How to make a pin lance

[Thorbrand]

I'm sure we all have weird and wonderful things we use which are non-conventional, one of the tools I use is a pin lance for scratching away all sorts of things in hard to reach places, also useful for recessing panel lines which may be filled up with paint or scoring and scratching.

As model makers we use toothpicks all the time but despite their usefulness sometimes you need something with a stronger and finer point. Dress making pins are a good idea but they lack the necessary length to be used dexterously.
By combining the toothpick and dress making pin, we can make a lance that is easier to handle and has a sharper and stronger tip than a toothpick.

This tutorial shows you step by step how to make a pin lance with stuff that is easily available.

You will need the following materials.

1 x Toothpick
1 x Dress making pin
1 x Plastic cotton bud (Q-tip)
1 x Craft knife

Step 1

Cut one of the sharp ends off the toothpick

Step 2

Cut off a small section from the cotton bud, about 15mm in length.

Step 3

Cut a small nick into the toothpick about 15mm in from the tip. First cut down then cut across at a 45-degree angle so you end up with something like this.

Step 4

Offer the pin up to the toothpick and ensure the round end fits into the nick.

Step 5

Now take the small section of cotton bud and place it over the pin and the toothpick to create a sheath.

Step 6

Whilst holding the round end of the pin into the nick of the toothpick, push down the plastic sheath until it rests up against the exposed end of the rounded end of the pin.

Step 7

Finally press the completed tool down to ensure the pin does not move, the combination of the sheath and the nick should hold it tightly in place. If you like you can paint the end of the tool to make it easier to find in future. The finished result should look something like this

So there you go, that's how to make a pin lance.
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[Fenlander]

Great idea and very well described and illustrated. Thanks for that.

 

[Gern]

I made something similar using an old paintbrush. Cut the bristles away from a small brush - say a size 0 or similar. Use a pin drill to drill out the rest of the bristles from inside the ferrule. Cut the head off a dressmaking pin and glue it into the hole in the end of the brush using CA or epoxy.

I also made a CA applicator by cutting the head from a sewing needle - leaving a small U-shape - and fixing it into a paint brush handle the same as above.

 

[Awins]

A good idea indeed. Also just for information to other members you can get Engineers scribers used for marking out metal. These are sharp pointed tools used to mark on metal (like an engineers pencil if you like!) They are available with one end bent at 90 degrees as well for awkward to reach areas. You can also get them with a flat bladed end too. These can be very useful to us model makers.
Cheers Alan

 

[Builder]

Thanks for that great way to make a cheap pin vice.

 

[Thorbrand]

A good idea indeed. Also just for information to other members you can get Engineers scribers used for marking out metal. These are sharp pointed tools used to mark on metal (like an engineers pencil if you like!) They are available with one end bent at 90 degrees as well for awkward to reach areas. You can also get them with a flat bladed end too. These can be very useful to us model makers.
Cheers Alan

Thanks, I never knew you could buy these and now I know what they are called I'm probably going to buy one . They look very similar to what your dentist might use although I imagine not made out of medical grade steel and probably a fraction of the price

 

[Polux]

That's a great and simple idea!! Thanks for sharing