Pin alignment

[BESPJL]

Hello,

How do I align the holes made in the arms, hands, torso (and other parts) to insert a pin to strengthen the joins?

(I hope I made myself understandble).

Cheers.

 

[THANOS]

YOU GLUE THE PIN TO THE ONE PART, EX. TO THE HAND AND YOU MAKE A MUCH BIGGER HOLE THAN THE PIN TO THE OTHER PART YOU WANT TO JOIN.

I HOPE TO UNDERSTAND MY GREEGLISH!!!

 

[John Long]

Thanos is right. I usually drill a hole the same size as the pin in one piece and glue my pin in place. Then in the receiving end drill a hole about 3x diameter of the pin in the proximity of the center of the receiving point. The piece is then fixed in place with gap filling CA, or JB Quick epoxy. Both of these will fill the space around the pin and hold it fast.

Another approach with arms is to drill all the way through the shoulder into the torso. Install the pin and fill the hole behind it.

 

[didi1960]

Hello,
Escuse me but my English is not excellent. To stick the arms on the body, then when it is quite dry to drill a hole in the arm jusq' with the body with the diameter of a needle, put there a needle. not to forget not to increase the hole so that the needle returns with in the hole. To stick the needle in the hole, then to cover the hole with putty.
Didi

 

[Norb Lustine]

Bespjl:
It is really quite simple to accurately align a join pin in two parts. I have premade a very short brass pin to use for this task which I save to use over and over. The premade pin is sharpened one end to a sharp point (Use a file or abrasive wheel on a Dremel to make the point).

I then drill a "shallow" hole in a part, ie. an arm - the same size as the pin. I set the pin into the arm just allowing enough of the sharpened point of the pin to extend beyond the base of the arm to be attached to the torso. I press the arm with the pin in the arm into the torso thus making a mark in the torso with the sharp point. I occasionally use a majic marker to color the place on the piece to be marked (the torso in this example) with the sharpened point to make it easier to find the "tiny pin mark".

Behold, I now have established the place where a hole is to be drilled in the torso by the point of the premade pin.

Now you have the exact place for the "join pin". Remove the premade sharpened pin from the arm. Using the same drill bit, I drill a hole the same size as the premade pin into the torso. I then substitute with a suitable length brass rod the same diameter as your premade pin. Just make the new brass rod long enough to extend from the predrilled arm into the newly drilled hole in your torso and glue the new rod into the arm and the torso.

Try it: It works every time.

Norb Lustine
NCMSS

 

[PJ Deluhery]

This is a method I have used for a long time.

Assume you are placing an arm on a torso. I first mark the center of the socket in the torso where the arm will be. I next draw an "X" with the center of the X in the center of the socket area where the arm will be. The "X" should be drawn so that each line end extends slightly over the edge of the socket. I then place the arm where I want it to be in the socket. It will cover the X except for the very edges where the lines go over the socket, which will still be visible with the arm in place. Using the pencil, I mark these edges on the arm, then remove the arm and draw an X on the arm using these marks as a refernce. Sounds complicated here I know, but it is very simple and yeilds a perfect match every time.