FOR ALL THE DO-IT-YOURSELF GUNSMITHS HERE

[DWalt]

I do have a lathe and generally turn pins out of whatever rod stock is available. Grade 8 bolt shafts (unthreaded area) work very well for making pins. I have always kept a set of 6" long bolts in 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8" diameters in my range tool box. They have come in handy numerous times.

 

[chief38]

BTW, just used a very small piece of Drill Rod about 1/2 hour ago. I bought an Invicta Pro Diver (knock around watch) and had to punch out a few pins to adjust the band. None of my real punches were small enough. The Drill Rod always comes in handy!

I have been searching around for an assortment of sizes (a set if you will) but can't find one any more. I used to buy 6" length in a set and now see individual 36" length only. I suppose I will now only buy what I commonly use but it was damned convenient to always have a great assortment of sizes on hand.

 

[CalifEd]

eBay and Amazon are nice but the Grainger, McMaster, MSC and ULINE catalogs are like the old time Sears Catalog.
Online is fine, but having a 3 1/2 inch real book is awesome for some reason.
Lots of stuff I want but don't really have a need for.

 

[oldbrownhat]

...Lots of stuff I want but don't really have a need for.

Story of my life.

 

[Green Frog]

Funny story. Thirty years ago, my old shop teacher buddy went into a “hardware store” and asked for some drill rod and after h explained to the HS drop out what it was, the doofus proudly announced, “Oh, you don’t need to use that, we sell our drills sharp and ready to use!”
Froggie

 

[oldbrownhat]

Funny story. Thirty years ago, my old shop teacher buddy went into a “hardware store” and asked for some drill rod and after h explained to the HS drop out what it was, the doofus proudly announced, “Oh, you don’t need to use that, we sell our drills sharp and ready to use!”
Froggie

Alas, the day of the REAL hardware store has passed The only one I know of around here is Hardware Sales in Bellingham, WA, family-run for 60 years. The grand-daughter of the founders has just finished her B.Comm. at the loacl university and is now part of the team

Even they don't have drill rod, though. (I asked last week after reading this thread.) But they do have lots of other arcane goodies, like LH-thread fasteners and taps & dies and a huge selection of hand tools and a cable shop that can make up wire rope slings to 1 1/4" dia. Oh- and knowledgeable staff!

One of my favourite stories was told to me by a cashier last fall. "Before I started working here, I came in for some picture hooks. 45 minutes later I had spent $235, and I never did get my picture hooks."

A small sample:

 

[chief38]

Yup - the only way my search turned up anything was in 36" lengths and in individual sizes. Since I literally own thousands of dill bits in letter, number and fractional sizes. it may just pay to sacrifice a drill bit or two (for its shaft) for any size's I run out of in the future.

 

[BC38]

Grainger sells "drill bit blank sets" with 29 pieces from 1/16" - 1/2".
They aren't cheap though - about $195 a set.