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Step 6: Testing it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Step 7: Shaping It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Step 8: Finishing it off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Step 9: Final thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. A freshly made needle will look a bit bright. 2. But after a couple days and some handling it will oxidize back to a nice brass color.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. A cutting disc 2. Sand paper wheel 3. 6mm brass rod 4. A finishing disc 5. A drill bit ( 3.2 mm here, should have been 3.3 but that'll do) 6. A pair of assorted 4x0.70 taps.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Step 3: Clean it up
I tried a different technique for cutting the rod while taking these pictures... It ended up ugly. If this happens to you, just run one of the ends ( the threading one ) on a bench grinder to clean it up. Don't worry about the other end, you'll be shaping it later.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. Lower the bit between the vise jaws without bending it in any direction. THE PRESS IS OFF FOR ALL THESE STEPS !
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. Fix the vise once you get it in the right place 2. After fixing the vise , open the chunk, and slowly let your press get back up.
Image Notes 1. Then put your working piece in the chunk, tighten accordingly and...
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. The taper and plug taps. Both read 4X0.70 mm
Image Notes 1. Begin with slight vertical pressure. Then, let the tool do it's job. Don't forget to back up 1/4 turn every turn to clean everything. Also empty the hole between 2 consecuttive taps. 2. Brass is soft, use a cloth around it so you do'nt damage the sides. Don't do anything this kind near rotary tools though !
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Step 6: Testing it
At this point, test if the thread is correct for the intended use. Pick a length of paracord, and melt one of the ends if not already done. Any shape that tightly fits inside the needle should work, from the leather working trade, most people recommend you cut your cord to a 45 angle to ease the setup. Then just screw the end of your cord in the needle as far as it will go whitout requiring excessive force. Your cord should now be trapped safely in the needle, and not come out whitout a significant amount of force being applied. I've found that the melted plastic ball at the end of the cords just perfectly adapts itself into a neat thread to follow the one on the needle. Should you find the grip too loose at this point, just try making it all again with a smaller diameter hole. If you followed the sizes I used, it should hold perfectly strong on regular paracord.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. At this point you might want to test the fit with some paracord before goint any further. I must admit I was quite surprised to see how well this holds.
Step 7: Shaping It
If you're satisfied with the grip of the needle on the intended material, proceed to shaping it's head. I initially planned on sticking it inside my dremel tool, and running It against a grinder wheel to get a smooth perfectly round shape. But I didn't have the proper dremel chunk at the moment. So I just stuck the piece in the drill press again, this time threaded end up, ran it, and worked the needle head with grinding bits on my dremel. If you have a set of small flat files, they might be more appropriate for this step than the Dremel tool. It would probably be easier to shape the tip evenly with filesthan with a thin cutting disc. Please note this is not actually the intended use of the drill press,which is not meant to support side pression, so dont use too much force when working this way, just in case. This part is up to you, make the head the shape the way you like it. Just remember to keep the point a bit rounded, so it doesn't pierce your cord when you're working with it. Unless of course this is the feature you're looking for for any particular application. When finished, I got the needle out of the press, put it back in reverse, and also clean shaped the thread end of it, just to get off this "cut from stock brass rod" look. This is just a matter of putting a small angle on this end. It also helps when pulling the neede out of your ropework after a mistake.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. In the press again, for some shaping. This time the threaded end is up.
Image Notes 1. Work the head the shape you want it. Grinding bits might be more appropriate, but I only had a cutting disk at hand. Just go slow and gently.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. ...untill the desired shape is achieved. Don't forget to round the tip.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. While we're at it, also taper the edge on the threaded end of the needle.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. For finishing work, use your rough tools first, then move on with finer and finer ones.
Image Notes 1. The rough 1st pass form the sanding wheel
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. The picture doesn't do it justice, but this is smooth to touch after the 2nd pass
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Image Notes 1. Getting expert kitty approval for any string related stuff is a must.
Image Notes 1. The expert enjoyed it so much , she grabbed the whole thing and ran away with it. Ffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuu.....
