Advice for pinning ramrod tips

[ThreeCedars]

Looking for some info on how to do a clean pinning job on my ramrods - like what size drill bit, pin material, methods that work versus ones that gave you trouble?

I am confident in the actual work, just trying to educate myself before getting started.

I’ve never lost a tip during cleaning and I would like to keep it that way if I can help it!

Thanks!

 

[64Springer]

Drill a hole through your rod and chamfer both sides.

Take an aluminum rivet and cut the shank/shaft off.

Cut the aluminum shank/shaft a little longer than the width of your rod.

Put your new pin through the hole and peen both ends.

That pin will stay put forever.

 

[ThreeCedars]

Simple - I like it! Thanks!

 

[Flintandsteel]

1/16” pin stock, 1/16” drill bit, small counter sink. Viola!
Dont use aluminum. Brass or steel is best.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I've used brass, and also piano wire. The brass is much easier to peen the ends over and once sanded you can hardly notice them.

The piano wire makes a nice contrasting color against a brass tip, but it's harder to work into the final shape, but it is doable with patience.

 

[Cruzatte]

I've used coat hanger wire in the past. It's steel, and about 5/64". Drill & peen as noted above.

 

[French Colonial]

As above, I use brass and peen

 

[appalichian hunter]

Even a small finish nail will work for a pin. I would also use some glue before pinning can't hurt.

 

[Bighorserider]

I use 6d finishing nails.

 

[akroguy]

I epoxy them on then drill 1/16” and pin/peen with brass trim nail.

 

[ThreeCedars]

Awesome info - thanks so much guys!

 

[longcruise]

I slide the rod in, drill a hole that crosses the growth rings, then press a tiny piece of beeswax in the opening of the threads to keep epoxy out of the threads. Then epoxy the ramrod and slide it in and put a pin through the hole. Set aside and file it clean when it's set. I use a 1/16" drill and matching size finishing nail.

If it's a range rod, same process but solder it like you would copper pipe with the pin in place. No wax needed.

 

[Timber Wolf]

I used epoxy, drill with (I think) 1/16” bit and then pinned with a slightly long piece of 14 gauge copper wire. Peen the ends and file off any excess.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

First I epoxy the tip then drill 1/16" hole chamfer both sides use a slightly long 1/16" rod and peen both sides.

 

[FlinterNick]

Looking for some info on how to do a clean pinning job on my ramrods - like what size drill bit, pin material, methods that work versus ones that gave you trouble?

I am confident in the actual work, just trying to educate myself before getting started.

I’ve never lost a tip during cleaning and I would like to keep it that way if I can help it!

Thanks!

I use a 1/16 drill bit and a brass pin.

I drill then counter sink both sides of the tip.

Epoxy fill the tip then pin the tip on. After it dries, I trim the pin down and peen both ends.

Another thing you can do is make a ramrod tip sleeve.

The sleeve is just a few thousand shy so it friction holds after tapping it on, then cross pin it

 

[IanH]

Epoxy, drill through the layers of grain, copper ground wire. Countersink and peen both sides. File flush.