Pin Gage.....plus, minus whats the difference?

[scotties22]

I need a few pin gages (have money to buy a couple individual, but not for a set) to square up my shank ends. 90% of my mortises are 5/16. If I get the decimal equivilant should I get the size on either side as well? Also, what is the difference between a plus set and a minus set?

[wisemanpipes]

I didn't even know your could buy individuals. I would recommend a set (save up. I find my self sizing up pin gauges on the same mortise size frequently. I don't know what the difference is in plus/minus, except for the price.

Evan

[Tyler]

I need a few pin gages (have money to buy a couple individual, but not for a set) to square up my shank ends. 90% of my mortises are 5/16. If I get the decimal equivilant should I get the size on either side as well? Also, what is the difference between a plus set and a minus set?

It doesn't matter, plus or minus. If I'm not mistaken it means after the thousands place do you want it to be over sized or undersized. The are usually used for measuring ID. We're not doing that, so we don't care.

I too would recommend a set. A set should cost about $50. It's worth it for flexibility. If you are somehow constrained at the moment and can't stand it, I'd buy at least two sizes on either side, and maybe three. In the "area" of 5/16", I have unwrapped 16 pins. That means that while I might not have used them all, at one time I tried the fit on that many pins looking for just right. (And just right is the whole point of pin gauges, IMO-- you can flip a drill bit around if you are in a bind, which, incidentally, will show you the value of having a set.)

[andrew]

A really cheap way to do this is with individual reamers and reamer blanks. I am set for 1/4, 5/16, and 3/8. I used the reamer blanks because I can get them in more sizes and at the same or better price than pin gauges.

I do almost all my work with three reamers and three pin gauges (with the exception of those used for bamboo). The reamers are 1.5 to 2.5 thousandths undersized from my delrin. The reamer blanks, which typically come in more sizes and can be bought individually as opposed to sets, are sized 0.001" under the normal 1/4", 5/16", or 3/8". That way they are still larger than the reamer, but do not run the risk of stretching the mortise (and the delrin still fits snug).

The reamers will make a super clean mortise and have some other uses as well. Just make sure you drill at least a 1/32 under your final mortise size so you can take advantage of the clean mortise wall a reamer can give you. There is a chance you will need to modify the front/tip of the reamer profile when you get it so it will center nicely before it starts cutting.

Also, make sure you chuck up your reamer blank or pin gauge in a drill and round off the front edge so it's rounded and smooth. Otherwise you run the risk of carving out your mortise if you insert the pin/blank slightly off kilter.

[RadDavis]

A really cheap way to do this is with individual reamers and reamer blanks. I am set for 1/4, 5/16, and 3/8. I used the reamer blanks because I can get them in more sizes and at the same or better price than pin gauges.

I do almost all my work with three reamers and three pin gauges (with the exception of those used for bamboo). The reamers are 1.5 to 2.5 thousandths undersized from my delrin. The reamer blanks, which typically come in more sizes and can be bought individually as opposed to sets, are sized 0.001" under the normal 1/4", 5/16", or 3/8". That way they are still larger than the reamer, but do not run the risk of stretching the mortise (and the delrin still fits snug).

The reamers will make a super clean mortise and have some other uses as well. Just make sure you drill at least a 1/32 under your final mortise size so you can take advantage of the clean mortise wall a reamer can give you. There is a chance you will need to modify the front/tip of the reamer profile when you get it so it will center nicely before it starts cutting.

Also, make sure you chuck up your reamer blank or pin gauge in a drill and round off the front edge so it's rounded and smooth. Otherwise you run the risk of carving out your mortise if you insert the pin/blank slightly off kilter.

This sounds complicated. Mainly because I'm not sure what reamers are or what they do.

Rad

[andrew]

It's the unnecessary price I pay for not using my two jaw chuck anymore. It collects dust on my shop floor. Seriously Rad. Just try it, you'll like it . I swear on bodies of all the innocent stummels I ruined while learning .

[Alden]

Mainly because I'm not sure what reamers are or what they do.

Rad

Rad,
They ream things.
Hope this helps.

[BigCasino]

so basically instead of drilling out your mortise to 5/16 you would drill it to 9/32 stuff a reamer blank in to it that fits snug, face your shank and then ream your mortise to the 5/16

[LittleBill]

I'm not exactly sure what pin gauges do, so if someone would care to explain that I would appreciate it.

[wdteipen]

Pin gauges are a way to hold your pipe in your lathe by snuggly inserting them into the mortise (or even airway on stems) and chucking them in your headstock. You can spin them and to shank work like facing the shank, turning down the shank, turning down the shank for shank extensions and bands, etc.

