FREE SHIPPING ON ALL U.S. ORDERS! POSITIVE LOCKING TECHNOLOGY Positive Locking vs. Detent, What’s the Big Difference? Positive locking pins are push-button devices that incorporate a solid stainless-steel spindle with a necked-down waist area. In its at-rest position, the major diameter of the spindle secures the balls in their extended position. When the push-button is activated, the spindle's waist area moves under the balls, allowing them to retract inside of the shank. This causes the pins to be very strong in tension. For example, a 1/2" 17-4, 2-ball pin is rated at 1,160 pounds of pull-out strength! Detent pins incorporate a very different mechanism. A cross-hole is drilled part way through the pin and then a spring and ball are pressed down in. The hole is swaged (MBR not possible,) and the resulting pin can now be moved simply by pulling on it; often just a few pounds of force will pull the pin free. The advantage of detent pins is their low cost for non-critical applications. If safety is a concern, you’d best stick with positive locking. MACHINED HANDLES Why Machined Handles? Four Big Reasons: 1. STRENGTH: Cast handles are brittle. Whether in aluminum or stainless, handles are always stronger when machined from billet. 2. APPEARANCE: One look shows the obvious quality of Big Sky Precision’s machined handles over a cast one. 3. DESIGN FLEXIBILITY: Since there are no mold costs, we can make a custom handle for you - often at the same price as inferior cast handles. 4. CORROSION RESISTANCE: Porous cast handles are susceptible to corrosion & cracking, especially in marine environments., We typically machine handles from 6061 aluminum and 303 stainless. MACHINED BALL RETENTION Big Sky Precision's quick-release pins with Machined Ball Retention (MBR) was awarded a patent with twenty-nine claims in May of 2002. Traditional methods of ball retention swage the edges of the ball hole. In essence, an operator would pound the metal at the sides of a drilled hole, sometimes by hand with a hammer. For pins ⅜” diameter and up, Big Sky Precision's MBR process revolutionized production and quality by utilizing precision computerized machines and our own proprietary, custom tooling. DESIGN & MACHINING Big Sky Precision's mission is to convert your ideas into reality. We are a full-service manufacturing plant with state-of-the-art computerized machining, engineering and design services. Today's end user values convenience and safety above all else and the applications for securing and releasing parts with no tools are endless. Send us that special design from hard-to-make materials. If we can’t help you, chances are we know someone who can! BIG SKY PRECISION, INC. PO Box 470 Manhattan, MT 59741 Tel: +1 888-213-1492 Fax: 770 - 783 - 6908 TOWING MARINE PRO AUDIO MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL CUSTOM SOLUTIONS POLICIES | © Big Sky Precision, Inc.