How to cut hinge pin & other pin stock?

[obessedwithrc]

I bought a bunch of hinge pin stock from McMaster Carr and Lunsford (before they went out of business) and I'm curious to find a better way to cut them. I'm currently using a vice to hold the pin and a Dremel for cutting, but it's terribly inaccurate in terms of getting the length that I want.

The pin stock sizes that I have are 2mm - 4mm in diameter.

Are there any specific tools that one would suggest using, other than a Dremel?

 

[Diem Turner]

Well, that all depends on your budget. I'm certain the machines this man is using are far beyond the scope but there's an interesting part he made for cutting round stock (very much along the size of hing pins and the like) that could be interesting and shouldn't be rocket surgery to make a close enough approximation of (this man does high precision machining and if you're into stuff like that, his content is amazing). You could adapt it to your needs and keep using the dremel but this should solve your "correct length" problem. Or rather, should make it easy to consistently make the same length pins. I time stamped the video to begin at the appropriate section.

 

[obessedwithrc]

Seems like a lot more work than just using a Dremel. I might be able to make a similar cutting jig out of wood, possibly. Thanks for the video recommendation!

 

[Diem Turner]

Don't forget, this guy is a high precision machinist and his processes are going to tend towards the extreme. His bare minimum standard in terms of tolerances is single digit ten thousandths. He often machines objects to within 30 to 50 MILLIONTHS of an inch. The jig was the essential part I wanted to share with you as it holds the most promise to making very close to same length pins consistently, which I think would be worth a lot. You could take it one step further and make a jig for your Dremel that holds the cutting disc perpendicular to the surface and then cut the pins by pushing the jig under the cutter, know what I mean?
You're welcome, my pleasure. That's one of my all time favorite youtube channels. There's something really calming about the way he talks and the technical detail he goes into is just fun to listen to, irrespective of the fact that I will NEVER work to such extreme levels of detail and precision. It's just nice to see that there are people who do.

 

[Hammer Down]

Maybe a device like one of these..

This one you could maybe mount your dremel in..?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BR...d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9kZXRhaWwp13NParams

Or this one holds an angle grinder.
https://www.amazon.com/Drealin-Grin...aWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

And finally this one is just a mini version of the larger cut off saws..
https://www.amazon.com/YaeTek-Bench...763&sprefix=mini+metal+cutoff,aps,145&sr=8-15

 

[Garcbomber]

Before having a lathe it was a vice and thin wheel dremel. File and high speed portable chuck drill to clean up and straighten the ends

 

[obessedwithrc]

I like the idea of making a jig for the Dremel. I also found this online as well: https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-55-amp-cut-off-saw-61204.html - not terribly expensive and seems like it would do the job.

 

[Diem Turner]

I like the idea of making a jig for the Dremel. I also found this online as well: https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-55-amp-cut-off-saw-61204.html - not terribly expensive and seems like it would do the job.

That should do nicely for that purpose.

 

[slick2500]

Most of the pins on these are small enough that if you didn't get the end exactly square or you were off by a little bit it won't really affect anything.

 

[LibertyMKiii]

Didnt know these tools existed. YEEEAAAAAAA more tools to buy