# Wife job



## Mtnmac (Jul 23, 2020)

My wife brought me this part and asked:  "Can you make one of these"
She knows the answer, she's just being nice.  Here's the part:


It's a pin that closes a antique chest.  Slides through two holes in fittings on the face of doors.
Of course I say "Sure, honey"
I go investigate the chest and find that the original pin, which measures .196 in diameter, is rather sloppy.  Not uncommon on old antiques.  It's also possible that this is not the original pin for the chest.  Whatever, I go grab my box of dowel pins and find a 1/4" pin fits nicely.  Having no 1/4" brass on hand, I go to the hardware store and buy a 3' length of brass, and a small piece of 1/32 brass sheet, maybe 1 x 8.  Get home and start making the part.  Soon find out I have no way to pin the brass sheet to the rod.  So I go scrounging around and find a piece of 308L SST welding rod.  It measures .0942, so if I get a 3/32 drill to drill EXACTLY on size, I'm good.  That only happens in our dreams, so I find an old 3/32 drill to sacrifice.  I chuck the 1/4 brass rod in the lathe, part it off, deburr each end.  Put it in a collet block in the mill, slot 3/32 x .430 deep. Put a 1 x 3/4 piece of brass sheet in the slot.  Mark the location on the sheet, remove the sheet and peen the area that will be engaging the slot.  Now it fits tightly.   Put my best small drill chuck in and spot, drill #44 (.086).  Put the sacrificial 3/32 drill in the chuck and carefully stone it just a bit. Then drill through, bringing the hole to just under 3/32 (hopefully).  Checked with the welding rod pin and it looks good.  Used the chuck to start the pin, removed it from the collet block.  Careflly drove the pin through with a hammer and punch.  Took it to the grinding area and carefully ground off the excess pin without hitting the brass.  Used a file to match the pin to the OD of the brass rod.  Then free formed the shape of the  brass plate, deburred it on the Scotchbrite wheel and hand finished it with some fine Emery.  Total time in the shop about 2 hours.

Items added to the shop tool list:  Dowel pin reamers.


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## matthewsx (Jul 23, 2020)

Looks great and always smart to take care of the ones we love....

John


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## Mtnmac (Jul 23, 2020)

matthewsx said:


> Looks great and always smart to take care of the ones we love....
> 
> John


I figure this buys me several days of making motorcycle parts.


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