Workshop Hints
Inserting Hands pins
The British Horological Institute has archived and edited the following from e-mails sent to the Clock/Clockers mailing lists on the Internet. The information here does not necessarily indicate a method approved by the BHI, we are only publishing this digest so that others can decide for themselves whether the methods listed below will suit them.
From: Barry Barnes, Scott Fuller, John Kuntz
Problem
How to get the little pin in the 'very small' hole on the end of the hour hand shaft while depressing this washer at the same time.
Solutions
- If you have a tapered to a very fine point, it is much easier to get it started in whatever portion of the hole is exposed above the washer. For pressing it the rest of the way in, I use a flat nosed pliers with a notch filed in the centre of one of the jaws, so that you can push the pin with the full jaw, and the pin goes through the slot filed in the other jaw, as it comes out the other side of the hole. This method also allows some judicious pressure to be applied to the washer with the tips of the pliers during the process.
- I bought a small metal tube, actually a water supply tube, inserted one end in a wooden handle and cut a slot in the other end. This allows me to comfortably depress the washer and insert the pin. Steel tubing works better than copper as the copper tends to bend easily (and unexpectedly).
