Making retaining pins

[James GarvinParticipant @jamesgarvin12709]

[James GarvinParticipant @jamesgarvin12709]

Can someone explain to me how to make small Retaining Pins (R clips). They are for a modication project – 10mm long to fit 3mm shaft. Where can I buy the material. All the better if I can buy them ready made up.

[James GarvinParticipant @jamesgarvin12709]

I’ve decided to give it a shot anyhow – ordered 1mm steel wire and a wire bender. However any tips are welcome.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Or slightly shorter than Johns link on e-bay I, ve got a couple the same 16mm long but can’t recall where thay came from

 

I doubt a wire bender will be much use, better with a few vertical pins sticking out of a block of metal and bend round them

 

J

Edited By JasonB on 07/02/2012 08:44:12

[James GarvinParticipant @jamesgarvin12709]

16 mm should be fine. I am trying to modify a Radionic bolt together electronic kit for quicker and more reliable circuits. I think I need a large spring washer or spring strip to take up the slack to make electrical contact. Any suggestions.

[James GarvinParticipant @jamesgarvin12709]

I was thinking, I dont need R clips after all. All I need are short pieces of solid wire with a right angle. The bender will make a good job of that. Would a clock spring cut up and drilled take up the slack of the screws.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Cutting and drilling clock springs is not easy as the have been heat treated maybe a small spring washer

[James GarvinParticipant @jamesgarvin12709]

Yes I was afraid of that. By the way is there an alternate to using a pin. I may be able to drill the 6BA screws using a milling machine but I have so many to do for each component holder. Did I see something once which you sqeeze to slip over threads and it grips when released. I wonder what they are called

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I’ve not seen them for threads but you can get star locks to go on the end of shafts which would probably grip the thread also available from Model Fixings or what about nylock nuts

[James GarvinParticipant @jamesgarvin12709]

No its not that. I’m trying to get away from bolts – slow to put on and a loose one causes bad electrical contact. A pin would be quicker and may have to do. I seem to recall it was like a spring washer with 2 jaws which opened when you sqeezed. Thanks for your time – you have a very impressive posting record.

[AndyPParticipant @andyp13730]

James,

 

Sounds like a jewellers butterfly clutch as used on lapel pins etc. I haven’t seen them in a size that would fit a 6ba stud though, more like 2mm maximum. Ggogle will show you pictures.

 

There are stamped steel “washers” with 2 or more inward facing teeth, seem to remember them holding the wheels on my grand daughters toy pram at Christmas, haven’t the faintest idea of the proper name for them though, sorry.

 

Andy

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Andy those are the starlocks I mentioned above though your pram probably had the ones with chrome dome caps.

 

J

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

http://www.springmasters.com/circlips.html

 

The ones you want are called E type circlips and are widely used in electro-mechanical equipment especially things like printers and photocopiers .

 

Probably available from RS or Farnell .

 

MW

Edited By MICHAEL WILLIAMS on 07/02/2012 19:35:11

[AndyPParticipant @andyp13730]

Dem’s em Jason, well done, Silver Cross pram – made in China

I don’t think those, my butterfly clutch, or any of the circlips would provide a positive pressure along the pin though, merely resist pushing off by which time the contact may be broken ?

 

Andy

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

R clips and multiple variants here :

 

http://www.smithfast.com/images/hitchpic1.gif

 

http://www.smithfast.com

 

MikeW

Edited By MICHAEL WILLIAMS on 07/02/2012 23:08:20

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