywhere.

Pete <:-}

I pulled over when I saw a work crew stopped near where they were laying track. I asked if they could give me a too short to use piece. They gave me a three foot piece, it was very heavy, when I got home I cut it into four pieces. It was a moment of opportunity. I was kidding about mileS and miles of it just laying around.
On a more serious note, leather work shops often have tiny anvils, and so do jewellers supply stores.

Yeah I've seen piles of tracks and decided to pick one up. They're a lot heavier than they look.

You all made some good points and have innovative ideas.

I have looked on the Bay and can buy small pieces of track quite cheaply but the shipping is astounding as you can imagine for something so heavy.

It's not really practical to get myself any track because even it I could get a bit i don't have anything to cut it with, I doubt I could just hacksaw it.

My idea based on the suggestions here is this.

I am going to get a small vice that clamps to the bench, it's only about $35 CA. I can't find the decent one I had before we moved here.
I don't think I need anything particularity tough to gently hold scale material wile I use a coping saw and sandpaper, the one I will get has rubber jaws too.

I can get a small chuck, I assume the smaller and cheaper the better because again it is for small light work. I don't want to take any of my own drills apart.

As for an anvil. I have a table saw, it's portable because it folds down and has wheels but it is damn heavy. It has a steel table so if I make a small dimple or two in it I reckon it will work just fine as my anvil for the gentle use it would get and won't affect it's use as a table saw (or I could do the same on the table of my chop saw. I will use the chuck on a short piece of 2x4 I have laying around. Most of my tools are either for the car or from when I did improvements my last house.

Does that sound like a plan?

“Shaun, the problem that I had when I was looking was finding a piece that was small enough to use as a pinning anvil. The railroad guys I met pretty much had only full sections of track or pieces that were very close. I couldn't find small pieces anywhere.”

Pete <:-}


eBay $10-20. There are a few guys that regularly sell small pieces.

Track is not that hard and cuts with a cut-off wheel. I find small pieces often at estate sales.

Any smallish flat piece of steel works.

I drilled and tapped a hold with the right thread so that I can screw my chuck on the anvil. Also when I drop a pin all the way inside I can just unscrew the chuck to recreate it. Better than man handling the anvil.

Be sure you get a chuck that goes to less than 1/16". Very important.

I use a large drill press chuck from a garage sale, new in the box $1-2, years ago. It is large enough to sit flat on the bench.

If you drill a bit larger hole unthreaded (for hand drill chucks) you can spin the chuck as you peen. I both spin the chuck and peen around the head for a more even smooth pin head.

I have thought of making a base with a dowel to fit in the hole of the base of my chuck,( a drill press chuck is made to fit a taper), but it has worked fine for years, sitting on the bench.

You can buy old hand drills, (tons of cordless) at garage sales or thrift stores. You do not need a large chuck, probably smaller is better. If you use a hand drill chuck, (with threaded shaft) drill a hole in a piece of wood to make a stable base.

Most vises, at least bench mounted ones, have an anvil block built in.

You can use that as your block.
Or another cheap easy way is to get a short piece of 90° angle bracket in steel and drill holes in the corners then screw it to a block of wood like a 2X4.

You can put your dimples in either of these and a hole for rod. Oh yeah, I got the idea for the pin sized hole from a video I saw from the factory of I think it was Thiers Issard. Whichever one it was it was a french factory and that's how they did it so I figured nthat was good enough for me.