How to Add Springs to Parallel Pliers

Intro: How to Add Springs to Parallel Pliers

Don't you just love pliers that spring back open for you? I will be taking these vintage parallel pliers that were not designed to have a spring back feature & adding that to their repertoire.

STEP 1: Drill Your Holes

First thing to do is drill some holes in the handles of the pliers. I like to drill the hole straight down. Then go back & drill it out more on an angle so that the wire can be inserted at a nicer angle. You will need to drill the hole slightly larger than the diameter of your wire. about 20% should be good. I used 1mm wire, so my holes were drilled with a 1.2mm drill bit. The thickeryour wire is the stiffer your spring will be.

STEP 2: Make Your Springs

Take the wire & wrap it around the mandrel to form a loop with 2 arms extending out. You need to be careful here as this kind of wire is already springy, it can snap back at you if not paying attention. Lay the springs over your pliers & locate where to bend the arms. You should bend where the arm & the holes line up. I make 2 bends at approx 30 degrees each on both arms, so the arms have an offset. Fit the spring into the pliers. ( I use the needle nose pliers for this)

STEP 3: Add Heat Shrink Tubing (+ Optional Tape)

Adding the heat shrink tubing will help keep the springs into the pliers. I like to slide the tubes onto the handles, then open the pliers as wide as they will go & clamp them in the vise. Then heat up & shrink down those tubes. The heat gun is the right tool for the job but a lighter works in a pinch as well. The extra grip tape is nice but this kind can get sticky or dry out over time depending on use. I really like the heat shrink tubing to act as a barrier to keep the metal handles clean as well.

Comments

[ricardo.bachman]

Fácil. .. sencillo y sobretodo muy útil
GRACIAS

[jeff.verive]

Great idea! I have been using several fingers instead of springs, and it gets tiring after awhile.

[Wonderful33]

I hope you didn’t throw the fingers away after they stopped working. They can be used for other projects in the future. 😋

[silvertinkerer]

Yeah, total loss. Had to replace them for robotic ones. Which is why I needed the springs on the pliers. Otherwise it will wear out the robotics too quickly. LOL

[silvertinkerer]

yeah me too. I work with these all day & it gets to be too much. The springs help out a lot.

[charlessenf-gm]

Malin Company requires a $125 Min Purchase (before Shipping) and their top four distributors want way more that a new set of sprung parallel jaw pliers will cost US on Amazon: "Chain-Nose Parallel Pliers with Spring, 5-1/2 inch Long, Smooth Jaws: Apply Even Pressure Every time. Jewelry Making and Repair Tool $18.93" You can purchase a 1/4 pound for about eight dollars From McMaster - if you purchase a carton of six and pay to have a couple pound (6* .25# + Packaging) package delivered to your home.
Music Wire - 0.039" Grainger $15 Plus S&H
Amazon Music Wire, Type 302 SS, 17, 0.039 In Brand: Precision Brand 1# $57.55 + $4.99 delivery March 22 - 25.

[silvertinkerer]

Malin Company was just what was on the box, sorry. I was able to pick up this 1/4lb box from a company online. I ordered it when I was getting something else for a customers job. I think it was about $18.00 for the 1/4lb, & shipping did not change from when I was going to only order customers item. Ground for about $9.00 I think. I am sorry to hear you are having a hard time getting material.

[privatier]

Many of these pliers are made of very tough steel. What kind of drills do you use for the small holes? How many do you break while drilling?

[silvertinkerer]

I am a jeweler, I used drill bits I have for my flex shaft with a 3/32" shank. I think they are tungsten vanadium steel twist drill bits. I broke 1 worn out bit fairly early into drilling & did the rest with a new one. I get them in packs of 6.

[NirL]

Nice! I love it:) I never used heat-shrink before, does it hold the spring well? Will it last for a while?
Thanks for sharing!

[silvertinkerer]

Paired with the spring being in the hole, yes it does well in holding the spring in. It lasts fairly well. Pliers that I have had just the heat shrink on for grips going strong for 3 years now. With the movement of the spring it I don't know how long it will last.

[polosandoval]

You could cut two shorter pieces of the tube and shrink those onto the spring first, then the longer pieces over the whole handle. Either way, very nice project!

[Makerneer]

Thanks for sharing, never thought of this, no more trying to be double jointed when one handed pliering!

[silvertinkerer]

Thank you. That is the very reason why I wanted to add the springs on.