Topper Repair

[printcom]

I am refurbing a topper that I acquired. What should be a fairly simple welding repair is being made much harder because some bright spark has used some form of roll pin instead of cotter pins on the castle nuts that hold the blade carriers on.
So far I have snapped 2 drills and one punch. I have no idea what these pins are made off, soft enough to deform when you hit them but hard enough to snap hss drills with ease.
Before I get the heat out has anyone any gems of wisdom, I am trying very hard not to mess the thread up on part 29 as a replacement will make me cry ( there are 3 of them)

 

[m_c]

They were probably roll pins from the factory.
Roll pins are usually sprung steel, so you'll struggle to drill them, plus the design of them will make drills just snag and snap, even if the drill does cut the metal.

Suitably sized punch and a big hammer should move them.
Failing that, I'd be using a socket and impact gun, then dealing with the aftermath.

 

[Brad93]

That's not a hard part to remake.

All you can do is heat and try to punch it through.

 

[8ob]

All I ever do with those is hit them with a nut gun, the pin will sheer and you can knock it out afterwards. Some of these things are a left hand thread.

Bob

 

[sako243]

 

[printcom]

Thanks chaps, Dewalt impact gun to the rescue - it certainly packs a wallop. As usual there is a lot more damage than initially envisaged, at least I wont be getting bored for a few days.