barrel pins and thimble pins

[eagle24]

I put the first coat of Chambers Traditional Oil Finish on my stock this weekend.  The barrel pins had gotten pretty loose from taking in an out during the course of the build, but after staining and one coat of finish they were really tight going back in.  I had to use a brass hammer to put them back in.  I suspect the thimble pins will be tight as well.  Should I ream the holes a little?  My only concern is that they are putting undue stress on the stock and may cause it to split.

[Longknife]

I wouldn't worry about the stock splitting----BUT------
If you got finish in the holes they will tighten up, and may STICK too. go ahead and run the drill bit through them again and make sure you give the oil plenty of time to dry in the holes.....Ed

[David Veith]

I run a jeweler saw down them to lengthen them a little bit.
David

[Mike Brooks]

wax the pins

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Unless you had to get a bigger hammer so as not to force them, it should not be a problem. I usually have to coat my pins with bee's wax to tighten them up unless I purposely put a lot of finish in the holes when sealing.

[flehto]

For 1/16" piano wire pins I use a 1/16" drill held in a hand vise to ream the holes after finishing. The resultant fit is a light "tap fit".....Fred

[eagle24]

I used 3/32 drill rod for my pins and drilled with a 3/32 bit.  They were almost sliding out by the time I got finished building.  I had to tap them pretty good with a small brass hammer to get them back in.  They're probably ok, but I was just a little concerned that the stock might split.  I'll drive them on through this evening and they probably will be looser going in the next time.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I wouldn't drive them through...just make a habit of always taking them out one side...... saves the chance of chipping a piece off the wold as the end of the pin emerges....... Maybe you thought of this already, but I just wanted to make sure..... 

[eagle24]

Good Point!  I can't ever remember which way I put them in or took them out.  I did file the sharp edges off the pins to hopefully keep the likelyhood of chipping down.  I need to establish some consistency about which way I ALWAYS put them in.  I'll do that.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I have found that rounding off the ends is very important!  (Don't ask how I know!}

[Don Getz]

Here's an idea for a helpful little gadget.   I took a .060 size drill and epoxied it into a round wooden handle, I think it was
a piece of 3/8" ramrod.   After putting finish on the stock and getting a lot of it in those holes, I will use this tool to spin
with my fingers and open up the holes, easy to use and does a great job........Don

[Birddog6]

That is what I do as well, spin a drill bit in the hole by hand to clean out any finish. Also, if need be, you can also put a very very slight bow in the pin & that will take up any slack in the pin hole, then when you are all done, wax the pin in with some paste wax.  I always use soft pins, as I would rather a pin bend than break out wood if there is stress on the stock. Have never had one bend tho even tho I use soft pins.

[Don Getz]

Keith....I'm with you on that one.   I hate to work with that hard piano wire.    I make 1/16" pin punches out of that stuff.................Don

[Dphariss]

Soft keys are OK.
But pins are something else.
The first time a soft pin sticks from whatever reason stock swells, etc. and the head is mushroomed even a little the reason for hard pins becomes more obvious.
If the stock gets screwed up by a hard pin using a soft pin is not likely to be a cure. Its usually finish/assembly mistake related.

Dan

[eagle24]

I took them out last night and put the second coat of finish on the stock.  This morning I replaced the barrel and pins and they were about right.  Plenty tight, but not so tight I was worried about the stock splitting.  On the first coat I really put the finish to the stock and let it soak in.  Probably got a fair amount in the pin holes trying to saturate the stock.  All is good now.

[Birddog6]

Soft keys are OK.
But pins are something else.
The first time a soft pin sticks from whatever reason stock swells, etc. and the head is mushroomed even a little the reason for hard pins becomes more obvious.
If the stock gets screwed up by a hard pin using a soft pin is not likely to be a cure. Its usually finish/assembly mistake related.

Dan

If the stock is swelled that bad, you need to dry the stock out......   

[Ken G]

I use cut off pieces of 4D nails.  That's a #49 drill bit hole.  I haven't built as many guns as some of you guys but I stole the 4D nail idea from Don Getz and I think he's built a few.  I'm not saying it will not happen but I know you'd have to whack one pretty hard to mushroom the head.  In most cases you'll knock a chunk of wood off the other side of the stock before the head mushrooms.  This I know from experience. 
I chuck the pins in a hand drill and round the ends and spin them in a piece of sand paper to polish the pin.  As has already been mentioned I put them in and take them out the same way everytime.  Lightly tapping them in is normal for me when you first drill them.  By the time I finish a build they will normally slide in and out pretty easy.  Sometimes even falling out on their own.  After finish is applied it is normal to have to lightly tap them in again.  
I also slightly slot my pins holes forward and aft.  I've never seen a reason for doing that other than reading on this board that you should so I do.  I can't say that I have ever seen an original sloted though.

[Dennis Glazener]

I use 1/16 inch music wire. Also put each in an electric drill and spin them against a fine grinding wheel. Then I hold each end square against the grinding wheel to insure the ends are square and not pointed. This helps keep a punch from sliding off center when tapping them out. I also rub them on a cake of beeswax and after they are in place I fill the holes by rubbing beeswax into the hole. In my mind it keeps them from rusting and I like the looks of the filled holes versus bare ones!

Like Ken I try to remember to slot them but sometimes forget. So far I have not seen a difference. I have not seen slotted originals either.
Dennis

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I cut the music wire and then file the ends smooth to remove any burrs or sharp edges. then hold the pin with a pair of pliers in the torch flame of a cigar lighter for a few seconds to fire blue and then stick the hot pin into a cake of beeswax... when it is cool i pull it from the beeswax with the pliers and then insert.....they hold really nice and the excess beeswax covers the end of the pin.... just another way to do do stuff..

[PIKELAKE]

I use the same approach as Mr. Guy. 4d finish nails, #49 drill bit, you get a million zillion for a couple of bucks. They are softer than stainless and piano wire but I have never had one mushroom, I guess it could happen. I don't understand why you would need them that tight to begin with. I take it one step further, after I cut them to length, I fire blue them and rub a little bee's wax on em. I don't know if this is a good approach or not, but it has worked for me. I hunt in butt deap snow and considering everything, I've never had a problem removing a barrel. Sorry for the ramble 

[satwel]

If you ever find the barrel/thimble pins loosening, take them outside, find the nearest pine tree and smear some pine pitch on each pin then reinstall. You will be amazed at how well the pine pitch grips the pins after a few days. Never tried beeswax.

[bama]

Here is something that I do that has helped me keep pins in place but also helps in putting them in and taking them out. I taper all my pins slightly with a file and make sure that I put them in from the same dirrection all the time.  I also make sure that the pins go back in the order that they came out. Plus I rub them on a bar of soap before I place them, I also do this to the screws each time that i take them out. I used to wring the heads off of screws on a reagular basis that stopped when I started using the soap trick. Seems like I got that Idea from this board a while back.

[Birddog6]

When I drill a hole for a screw, I put some of my patch lube in the hole with a slender Exacto knife, put the screw in, never have a problem getting them in or out.

I don't taper the pins, that way it doesn't matter which way they went in or out, it is all the same.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I often use 1/16" welding rod for barrel and thimble pins.  I make them short so they don't come to the offside edge of the forestock.  I round the end that goes into the wood, and the other end is perfectly flat and square.  Beeswax on the pin and in the holes prevents them from falling out after a time.  And after the finish has cured I usually need to drill out the holes to clear finish.