Traditional Muzzleloading Association
Shooting Traditional Firearms and Weapons => General Interest => Topic started by: Tom A Hawk on October 12, 2012, 08:54:54 PM
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Pinning the barrel and thimbles another question for you guys.thanks in advance. My question is it ok to use regular finish nails to pin the stock to the barrel and thimbles to the stock instead of using hardened pins or nails. Reason to use finish nails is I can cut to size and round off both ends so as not to splinter stock although plan on leaving them a bit shy on both ends and putting a bit of bees wax in holes to help keep water out.
Thanks. Tom a hawk. 
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I have only put one kit together, but that's exactly what I used and it worked fine. I even did the beeswax thing and it does hide it quite well. I have read several discussions about this and it seems that its a pretty common method.
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Anything you use as pins will be hidden from view anyway. Nails are cheap, available in common sizes if you ever lose a pin and need to make another one, and perform the task of holding things together quite well. In my opinion there's no reason to not use them.
Storm
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They'll work just fine. Cut your pins a little long and chuck them up in your hand drill. Grind one end down on a bench grinder very lightly to get the end domed. Then spin it again against the wire wheel. This will break any hard edges and polish the end. Switch ends in the drill and grind to the proper length. Hope this makes sense.
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Hey guys thanks a lot looks Like I can wrap this gun up and maybe go deer hunting with it this fall if not turkey this comlng spring also I like the idea of chucking the pin up in the drill press and smoothing the ends. Again thanks. if I can will post photo when finished. I never could have done it with out all your help. Tom a hawk
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I used to refer to a drill press as a "poor man's lathe". Works well for a number of jobs.
Storm
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Save your worn out drill bits, 1/16", 5/64" & 3/32" make great pins for use on guns.............Tom
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Nails are what i use too. 6penny i believe.
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Yup,finish nails. Hershal House,(my hero) uses coat hangers! Amazing what that guy does!
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Coat hangers, good for everything---bbl & tgr pins forged vent pics welding even in a pinch hanging up clothes......Tom
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Coat hangers, good for everything---bbl & tgr pins forged vent pics welding even in a pinch hanging up clothes......Tom
Thanks Tom, my thoughts exactly! 
Somewhere between metal Coat Hangers, Brownell's Glass Bedding, and Duct Tape, there is a cure for about anything.
Uncle Russ....
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Coat hangers, good for everything---bbl & tgr pins forged vent pics welding even in a pinch hanging up clothes......Tom
Hanging up clothes? Really? Will wonders never cease! LOL 
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Clothes hangers are what i went to when i ran out of nails on a dark and dreary night long, long ago. They worked great. Still do!! Buzzard
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I would like to ask one more question on pinning the barrel and thimbles. I have already drilled the stock and barrel lugs and thimbles with a 1/16th drill bit. My question is I will be using finish nails that mike .072 will the holes be to small for the nails, I know there is only about .010 difference but I do not want them to crack the walnut stock. I realize the steel will have to be drilled larger, but not sure how much larger.
This will finish this gun, already browned and stock finished.
Thanks again for all help------------------ TOM
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The easiest and better looking thing to do IMHO is to buy some .062 pin stock from your local ACE hardware or hobby shop and it should fit your 1/16 holes.
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Any good hobby shop will have piano wire in 3' lengths in most any diameter you might wany.
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Why did nt I think of that I have some, left over from building Rc airplanes. Well looks like this will finish my fussil. Thanks Cap. Jas and Hank.