metalworking Metalworking is the process of shaping and reshaping metals to create useful objects, parts, assemblies, and large scale structures. As a term it covers a wide and diverse range of processes, skills, and tools for producing objects on every scale ...

, a drift pin, drift pin punch, simply drift, is the name for a

tool A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates b ...

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 Punch commonly refers to: * Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist * Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice Punch may also refer to: Places * Pu ...

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 A fastener (US English) or fastening (UK English) is a hardware device that mechanically joins or affixes two or more objects together. In general, fasteners are used to create non-permanent joints; that is, joints that can be removed or disman ...

. This technique is especially useful for aligning fastener holes in

structural steel Structural steel is a category of steel used for making construction materials in a variety of shapes. Many structural steel shapes take the form of an elongated beam having a profile of a specific cross section. Structural steel shapes, si ...

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 A wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects—usually rotary fasteners, such as nuts and bolts—or keep them from turning. In the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zeala ...

used for assembling

truss A truss is an assembly of ''members'' such as beams, connected by ''nodes'', that creates a rigid structure. In engineering, a truss is a structure that "consists of two-force members only, where the members are organized so that the assembl ...

es,

beams, and steel pipe

flanges A flange is a protruded ridge, lip or rim (wheel), rim, either external or internal, that serves to increase shear strength, strength (as the flange of an iron beam (structure), beam such as an I-beam or a T-beam); for easy attachment/transfer of ...

. A spud wrench is seldom hammered to set the pin in the two holes.

References

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See also

References