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Making darts

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mark stephens25/11/2011 23:57:22
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Hello , i am a keen dart player with a desire to make my own darts however i have no idea where to start and ended up here looking for advise .
 
Could anyone tell me what kind of lathe i will need ? Is this the kind of thing i could do as a project wit no experience ?
 
Is there anyone out there who has made a set of darts and would consider teaching me ? Or advise on training courses, I am based in the west midlands and would gladly pay a fee to anyone willing to help , thanks in advance ,
 
Mark Stephens
Michael Gilligan26/11/2011 00:06:28
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23121 forum posts
1360 photos
Mark,

I am no expert on darts, but they look like a very straightforward piece of turning ... and making a matched set will be a good exercise.

As for the lathe; nothing very special is required, except that it will be MUCH easier if you can hold the job in a collet chuck.

MichaelG.
Springbok26/11/2011 01:57:05
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879 forum posts
34 photos

Hi Mark

On the surface they look very simple items to make but the tips are usually these days a high grade steel or titanium and a press fit into the barrel. Making the slots for the flights could be interesting as they obviously must not fall of when you throw the dart at the board.

All in all I would recommend you go to a specialist shop and purchase a balanced set. Please by all means purchase your lathe but if that is all you are intending to make I would advise you approach your local model society and there will be someone local to you with a lathe whom I am sure would be willing to help you. And you never know you may get hooked on another hobby….
I am sure that if you let us know what part of the country you are in (the West Midlands covers a lot of Cities and towns)  someone in this forum will point you in the correct direction.

Well good luck whatever way you decide and if you do make them please post the results

 

Bob

Edited By Springbok on 26/11/2011 02:03:52

alan frost26/11/2011 02:23:47
137 forum posts
3 photos
Mark, Got a feeling there are websites detailing guys who've made their own darts, the sort of guys who can put three in any bed from 12 feet. The materials are difficult to work and you'd ideally have to cut an internal thread, tricky but not that difficult ,in the barrel to screw the flights on. You could always use a tap for this, in fact thinking of the diameter ,you'd probably have to.
. You don't have to use titanium and you'd learn knurling and a lot of turning skills. A minilathe or maybe even a microlathe would do the job (if you go for one a minilathe would be the better choice as the bigger you get the more other useful things you can do on it. but beware-I don't play golf anymore because I find machining much more interesting-you might end up not playing.)
 
In theory you'd need a v.good lathe to really accurately match the darts but do you need them that accurately matched ? -Bristow used to be pretty good well before darts went hi-tech. and hi-tech clubs never did that much for my or anybody else's golf. Its the singer not the song.
 
Learning machining is not that difficult especially if you are pretty practical. There's a guy on another forum I use who bought his first lathe six months ago, dived in and got on with it, asked us a lot of questions-and I would say he's pretty good now ,and giving good answers to other new guy's questions.Nearly every one is this hobby is unusually helpful.
 
Try Googling " Darts DIY" that might find you something.
 
alan frost26/11/2011 02:45:55
137 forum posts
3 photos
There you go-have a read of this
 
Harder than you would think reading this lot-but you'll probably find something better and more encouraging. I like the depleted Uranium idea-you could make some really slim ones.
 
I don't think the other guys thought the DU suggestion was serious. I don't see why not. Most people don't realise its not radioactive, well not enuff to worry about-, its just very heavy.A weapons outfit that sold weapons guaranteed to kill your own soldiers handling it would n't sell a lot.  Also if you announced loudly your darts were DU (even if you end up using brass) you might find your opponents dart arm got a bit wobbly and you could do well.

Edited By alan frost on 26/11/2011 02:51:43

ady26/11/2011 04:02:51
612 forum posts
50 photos
Some of the systems for a dart are "standard"
 
I recall reading a million years ago that the thread for the rear to screw into the head was a 6BA or something like that.
It was definitely a BA thread, and it was mentioned in the article because the tradition had survived metrification.
 
If you pursue your query I bet you'll find the subject pretty fascinating in itself.
ady26/11/2011 04:06:56
612 forum posts
50 photos
DU suggestion was serious
 
The problem would be the swarf/cutting
While a solid bit of DU is regarded as safe if you made some DU swarf and DU dust then sprinkled it onto the White House lawn or threw it around the vicinity of 10 Downing Street you'd find yourself being arrested as a terrorist.
 
It's very bad news for lungs.
 
Terryd26/11/2011 07:44:44
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1946 forum posts
179 photos
 
Posted by ady on 26/11/2011 04:02:51:
Some of the systems for a dart are "standard"
 
I recall reading a million years ago that the thread for the rear to screw into the head was a 6BA or something like that.
It was definitely a BA thread, and it was mentioned in the article because the tradition had survived metrification........................

