After I had made about 20 of these heavier ferrules I was having a lot of trouble getting the pin to go back in to make each bend. After a lot of looking and thinking I realized the problem was, the ferrules with the problem had a slight twist from end to end. The method I was using to decide when to stop the bend simply wasn't reliable. I went to all the local hardware stores looking for a larger tap handle with no success, I wonder how people actually use the larger taps they sell. Most did not even have the tap drills for the taps they had. Lowe's packages the drill with the tap. I really wanted something as simple as the tap handle but I didn't want to make something from scratch.
In the end I took a 1" C-clamp and modified it to securely clamp on the coils. It's small enough it only needs the first couple turns to grip the wound loops. I sawed a Vee and then filed it to a nice fit. It an be installed off alignment when you put it on but, if you align it and tighten it then it stays there.
I thought it might be a little short to be a good indicator but it works fine and now the coils wind as consistent as the 12 gauge ferrules and the pin goes in easily again.
I bent the handle to get it out of my way. It works fine this way since you need very little clamping force to hold it on.
All the ferrules for the wings and fuselage are done.
Now I need to straighten the lengths of wire for each brace wire and form the loop in each end.
I'd like to think the hard part is done.
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