Quote Originally Posted by gssixgun View Post
Hint:

How hard to hit the pins????

Put your index finger on the anvil (hard surface) take your hammer and hit your finger right at the edge of the nail on that real sensitive spot on the cuticle,, if it hurts, your hitting too hard...

No really, I am being serious, try it
I was hitting waaaaaay too hard. Looking at what I did, I think I had a host of problems at each step that all added up to a bent pin, and I think I'm lucky not to have smashed the scales:

1) Pin was too long by about 3.5mm in total
2) Didn't re-drill the hole
3) Hitting too hard

I'll wait for the sticks and hopefully win a drill press on eBay today, and try again. Thank you for the advice, I really do appreciate it. Reading is great, and all the knowledge is in the library, but sometimes newbies need calming a little but mentor's words! I need to learn to walk before I start running.