to peen or not to peen

[Mike]

Greetings,my 25 is on a mooring and has been for years. I've had hell with oar locks. Last week I was rowing out when the shaft that slips into the gudgeon on the dingy snapped. (I just don't know my own strength sometimes!) Bought a new set. These are chrome (only ones available) the instructions (they're horseshoe type) say to insert the pin and peen it to lock in place. These seem harder then others I've had. Am I really to tap the end with the hammer. Never really worked all that well in the past. Need to widen the end so it doesn't pull through all the time! Doesn't seem like rocket science, have you done it successfully? How so?Mike

 

[Chuck R]

May this helps...

Mike,I have done this many times.. Need to have a rather hard flat heavy surface. The anvil is best but a good size heavy vise works about as well. The secret is to have the pin very straight and resting on the vise, to peen the metal you hit with sharp and precise and square blows Hitting dead center on the pin so as not to bend it. The more you peen the bigger your little mushroomed shaped end gets. Might be a good idea to get a couple extra pin to practice and you can saw off the peen and star another till you get the hang of it.

 

[Mike]

thanks

Chuck,I worked on it last night. Don't have a vice but set a large pipe wrench on its side witht he pin resting on the flat surface near the head. Problem is hitting the pin WITHOUT hitting the horn of the lock. As you know that leads to a very inefficient one armed oar lock. I was using a longish flat screwdriver bit. Last time the pin came out it hit the water. I replaced it with a stainless screw and nut. worked great BUT the threads wallow out the hole. May try dipping a screw in that rubberizing liquid. Need more time sailing less time limping to the mooring.Mike