How to Pin

Standing humble like any appropriate tool.  It requires no praise nor reward.  It is ready whenever its need.

My favourite tool

Figured since I'm pinning Shawn's Jain-Zar I would make a "how to" post.

Metal figures tend to suffer from heavy parts glued to it.  These parts can break off which is never fun.  Decided to pin Shawn's Phoenix Lord in hopes he wouldn't experience that.

I still pin some plastic depending on the part I'm gluing on.  Of course plastic is much easier to pin than metal.

Best tip I have for pinning is when you're pinning and you don't know how far you've drilled into the object stop when it becomes really difficult.  For some reason in my experience when it becomes difficult to drill you're about to drill through the object.  If you don't stop then you'll have a hole through the entire piece. 

Can see here a red paper clip placed into her left shoulder.

It occurred to me.  A better way to show pinning.  Here her right wrist has a pin coming out of it.  This is glued in.  Metal/Plastic cutters/snips will cut off what I don't need.

Right wrist has a paper clip poking out of it.  This paper clip isn't glued.

Before pulling out the paper clip I mark the paper clip with a modelling knife.  For illustration purposes I marked the cut from the modelling knife with a tech pen.  This gives me a great idea how far the pin went into the adjoining piece.  This is useful in the next step.

Using the marking on the green paper clip we know where to cut on the red paper clip so it will fit into the piece being pinned.

Measure twice...

Using modelling cutters/snips to cut off part of the paper clip that won't be needed.

...cut once.

Other pinning tip.  Don't use the curved part of the paper clip.  Don't bother bending it so its straight.  Just cut that part out and toss it.  You'll save yourself stress if you do that.  Of course if you find a way to make that part useful for pinning please let me know.


slainte mhath