So.....hehe, I'm putting my newly powdercoated 3 speed bike together. I haven't maintained cotter pin cranks in a long time (since I worked in a little bike shop in NYC).

So I put the cranks (left and right) on the spindle but for some reason, they don't line up correctly. In other words, the left and right crank don't make a straight line.

Trying to get some ideas on what to look for:

spindle backwards? long side on the drive side is correct as I remember...check
9.5mm cotter pins for english bikes...check
I forgot, should the bolts be on oppoisite side from left and right crank? Its seems that I can only install the cotter pins in the same direction.
Is the hole on the crank arms determine the way the cotter pins go in?