Made this today

[TheNatural]

I really disliked trying to hand drill holes in my feeler gauge so I got one of these.

http://www.toolplanet.com/product/Hand-Operated-Metal-Steel-Hole-Punch-Kit?vfsku=100223&gpla=pla&gclid=CKe8nYSD8rwCFa9cMgodg1wArA

It works well for me. I have used it on .025 thick, 1095 high carbon feeler gauge but never on a hacksaw. I assume it would work just as well. However if you don't squeeze fast and hard enough you can bend what you are trying to punch. I also think they can be found cheaper than here. I got mine from amazon.

[scudo]

That would be useful But as this is my first attempt I will see how my pick ends up before investing any money into it. Cheapest I can find that tool is £25 with delivery.

[Deadlock]

scudo, no particular reason, that was just an 'off the top of my head' measurement. Yeah, I think 2mm pins would look better.

[TheNatural]

Yeah the tool looks really good for a first attempt! Bogota's are pretty complicated as far as shaping and polishing goes compared to something like a hook or diamond. Keep up the good work!

[scudo]

The Natural, Thanks, I am quite pleased with it. Much better than my snake rake (Southord). I knew I had a few tools kicking around from days gone by so just went for it. Having been in the wrong jobs for 40 years and now with early/forced retirement I can do the things I enjoy. A good result is a bonus but just doing it is satisfying.
Always wanted to try my hand at lock picking since I was a kid but short of just stuffing a screwdriver down a keyway for the last well I am in my 60s now, I only started after xmas. Never too late as they say

[Neilau]

Hi Scudo.

Is the pick in the second picture the same as the one in the first picture?

The second one looks a lot better made - the first one looks like the first peak is really thin and bent, probably the camera angle.

The second pick looks great.

I stand by my previous post that picks from hack saw blades are very prone to breaking. Nealy all of the picks made from blades, in my early days, broke and I stopped using HS blades long ago. They worked, just didn't last long. Again, probably my lousy technique.

Check out this video from bosnianbill on materials. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znYrGX7OU80

I particularly like the idea of SS hose clamps. Must try them.

Keep up the good work. The first picks that I made were not as good as yours. I got a lot of inspiration from this site.

Cheers.

[scudo]

Neilau, Yes they are the same, The second pic was after I done a bit more work on it with needle files and then some polishing. I am going to use the hacksaw blades to make a few and if I am happy with the results will start to look at other materials, that video clip gives a good insight for other materials.

[escher7]

That looks just great. As far as drilling hacksaw blades goes, instead of wearing through it by burning up a dozen of the wrong drills, why not cut through it using one right one? Solid carbide drills are available on the bay (buy three, just in case). You'd be using what? A 3mm brass pin? Pillar drill (drill press) or a mill if possible. Blade clamped to sacrificial mild steel block, 1500 rpm, use cutting oil, hand feed only. It would be handy to practice this on another hacksaw blade. You'll need to press firmly, but not too hard... which doesn't sound very scientific I know. This is where the practice comes in. Everything clamped down solid and, as in all machining operations, SAFETY GLASSES.

I use a #49 drill and haven't been able to find cheap carbide bits, but using a fresh bit on each hole works fine. I then resharpen using a neat jig I found back when. And because hacksaw blades are high speed steel, it is difficult to impossible to anneal the handle portion to make drilling easier. Works for me as long as I only make a few picks at a time.

[escher7]

I really disliked trying to hand drill holes in my feeler gauge so I got one of these.

http://www.toolplanet.com/product/Hand-Operated-Metal-Steel-Hole-Punch-Kit?vfsku=100223&gpla=pla&gclid=CKe8nYSD8rwCFa9cMgodg1wArA

It works well for me. I have used it on .025 thick, 1095 high carbon feeler gauge but never on a hacksaw. I assume it would work just as well. However if you don't squeeze fast and hard enough you can bend what you are trying to punch. I also think they can be found cheaper than here. I got mine from amazon.

Neat tool but they suggest only mild steel. Hacksaw blades are super hard and might wreck the punch. I think feeler stock is soft although I have not tried drilling it.

[mechanical_nightmare]

Good job with the bogota! I made one a while back, but it sucks... Planning on making a pair out of some windshield wiper inserts, but right now I have too many projects and too little time so we'll see how it goes.

Since hacksaw blades already have two mounting holes on both sides, I usually cut the blade in half from the middle and make two picks with the holes being at the end of the pick handle. It wastes some material in the middle, but if you do not have the proper equipment to drill steel it works pretty good.

I will also add that I am a big fan of Bahco Sandflex shatterproof hacksaw blades. They do not rust and break, and are very difficult to deform.

[TheNatural]

Neat tool but they suggest only mild steel. Hacksaw blades are super hard and might wreck the punch. I think feeler stock is soft although I have not tried drilling it.

Feeler gauge can be made from different kinds of material. I use the 1095 high carbon steel which is very hard but hacksaw blades might be a bit harder, I'm not sure. The punch definitely doesn't glide right through the feeler stock, it takes a hard squeeze, but for me it is much easier than trying to hand drill. I have some hacksaw blades actually so I'll try the punch and report.

[scudo]

hey mechanical _nightmare where in Turkey you from?

[Deadlock]

I use a #49 drill and haven't been able to find cheap carbide bits, but using a fresh bit on each hole works fine. I then resharpen using a neat jig I found back when. And because hacksaw blades are high speed steel, it is difficult to impossible to anneal the handle portion to make drilling easier. Works for me as long as I only make a few picks at a time.

I've been weighing things up over the past couple of days, and I think your method is the most practical considering what tools people are likely to have at home. Carbide drills are more expensive and they're more brittle too. Whereas an ordinary HSS drill will deflect or twist a little, carbide won't, as I know, having broken three in a row one day. I hadn't thought of annealing hacksaw blades, so I Googled it, and there are people who say it's possible. Hmm... I'd have to see that myself, especially stories of "spot annealing" by cutting the head off a nail, putting it in the chuck of a pillar drill and pressing it hard down, under power, onto the hacksaw blade. Ooof! I don't even like the sound of that reading it ,let alone what it'd sound like doing it...