[quote=ajbird74]Does anyone have experience of the Amati pinning tools and are they any good?

Been using the one that came with the free tool kit and have found it very sloppy. the tube seems too big for the supplied nails and the internal pin keeps falling out.

Amati do 2 versions but I do not want to waste more money if these are poor as well.

In the end used a pair of xuron tweezer nose pliers to insert my deck pins.

Hope you guys are getting on with your decks better than I did

AJB

Hi,
I purchased the cheaper of the two Amati pinning tools and have used it to pin the lower deck sections down.
The first point I would make is it is not very user friendly, the top section digs into the palm of your hand when inserting the pins, looks like you should hold it like a pen but then you cannot exert sufficient pressure to fully insert the pins.
Secondly I had to super glue the tube sections together as the sliding tube kept falling out of the handle, but having an engineering background this was not a problem.
I personally do not rate this tool and will in all probability purchase an alternative design from Cornwall Model Boats

I have never been a lover of the push pin tools, made a simple mistake once, by over exerting and severely damaged my model while talking to the kids, from there on, I always use pointy pliers, they work well as you can hold the pin close to the tip, and use minimal force to insert it, it works for me anyway.

I hope you find a solution that works for you.

Best wishes
David

I have big hands too mate, but mine are more clumsy than useful these days lol

I was wondering, maybee you could attach some double sided sticky tape to the rod that's inside, and maybee that might hold the nail in place long enough to position it???? worth a try hey.

I used the supplied pin-pusher for the first time today to attach the lower deck to the ribs. Can't say I had too many problems, aside from having to make sure that the rib was supported underneath when applying pressure to the tool.

Same with me the thing supplied in the "toolbox" is c**p! I have since got a proper one from CM and I dont have big mittes or am particulary heavy handed as the guys have said before. Seems to me to be the quality of the tool/pinpusher!

Suggest you steer clear of the Amati ones as mentioned earlier one.

Hi, its the 8175 pin pusher with the blue handle. Its solidly made and works well I have been using it for most of afternoon on the decks.

I havn't tried the 'pin pusher' as yet. And Im not sure I will.
There was another method described in another thread which said, drill the 2 holes where the pin is going, separately, insert the pin and join them with super glue.
Im doing that.
I have hands like shovels.
It also seems like the most accurate way.

I have been using the pin pusher supplied with the kit. I too have found it to be a bit sloppy. I did make a mistake and pushed too hard on one pin...the pin bent and the inner pin of the pusher went through the deck making a small hole.

I assume that the lower deck will be covered with planks or will not be seen...is that right?

I then found the best way was to make a small starter hole with a sharp point, stand the pin in the starter holder using tweezers and then use the pin pusher.

Some of the pins are slightly proud of the lower deck. I am not sure If I need to push them in more but I don't want to damage anything more than I have already!

"...I have never been a lover of the push pin tools, made a simple mistake once, by over exerting and severely damaged my model while talking to the kids...."

So stop talking to the kids!!