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Comments
20 comments Add Comment
Lextone says:
Jan 23, 2012. 6:40 PM REPLY Great Ible. Gotta try that technique for drilling rod....but its not a good Idea to use a bench grinder for Brass (or aluminum, wood or any malleable metals for that matter). Being soft it will clog the pores on the face of the wheel. This can cause over heating and the wheel can have a catastrophic failure causing injury. You can however use a file and your drill press to form the tip just as you would do on a lathe. Just be sure to use a wooden handle....or you may wind up in the emergency room. (The pic below is a friend of mine who didnt do that) Be careful and apply common sense!
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
Lextone says:
Jan 26, 2012. 12:25 PM REPLY Luckily no. It mostly went through the fatty tissue of his hand. No nerve or muscle injury. His First Aid training kicked in when it happened and he fought his initial reaction to pull it out. Having it removed at the Hospital more than likely saved him from any further damage. In this pic he is all jacked up on pain killers in the Hospital waiting on the Doctor to come.
Jan 26, 2012. 3:30 PM REPLY Wow. such a lucky guy and lucky he knew first aid. i know from mine that if he pulled it out it would be much much worse. Everytime i look at the picture im feeling a massive throb in my hand.
MadBricoleur says:
Wowow, that is a great idea for center drilling small diameter rods. I'd have never thought of that. Thanks so much!!
solomonhorses says:
AWESOME! I love the upside down drill bit trick! Keep up the good work!
Robotic_mage says:
Aug 21, 2011. 2:05 PM REPLY Great Instructable. I but knitting needles, which are hollow aluminum, cut to size, then just a quick threading with a tap. I can usually find a pair of needles for $0.50. Paul
aristide202 says:
you'are great !
Aaronius says:
Brilliant!
micraman says:
Oct 8, 2011. 3:48 AM REPLY Great stuff! shoulda made one of these ages ago :D I was thinking, since I don't have a drill press, maybe i'll get a brass tube and tap both ends. One end for the paracord, the other for the tip. For the the tip I'll just shape it somehow (with lots of elbow grease!) and then put it in a die to make a threaded end. This would allow me to change tips too! Whadya think?
tech_monkee says:
I love this instructable. on a side note for some that might want a thinner needle:
a few years ago i bought some "portable" stainless steel chopsticks online for like $5.00 usd shipped. these chopsticks unscrew from each other. the pointed end being the part where the paracord would screw into. i used these to make a few cases for my phone and it was very easy to thread with. that said - i will be making some of those fatter diameter ones to have more options :) thanks for the instructable.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/
zazenergy says:
Great instructable, very thorough instructions. Thanks!
rimar2000 says:
Very interesting. I like specially the step 4.
mblack3 says:
Excellent! I have wanted to do this for a while and your instructable helped immensely!
diyoutdoorsman says:
Aug 22, 2011. 9:13 AM REPLY Your needle is also called a fid. You can find them in various hardware stores and boating/maritime suppliers. I noticed a couple of different sized plastic ones in my local hardware store the other day.
richie_114 says:
Read yours right after posting mine, Man.. I hate reposting something someone else said.... Sorry!
richie_114 says:
Aug 22, 2011. 4:30 PM REPLY Ohhhh.... I was trying to figure out what a "permalock needle" was, I think I remember them being referred to as a "fid" basically a hollow needle you weave ropes with (not just hollow braid either) Aug 22, 2011. 9:23 AM REPLY
CementTruck says:
Really good idea! Great follow through.
I was struggling with an idea on how to make my own Permalok needle a few months ago. I dug through my Box-O-Stuff where I toss things that might come in handy in the future and came across some proprietary IBM cable male/female gender benders. They had stainless steel screws that held 2 cables together. I cut the thumbscrew off the female screw and sharpened the tip. it works fine, but is a little short. I like your idea much better. Kudos.
craftydan says:
Nicely done -- a thorough instructable with a few good fabbing tricks.
There is a (IMO) simpler procedure over at KHWW (but when was simpler better for a weekend project?). Involves small gauge copper tubing, a self tapping screw, a hammer and some finishing supplies. It's little less machine intense, but I've got a feeling yours is a bit sturdier.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-your-own-permalok-needles/