Rad,

If you don't use Delrin, you don't need a reamer. Reamers are used because they are very precise and don't wander or chatter like drill bits. Guys that use Delrin will drill the mortise slightly undersized then finish the mortise with a reamer so the fit for the 5/16" Delrin is perfect. If you're a real pipemaker like you and I, you turn your tenon to the appropriate size and don't need to fuss with reamers.

Hope this helps.

Wayne

[andrew]

so basically instead of drilling out your mortise to 5/16 you would drill it to 9/32 stuff a reamer blank in to it that fits snug, face your shank and then ream your mortise to the 5/16

Blank goes in after reaming.

So:

1. Drill mortise undersized
2. Ream to final mortise size
3. Stick stummel on reamer blank for all your skank facing/outside work.

[LittleBill]

3. Stick stummel on reamer blank for all your skank facing/outside work.

I've come face to face with a few skanks in my life, but never done any work on them.

My apologies Andrew, I could not resist.

Wayne, thank you for your answer, and I will have to wait until I acquire a metal lathe before I can do real stems again. Right now I am committed to the delrin method.

[Nate]

To Rad, Reamers are used when a hole must be a precise dimension. You know how regular drills never drill the exact size, reamers correct this.

To Scottie, I have pin gauges from .062" to 1". Super useful and worth getting, at least in your mortise ranges. +/- doesn't matter for what we do. Go with the cheapest JTS Machinery on eBay is pretty competitive. Also CDCO is a good place to look.

[Growley]

I'll +1 the need for a pin gage set. If you just do a little searching on ebay or other sites, you'll find them fairly cheap. This way you know for certain you have the right size. When I first started pipe making, Tyler told me I had to get a set. I put it off thinking I could work around it, but man...they are sure handy to have. In retrospect, I should have gotten a set much earlier.

I'd imagine with Christmas right around the corner, you'll find free shipping and 20% off deals out there that will make it worth your while.

Get your husband to sell 5 of his stogies and get a set!

[wdteipen]

Wayne, thank you for your answer, and I will have to wait until I acquire a metal lathe before I can do real stems again. Right now I am committed to the delrin method.

I don't have a metal lathe.

[scotties22]

Wayne, thank you for your answer, and I will have to wait until I acquire a metal lathe before I can do real stems again. Right now I am committed to the delrin method.

I don't have a metal lathe.

Neither do I. Mr. Sasafrass doesn't have one either. Just go slow, you WILL mess up the first few (I did ) but once you get the hang of it it's not that bad to turn tenons on a wood lathe.

I say that as I plan to start restoring a metal lathe this weekend....just for stem work

[pipedreamer]

to Scottie, Nate gave you good advice, I find I'm using them more and more everyday.Polishing rings, facing stuff I messed up,You will find them very useful.
If your husband is smoking real good cigars he will only have to part with two.

[LittleBill]

I don't have a metal lathe.

Neither do I. Mr. Sasafrass doesn't have one either. Just go slow, you WILL mess up the first few (I did ) but once you get the hang of it it's not that bad to turn tenons on a wood lathe.

I say that as I plan to start restoring a metal lathe this weekend....just for stem work

But...but...but...

I thought everyone had one but me! Seriously, I thought tenon work on these things had to be so tight that a metal lathe was a requirement. I've turned more tenons than I care to think about on my wood lathe, but the tolerances have always been relatively loose - relative to what I thought pipe tenons would need. Besides, with a few exceptions, wood is free, or nearly so. I hate messing up stuff I had to actually pay for.

[scotties22]

You're gonna mess up rodstock on one end or the other starting out. You might as well try to cut your own tenons. And if you mess up and go too small you can either set the piece aside for a pipe with a smaller tenon ( I have a few of these) or cut the tenon off and start over (doing this may cause your stem to be short if you cut your rod to length before you drilled it (I have a few of these too).

Thanks guys. My impatience comes from having three pipes I would like to finish that need to be squared with the mortise. Yes, I know I can do it by hand. But it takes forever and I always screw it up. I'll just set them aside for now and add a set of pin gages to my Christmas list.

[wdteipen]

You'll waste less material if you cut your tenon thick then use the last 1/8" to get the diameter just right. If you test that 1/8" and it's still too big then cut the rest of the tenon the same diameter and repeat until you have it real close but ever so slightly too tight then sand. That's how I do it so I don't waste a bunch of expensive rod stock.