Thread: Pins and micro washers

Hi All,

Can someone please advise the size of (diameter) of brass rod required and also what washers for external and internal pivot point.

I got some from Bill but want to find some locally. If you could give me the metric equivalent as well it would be great. (NZ is metric, inches just confuses everyone).
We don't have www.microfasteners.com in NZ.

Thanks.

Gary..special subject on "Mastermind"..The bleeding obvious.

Conversion is 1" (" is inch) to 25.4mm.

The rods are 1/16" (1.5mm) either brass, nickel silver or copper. Usually brass and nickel silver is used. Copper is a bit too soft and tends to tarnish quite fast. Brass rods can be bought in hobby shops or welding suppliers if you are willing to buy quantity (here a few pounds NZ probably at least a kg). They call them fluxless brass welding rods, be prepared to buy a lifetime supply if you go to a welding supplier.

The washer holes are 1/16" (1.5mm) the outer diameter for external pivot is anything really, depends on how big you want them to be on your scales. I would say 1/8" for plain to 3/16" for decorative ones.

Inner ones should have an outer diameter of at least 1/6" (4mm) to 1/4" (6mm) and thickness to be as thin as possible and uniform from washer to washer. The latter is critical or you will have to fish for two washers of same thickness to pin the blade straight.

Don't be surprised if a source is difficult to find. I spent a lot of time looking and did not find any. I make my own washers for now, both inner and outer. The inner ones are harder to make because they need to be thin, uniform and large diameter.

Making of pins and washers is covered on Bill's CD. Some modifications to the jigs by me posted here. scroll down to the post on washer jig update and here

Lo and behold, my local model shop has everything in need except good outside dia spacer washers. I've got some that may be large enough and I'm working on a $5 straight now for practice.
Gary

Sorry to dig this thread up but what hobby shop did you use ive tried dozens but could only find ten outside washers

cheers

Simple... Just find the elves, who will take you to the dwarves that do jewelry work.. You live right in the middle earth.. Gosh, dont try to hide it, everyone saw the documentry.

You can get both 1/16th inch dia brass rod and 1.5mm dia brass rod, ditto with the internal opening size of washers.

Contrary to the above, 1/16th inch is not 1.5mm - it is 1.59mm. So if you get 1/16th inch dia rod and washers with 1.5mm dia openings, then you will have to enlarge the opening in the washer to get it on the rod. Not by much, but enough to be a real pain if you do a lot of re-pinning.

Google 'knife making supplies' and you should find a host of places, one of which will undoubtedly have what you want.

Regards,
Neil

And the internal thrust / spacing washers may be made by carefully smashing a washer using a hammer against a block of steel or an anvil.
That diameter of brass rod is also used in the brazing process and you may often find it a local welding shop for cheap.
Good luck to you all!
~Richard

What is amazing is that we found this long buried thread with more questions than answers, yet at the very top of this forum "The Workshop" is a thread in bold red stuck there all the time to help in this exact situation...
In that thread you willl find a section on supplies


The thread is aptly named too


http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...wers-here.html

I know i can get them from overseas easy but the wait times are so long to get to nz, and i found this thread when i googld #0 brass washers nz

That's what I did.....Thanks bilbo....for the washers....hehehehe