Hi Ady,

I think that you will find 6BA a bit small for darts at 2.8mm dia. The thread used for dart shafts is 2BA at 6mm dia. By the way the British Association thread system is based on metric standards not imperial and is a product of the proposal to adopt the metric system in Britain.  The British Government had ratified the decision to become metric in the 1880s or thereabouts after 20 years of prevarication and the BA looked to Swiss practice for guidance.
 
It is completely irrelevant and insignificant, but interesting to note that the Florin (or two shilling piece) was introduced in the 1840s as a move towards the decimalisation - not metrication - of our currency. Typical of Britain that it took another 130 years to complete the process. Give us another hundred or so years and your great grandchildren may be able to undertake proper apprenticeships again now the government has made the decision to encourage them .
 
Regards
 
ElTel

Edited By Terryd on 26/11/2011 07:54:34

Tel26/11/2011 08:20:10
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157 forum posts
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'ang on there a minute Other Tel - ain't 6mm 0BA?
 
Michael Gilligan26/11/2011 08:29:29
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23121 forum posts
1360 photos
Tel,

Indeed it is; at least in terms of Diameter and Pitch.
... the Angle and Rounding of the Thread Form is different.

MichaelG.
Michael Gilligan26/11/2011 08:47:13
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23121 forum posts
1360 photos
Guess what ?

There are [have been] at least two standards for the threads on dart flights.

http://www.a180.co.uk/shop/search.php?xSearch=shaft+thread&submit=Search



MichaelG.
Michael Gilligan26/11/2011 09:15:22
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23121 forum posts
1360 photos
... And they both turn out to be "obsolete" threads.

1/4 BSF and 0BA

http://www.reddragondarts.com/sec/126/1-4-BSF-Bubble-Shafts-4-00/

MichaelG.

[corrected below]

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 26/11/2011 09:24:31

Michael Gilligan26/11/2011 09:18:13
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23121 forum posts
1360 photos
Oops, sorry

That should read
1/4" BSF and 2BA

MichaelG.
Tel26/11/2011 09:59:20
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157 forum posts
28 photos
 Neither of 'em will be obsolete while I can still become upright!
Roderick Jenkins26/11/2011 11:47:19
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2376 forum posts
800 photos
Most darts these days are made form "heavy metal" which is tungsten mixed with iron + nickel or copper. These materials (they are not really alloys) have a density (s.g.) of 17-18 and are not difficult to machine. Depleted Uranium has density of about 19 and the clue is in the name, it is uranium with the radio-active isotope removed. Whilst not being very radioactive is still toxic like most heavy metals and is quite chemically reactive so it will readily dissolve in the body and create mischief. Tungsten is very un-reactive so does not have a problem with toxicity. Steels have density of about 8 and brass not much better at 8.5, so heavy metal is the stuff to use. Getting hold of it in small quantities is the difficult bit, as I have found whilst trying to source it for balance weights for i.c. engines. I have contemplated buying some darts as a source of raw material.
 
cheers,
 
Rod
alan frost26/11/2011 12:33:42
137 forum posts
3 photos
Looks like DU's out then although you could still induce a bit of wobble into the other players arms by telling them they are DU and saying "Oh! They've got a bit dusty and blowing them as you take them out of the case " What's more they'll think you have n't played for ages and get a bit cocky.
I think you could clean up until you are banned.
After the ban get reinstated and casually tell them " Yeah, could n't use the old DU so I got these heavy metal ones " 9/10 will probably still get the wobbles and away you go.
 
Told you everyone was helpful. A simple question and I've certainly increased my knowledge a lot. Everyday's a schoolday.

Edited By alan frost on 26/11/2011 12:37:10

Edited By alan frost on 26/11/2011 12:44:50

Edited By alan frost on 26/11/2011 12:48:38

Michael Gilligan26/11/2011 13:35:30
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23121 forum posts
1360 photos
Neither of 'em will be obsolete while I can still become upright!


Tel,
Quite right too!
... my "obsolete" was just to acknowledge the comments recently received in "Blocks" thread

MichaelG.
alan frost26/11/2011 14:52:09
137 forum posts
3 photos
Tel,if I am am correct in my assumption (from your dashing headgear) you are writing from,and defending, the NW frontier you will probably be buried upright.
Michael Gilligan26/11/2011 17:19:55
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23121 forum posts
1360 photos
Rod Jenkins,

For balancing purposes, this might be worth a look
http://www.gamolagolf.co.uk/acatalog/Tungsten_Powder.html

... a drilled & tapped recess, with this powder inside, closed-off with a screwed plug or cap, would be neat and adjustable.

I'm guessing here, but; I suspect that the powder will be much cheaper [somewhere!] before it is re-packaged as a Golf product.

MichaelG.



See also: http://www.tungstenheavypowder.com/Tungsten_Heavy_Powder/Tungsten_Heavy_Powder_Products/MSDS-Tungsten_Powder.html

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 26/11/2011 17:24:44

Steve Withnell26/11/2011 19:50:51
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858 forum posts
215 photos
Not so sure Tungsten alloys fall into the category of easy to machine?
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