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Re: Picks I just made.

PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:26 am
by Anarchy_won
Yeah it was a good diet they went on. :D

DCT its great you found your way here I am stoked to get the clear shrink sleeve hope it gets here soon.

Re: Picks I just made.

PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 6:03 am
by DCT
Its good to be here!
Been reading posts like a fiend.
I keep looking at the homebrew picks like yours and hoping my motivation will kick in!

Re: Picks I just made.

PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 6:41 am
by escher7
A few pointers:
They look functional, but to centre the working ends better, layout the design so everything is symmetrical and then grind to the lines.
To get a nice finish you have to start with a coarser abrasive paper and then work your way up through 220, 350, 400 and finish around 600. Make sure the scratches from the previous grit are all gone as you get finer. If you want a mirror polish you then need to buy a muslin buffing wheel and some green or white polishing compound and finish them off. The buffing wheel can be put on a bench grinder or even a power drill in a vise.
Once you get a nice pick you can then move up to handles etc. and there are a number of good instruction comments on this site.

Re: Picks I just made.

PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:00 pm
by Anarchy_won
escher, thanks for the advice this set was just a kinda trial run so nothing was lade out proper (the plan was there was no plan, I kinda just went nuts with a grinder one day) next set will be done right. (and I think I need to start with 0.025 stock)
I have done some metal fab in the past, just never to this level of detail so even if I sound like I am defensive or pissed off I am taking all advice given. :)

Re: Picks I just made.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 5:30 am
by escher7
Anarchy_won wrote:escher, thanks for the advice this set was just a kinda trial run so nothing was lade out proper (the plan was there was no plan, I kinda just went nuts with a grinder one day) next set will be done right. (and I think I need to start with 0.025 stock)
I have done some metal fab in the past, just never to this level of detail so even if I sound like I am defensive or pissed off I am taking all advice given. :)



I like to rough out the business end and then finish to the lines with jeweller's files and abrasive paper as the control is much better. On the hump style picks a chain saw file is ideal to keep everything rounded out and uniform. I like hack saw blades as they are heat treated perfectly and the right thickness, although drilling is a bitch because of the hardness. Do you know if your shim stock is hardened or soft (annealed) when you buy it?

Re: Picks I just made.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 11:44 pm
by Anarchy_won
I have no I idea what the details of the material are as they were scrap pieces from the garbage at work. :)