I picked up a saw a few weeks back and the blade was filthy (plus a slight bend which i believe i can fix).   I managed to get four of the five bolts out without a hitch, but the fifth one?   No such luck.   As i turned the "screw" side, the other side turned right along with it.  Since the "flat" side was below the surface - nothing to grab.   I finally got aggravated and smacked it with a hammer and punch (more like an oversized drift).  What i got out was a real surprise.   No threads inside or out.  Now i want to smack whomever put that in there. 

Thankfully no massive damage to the handle.

Have had more than one saw come through the shop....using those rivets...  PITA to remove..

 

Usually I just kept the blade, as I had to rip the handle ( usually plywood, anyway) apart.    Either had a spare handle....or just made a new handle....IF the plate was worth saving....

Peter next time before you get too wild and break a good handle try centering a drill bit hole. Only start with a small bit and gradually increase the bit size till it lets the other side fall out. It just might save those cuss words for another time!!!! 

  Also the bolt heads are always way larger than regular heads so you do have room for being a sloppy driller.

Edited July 10, 20188 yr by Smallpatch

54 minutes ago, p_toad said:

Now i want to smack whomever put that in there. 

Chill out...you'll get your snow back soon enough.

BTW, where's the rest of the parts to this story?

looks like a frame rivet...

4 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

try centering a drill bit hole. Only start with a small bit and gradually increase the bit size till it lets the other side fall out

I thought (being a smarty pants) that i would start on the slotted female side (it's shorter and hollow and my first thought was that the whole thing was rusty).   I started with a cobalt 1/16" drill bit which promptly shattered and threw a piece into my one finger and left the broken end in the slot.   After I drove that piece out of the slot, i thought i wouldn't waste another cobalt bit...try a cheapy 1/16" bit and if it breaks, no biggie.   It broke.   After i drove the broken off piece out of the slot i drilled a small hole at an angle to the bolt and injected some oil with a needle (still thinking it was rusty).   I let that sit for a week, got fed up and hammered it as described before.  That broke the rivet apart enough i could pry the female side up without ripping up or breaking the handle.   Yes, it now has a small companion hole for that bolt hole, but overall the handle is in great shape and yes, i still have to clean the plate.

 

I'm either buying some new bolts or grabbing a couple of the sub-par saws at habitat for a couple of bucks

next time i'm in there and obtaining my spares from them.

5 hours ago, steven newman said:

using those rivets...  PITA to remove..

That's a nice way of putting it.   I won't regale you with the extended vocabulary i employed whilst in the middle of this small project.

 

Live and learn. 
 

Edited July 10, 20188 yr by p_toad

I guess you have thought about next time this comes up.. But if not, you could take a Dremel or small grinder with a stone or carbide grinding bit and grind that slot out so your bit will enter a smooth tapered hole which those cobalt bits can handle with out breaking...And I do think the cobalts are the best bargain cause they out last regular bits by quite a bit... Only kind I tried to sell way back yonder....

May have a few NORMAL saw bolts in the "spares box"......let me know IF you would need one....

Thanks.   I'm already missing 4 or 5 from saws i reclaimed from the scrap steel bin.   I'll address all that in the future....