red pins for use on holding balsa to plans.

[chip]

HELLO

I keep seeing these red pins that are used by various builders instead of standard t pins.. does anybody know where to find these pins?

thanks
chip

 

[AIRFORGE]

HELLO

I keep seeing these red pins that are used by various builders instead of standard t pins.. does anybody know where to find these pins?

thanks
chip

Can you provide a more detailed description, or a photo?

 

[LitterBug]

Are you talking "red map pins" like these?

 

[Flying Monkey fab]

I know the ones you are talking about and my googling seems to say they are a European thing. T headed pins are common though and can be picked up at any sewing shop.

 

[Merv]

...does anybody know where to find these pins?...

If you are looking for Push Pins, these come from Walmart.
But I'm sure others carry them as well. They are far easier on the fingers to push into tough places.

 

[Merv]

Here is another solution, a 3D printed T pin pusher. I have a store bought version that works well.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6933613/files

 

[bisco]

i think chip forgot his post, or found his pins

 

[Bricks]

I know I will never use the plastic headed pins since the time I was pushing one in and the plastic head broke shoving the pin into my thumb, T pins exclusively for me.

 

[bisco]

ouch!

 

[Tench745]

I know I will never use the plastic headed pins since the time I was pushing one in and the plastic head broke shoving the pin into my thumb, T pins exclusively for me.

Been there done that. The upside to plastic-headed pins is that they're available in smaller diameters so you can pin through the balsa with less damage.

 

[Bricks]

LOL that may be true but the hole in my thumb is harder to repair then an indentation in a peace of balsa.

 

[LitterBug]

The T-pins I have are too phat for my liking and they came from a hobby store when you could still get balsa plane kits easily. They tend to split thin/fine parts. Maybe I am doing it wrong.....??? !!!

 

[bisco]

a craft/sewing store/website should have fine round headed pins: dressmakers-fine-silk-pins-with-glass

 

[Piotrsko]

Same fabric place should have extra large headed pins also. Us boomers are getting old and fumble fingered. Too many of us to ignore

 

[Bricks]

The T-pins I have are too phat for my liking and they came from a hobby store when you could still get balsa plane kits easily. They tend to split thin/fine parts. Maybe I am doing it wrong.....??? !!!

I have some very thin T pins had them so long I do not remember were I got them but I know they are out there, are they as thin as some of the push pins not quite.

Just an example https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHVQ981K/?tag=lstir-20

 

[Tench745]

I started using scrap balsa to pin down as a clamp rather than pinning through the actual airplane part. Either that or angling the pins so they hold the part down without pinning through it, like in this drawing I found.

 

[Brian B]

I never thought I'd use the words "ACUPUNCTURE " and "Model Airplanes" in the same sentence, but I'm loving these pins! Oh yeah, that's right, we probably shouldn't call them acupuncture pins, since they're actually "3D printer nozzle cleaning pins" 😉. Very cheap on Amazon. Tee pins have their use, but these are so thin you can thrust right through small balsa sticks without splitting.