So, I am trying to modify an Encore Ratchet, and I need to take the arms off with their shoulder hinge attached. The problem is, OLD Ratchets used to be screwed into the shoulder base. These new ones have rivets instead. The other problem is, the rivets go into metal, and there's no hole on the other side. I need to keep the sockets intact. The soldering gun heatup method does not work. Will I have to drill these out? Should I use a rotary tool for this job? If anyone has any tips on this particular extraction, or what rotary bits to use, etc. I would be grateful.
You could drill a small pilot hole through the bottom of the red metal hinge and tap the rivet out through that.
Tried heating it up; it not only doesn't work, it heats up the whole upper body pretty quickly. Rather afraid of melting the non-diecast parts if I keep trying to reheat it. As for drilling a hole, the mod that I'll be doing will have the bottom part of the hinge be on top where you can see it. I'm thinking I might have to drill through the rivet from the TOP, maybe even destroy the thing in the first place. I just need the inside of the hinge and shoulder socket completely intact. In which case, has anyone ever DRILLED a rivet before?
I have no idea if this would work, but I know its used in applications where you want zero clearnance. You could trying cooling down one side so that it shinks up enough to come out. The only thing that could cool it off enough that would be readily available would be dry ice. If you have Mejier nearby, they sell it, or you could try some other grocery store. Again, no idea if it would work, but it seems like it would at least be non-destructive. Just don't hold the dry ice with you bare hands....
I'm thinking I'm probably going to have to drill the rivet out. The dry ice sounds...interesting. Don't know if I'm going to try it, though. I found out that the rivet is probably very securely attached to the hinge through the other side; when I turn the arm, the rivet turns with it. The only way to take it out MIGHT be to just tear it all up.
from my experience, drilling metal with a metal drill bit on such a small area isn't quite as predictable as drilling plastic. it may slip, heat up and warp surrounding plastic, etc you'll have to be mentally prepared that you may trash the toy irreversibly.
Yeah, I know. I'm thinking I'll have to take it real slow. Start off making a small hole in the center (if I can direct it properly) and hoping that helps. Then, just drill out a little bit at a time.
Center punch sounds good. I'll give it a try and let everyone know how it all goes. Thanks for the advice from everyone. This is definitely one of the trickier elements of kitbashing, it seems. Here's hoping for success.
