REMOVING rivetts from NAME PLATES

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wally318
Posts: 260
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 1:06 am
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia

REMOVING rivetts from NAME PLATES

Post by wally318 »

What is the best way to get the rivetts/drive screws out of a machine casting.
I'm rebuilding a rockwell mill and will need to remove several nameplates in
prep for repainting.
The ones I started with at the back of the base casting seemed quite hard.
I tried to use a real sharp cold chisel to try to turn 1 and it barely put a dent in it.
FKreider
Posts: 338
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 8:44 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Re: REMOVING rivetts from NAME PLATES

Post by FKreider »

Dremel tool with a thin cut off blade, cut a slot and back them out with a flat headed screwdriver. I think there are some YouTube videos out there showing this method.
-Frank K.
John Hasler
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Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:05 pm
Location: Elmwood, Wisconsin

Re: REMOVING rivetts from NAME PLATES

Post by John Hasler »

I removed a nameplate a few days ago by simply driving a wood chisel under the nameplate near each screw. Screws came out intact.
wally318
Posts: 260
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 1:06 am
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia

Re: REMOVING rivetts from NAME PLATES

Post by wally318 »

HI all. Thanks for the input.
I was able to remove drive screws using the thin screwdiver/chisel method
on a Sharp Taiwanese lathe a few years ago.
But these seem to be quite stubborn buggers.
On the mill cast base the front 4 had through holes drilled
with the 2 lower ones able to be punched out from behind.
Now I could identify them/size.
I didn't want to do any grinding till I knew I could get replacements.
Up in Canada, they're quite hard to find. Before Covid, I would have
picked them up at the border. $20 shipping on $5 of screws is insane.
Found some at Grainger.ca not too expensive.
The dremel tecnique works quite well.
So far I've removed 18 with 10 or more to go.
Ironically I only had real trouble with 2.
On the serial number plate which is on the back of the base casting,
so not really seen later on.
Had to grind the heads off and will have to drill 2 fresh holes.
New holes/new paint will look almost as good as new.
Thanks.
RMinMN
Posts: 102
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:50 am

Re: REMOVING rivetts from NAME PLATES

Post by RMinMN »

Use grease on the face of the nameplate you don't want paint to stick on. A putty knife held to the edge of the nameplate will keep the grease off the part you want to paint. When the paint is dry, use a knife along the edge of the nameplate to separate the paint, then clean off the grease.
choprboy
Posts: 322
Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2011 11:23 pm

Re: REMOVING rivetts from NAME PLATES

Post by choprboy »

I guess I'm the odd man out...I always remove nameplate rivets by drilling a small hole down the center of the rivet (possibly center punching or grinding a flat before drilling) maybe a 1/16" or so. Then use a larger drill slightly smaller than the diameter of the rivet shank to weaken the head. At that point the nameplate and rivet head usually pops right off. Then if needed slowly drill a bit further into the shank, Often, with the initial center relieving, the river pulls right out when the larger drill bites in.
Russ Hanscom
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Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: REMOVING rivetts from NAME PLATES

Post by Russ Hanscom »

I have used the drill-in-the-center approach with success, but all of the rivets I have encountered are quite hard - some took a carbide bit to get any results.
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Harold_V
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Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: REMOVING rivetts from NAME PLATES

Post by Harold_V »

What Russ said. My experience with drive screws is that they are rarely soft enough to drill with HSS, and a solid carbide drill in a drill motor is pretty much an invitation for breakage.

I recently finished rebuilding a #2 Cincinnati cutter grinder. The machine was built in '43, a war machine. They are notorious for not having excellent exterior finishing, and this one was no exception. It had a pair of badges installed, one of which was from the factory, but it included nothing more than patent dates. It was of no clear use, so when it was removed, it was not replaced, as it serves no useful purpose. One of the drive screws refused to be removed, and broke instead. It was ground smooth and left in place. The other badge was seller installed and of no clear use, as the seller is long gone, and the badge had no other value.

When I rebuild a machine, I am not enamored with trying to keep it original. My purpose is to create a useable machine, so alterations are acceptable.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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liveaboard
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Re: REMOVING rivetts from NAME PLATES

Post by liveaboard »

Harold_V wrote: Sun Oct 04, 2020 4:06 pm it included nothing more than patent dates. It was of no clear use, so when it was removed, it was not replaced, as it serves no useful purpose.

When I rebuild a machine, I am not enamored with trying to keep it original. My purpose is to create a useable machine,
H
You say you just want a usable machine, then you show us pictures of a gleaming object with a jewelers finish.

Regarding the patent number; it can be useful to future keepers of the machine.

Back in the late 70's, I went to a machine dealer with a machinist friend of mine. a cavernous place with large second hand machines stacked everywhere. He asked the salesman the prices of some odd looking things, then whispered to me that the guy had no idea what they were.
My friend wrote the patent numbers on a small pad when the salesman wasn't looking.
On the way home, he told me his trick; he used to write to the patent office and request a copy.
$4 comes to mind but this was a while back.
He told me what came back differed, but often he'd get full drawings and instructions for use.
Not to mention, knowing what the thing was actually for.

So, if you put the patent number plate back on that grinder, it might make someone really happy some day.
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Harold_V
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Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: REMOVING rivetts from NAME PLATES

Post by Harold_V »

Yeah, I had this conversation (by phone) with Patio, one of our readers, and a close friend, and he suggested the same thing.
While what you say has merit, what's really important in this case is knowing what the machine is, and the model number. While the model may not be clear without a plaque (that was not included with the patent numbers), the serial number is clearly displayed and serves adequately to find anything pertinent to operation and maintenance of the machine. I got none of that with the machine, but found it online by searching the description.

Replacing the plate isn't in the cards. It was removed with the idea of not being replaced, and was heavily damaged in the process. It now resides in my scrap brass material, awaiting being melted and put to some other use at a later date. So you better understand, it wasn't a single number, but a series of numbers, each a given feature of the machine, unique to Cincinnati.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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