A question for PFM’s furniture restorers and upholsterers...

[Eugene]

Anyone recognise these spring-loaded metal pins and know where I can source a couple?

They’re from late-60s vintage dining chairs (made by Bath Cabinet Makers?) and hold the chair-backs in place, allowing them to pivot. Unfortunately, a couple gave up the ghost after I leant on them!

Google hasn’t helped so far – the nearest things I can find are plastic pins for louvre blinds, but they look way-too flimsy. I’ve also tried ringing a few local (Surrey) antique furniture places but drew a blank with that too. Fixing the backs in place is an option but as a last resort, as it'll probably require a bit of butchery to the chairs themselves - so any alternative suggestions welcomed.

 

[Vinny]

These, in countless versions, are used for many things, not just furniture. Whether you'll find a suitable replacment is another question entirely.
If you know the make of the furniture, maybe search by that?

At a push, they may be repairable - how have they failed?

 

[stevec67]

Can you make something in the workshop?

 

[Vinny]

Lots of plastic versions, lots of choice in the US - something here may give you a lead -

Spring Loaded Shutter Repair Pin - Pocket Door Pin-Hinge Pin H01102BR-A (dlawlesshardware.com)
0076 Spring Loaded Tooling Pins - TEST-X FIXTURE PRODUCTS (test-x.com)
Hillman 6-Pack 7/16-in Spring Loaded Bifold Closet Door Top Pivot Pins in the Bifold Closet Door Pivots department at Lowes.com
Prime-Line 7/16 in. Top Pivot with Spring-Loaded Metal Pin, Cox-N 6583 - The Home Depot
BAIN MARIE HOT PASS DOOR PIN GUIDE SPRING LOADED PARTS SERVERY COUNTER DOORS – CaterSparesUK
5/16" OD x 1-1/2" L Chrome Plated Brass Spring Loaded Guide Pin with Speed Nut (componenthardware.com)
Spring loaded plungers quick access fasteners locator pins hinge pins - Shenzhen Pemco Fastening Systems Co., Ltd. (H.K TAIHUA HOLDING LIMITED) (ecplaza.net)

 

[Eugene]

Thanks for the replies. They don't look repairable but then I'm completely useless at this type of diy - and fabricating something is out of the question for the same reasons of incompetence!

The links are much appreciated - plenty of new terms to search on so I'll hopefully find something of the right dimensions.

 

[Vinny]

An extra search term would be "dog" as a blind round pin to locate anything is known as a dog, although I did try that..................

Post a pic' of a failed one - I would bet that they are repairable..........................

 

[stevec67]

It won't be spring loaded so you will lose the ability to retract it, I imagine that this allows you to adjust the position of part of it, but if you were prepared to lose this a simple dowel would replace the clip shown. You can buy that and cut it to lemgth.

 

[Eugene]

It won't be spring loaded so you will lose the ability to retract it, I imagine that this allows you to adjust the position of part of it, but if you were prepared to lose this a simple dowel would replace the clip shown.

Yes, but probably the worse-case option as dowels will need some drilling out of the chair frames that I'm hoping to avoid (see above re: competence).

 

[Bart]

So how have they failed? They look like very sturdy sealed units, is there a spring inside that’s broken. Maybe somebody would offer to repair them with a bit more info.

 

[stevec67]

So how have they failed? They look like very sturdy sealed units, is there a spring inside that’s broken. Maybe somebody would offer to repair them with a bit more info.

That's a good point, a bit of WD40 and some wiggling might work out of they are just gummed up.

 

[Vinny]

Given that they failed when leant on, a broken spring seems very unlikely.

I suspect that the pin has "ripped" out of the body/spring-holder.

The belief is that they are around 50-60 years old, from when plastic widgets were as much confined to Christmas crackers as anything else, and metalworking was still very largely king.

 

[Eugene]

I suspect that the pin has "ripped" out of the body/spring-holder.

Absolutely that - you can just make out the top of the cylinder is distorted enough to not keep the pin in place.

Thanks for all the responses so far - if nothing else, it's having an effect on my Google searches and the ads I'm now getting served up!

 

[Vinny]

It is repirable, but how easily depends on size.

It has done very, very well to last with such a small flange on the sprung-loaded pin/dog - a reflection of how well it was designed and made. New, it probably cost nigh on exactly what a plastic one costs today - so maybe something like 10x the price today.

 

[Eugene]

Now excitedly Google searching for "press-fit spring plungers" - 2021 really exceeding expectations here...

 

[Bart]

I’m sure you’ve found some examples, there seem to be quite a few offering
e.g. https://www.rochehardware.com/spring-plungers/
there’s a similar one here.
I doubt you will find an exact fit though so some mod to the existing hole looks likely.