Definition and Purpose of Drift Pin
– Tool used for localizing a hammer blow
– Concentrates force into a smaller area
– Protects surrounding surfaces from hammer blow
– Not used as a punch in the traditional sense
– Constructed from various materials such as wood, alloys, copper, or steel
Applications of Drift Pin
– Removes dents from inaccessible places
– Strikes pins and keys out
– Aligns bolt holes in separate components for easy insertion of fasteners
– Useful for aligning fastener holes in structural steel members
– Tapered drift pin used in conjunction with a spud wrench for assembling trusses, steel beams, and pipe flanges
Construction of Drift Pin
– Drifts are usually rods cut to size for the job
– Can be constructed from wood, light alloys, copper, or steel
– Tapered drift pins are commonly used for alignment purposes
– Drift pin is smaller in diameter than the hammer face
– Various sizes and shapes of drift pins available for different applications
Proper Usage of Drift Pin
– Force should never be applied to the tip of drift pin
– Hammer is used on the larger end of a tapered drift pin
– Drift pin is driven into bolt holes to force them into true alignment
– Drift pin is removed after fastener insertion
– Spud wrench is commonly used with a tapered drift pin for alignment purposes
Safety and Considerations
– Use appropriate eye protection when using a drift pin
– Ensure proper training and knowledge of how to use a drift pin correctly
– Use caution to prevent injury to oneself or damage to surrounding surfaces
– Regularly inspect drift pins for any signs of wear or damage
– Store drift pins in a safe and organized manner to prevent accidents. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drift_pin
In metalworking, a drift pin, drift pin punch, simply drift, is the name for a tool used for localizing a hammer blow. A drift is smaller in diameter than the hammer face, thus concentrating the force into a smaller area. A drift is also used where the surrounding surfaces need to be protected from the hammer blow.
A drift is not used as a punch in the traditional sense of the term. Unlike most punches, force should never be applied to the tip of drift pin.
Drifts are constructed from wood, light alloys, copper, or steel which are usually rods cut to size as for the job.
Drifts can be used to remove dents from inaccessible places, for striking pins and keys out.
Some drift pins are constructed with a taper, with the hammer acting on the large end of the taper. The tapered drift pin is used to align the two bolt holes in two separate components that are designed to mate. First the two components are maneuvered until the holes in each are in semi-alignment, such that the narrow end of the tapered drift pin can be inserted through the two holes. The pin is then driven into the two holes forcing them into true alignment, allowing for easy insertion of the fastener. This technique is especially useful for aligning fastener holes in structural steel members, which always have multiple holes, such that when one pair of mating holes comes into alignment, the others in the set are aligned, allowing a fastener, usually a bolt, to be inserted, before the drift pin is removed. In this situation the tapered drift pin is on the handle end of a spud wrench used for assembling trusses, structural steel beams, and steel pipe flanges. A spud wrench is seldom hammered to set the pin in the two holes.