# Take 1 Auger stuck on shaft, add aircraft rivet gun vibrations, and...



## russkat (Feb 25, 2015)

... like magic it now spins freely on shaft.

A couple months a ago I picked up an otherwise nice Snapper 1030 (series 4) that had one auger stuck on the shaft.

I did the typical, soak in penetrating fluid, bang with hammer, etc... I then thought to myself, would high speed vibrations potentially break up the rust inside between the auger and the shaft? 
I came across plenty of cases of mechanics using this method to free up rusted brake drums and the like.

Did a bit more research and found out the trigger on an aircraft rivet gun makes it much more controllable than an air hammer/chisel, so I picked one up on eBay and today after just a few minutes of hammering away at the auger, it began to move.
A few more minutes and I could move the the outside edge of the auger 6 inches.
Some back and forth movement by hand for a couple more minutes and now it spins freely.
Add a boat load of grease and a new shear pin and I'm done !!!

Yes, it did remove the paint, but I'll just smear some grease on those areas and deal with the paint next spring/summer.


----------



## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Interesting solution.


----------



## russkat (Feb 25, 2015)

I was actually quite surprised it worked so quickly, not to mention relieved.
I bought an old Chicago Pneumatic (many say the best made) 3x gun with regulator, spring retainer and 5 sets (bits are called sets).

Similar to this one and also shown is the set I used...


----------



## bcjm (May 29, 2015)

Why does rivet gun create vibration? can you show a photo?


----------



## russkat (Feb 25, 2015)

bcjm said:


> Why does rivet gun create vibration? can you show a photo?


Aircraft rivet gun...See video above.


----------



## bcjm (May 29, 2015)

Thank you. I thought the rivet gun pulls the rivet pin out like what we use using hand rivet tool.
I have an Ariens ST824. The augers are rusted on to the shaft. Both sides of the shear bolts were snapped when I tried to remove them leaving the bolt body in the shaft. Impact hammer did not do anything to remove the bolts. I am leaving the augers the way they are hoping I don't hit anything hard when blowing snow. It is always in my mind trying to free the augers one day.


----------



## Ariens1978 (Oct 6, 2016)

So i am assuming you hammered along the length of the auger sleeve back and forth to dislodge the rust between the sleeve and the shaft? I may have to try that out. My old 78 Ariens has one stuck auger and even chaining it to a tree and then to my truck could not get it seperated lol


----------



## russkat (Feb 25, 2015)

Ariens1978 said:


> So i am assuming you hammered along the length of the auger sleeve back and forth to dislodge the rust between the sleeve and the shaft?


You got it !
Hammered what I could reach, then pulled the starter rope while I held down the auger clutch lever to turn the auger to another position and repeat.
Not more than 60 seconds of hammering before I had to turn the auger.
Did that five or six times and it then finished up by hand.
Twenty minutes from start to finish.
I don't have any other blowers with stuck augers, but it sure beat tearing the thing apart and trying to press it out.


----------



## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

Very slick!!! thanks for methodology! Who knew...?Might save a lot of blisters and colorful language.....


----------



## russkat (Feb 25, 2015)

bad69cat said:


> Very slick!!! thanks for methodology! Who knew...?Might save a lot of blisters and colorful language.....


I was worried about the paint and initially put some duct tape on over the end of the set (bit), but it just cushioned the blow too much. I guess it needed the quick/sharp pops of metal on metal, so the paint damage (removal) was the price I had to pay.
Well worth it in my book.


----------



## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

Definitely sounds easier than the way I've done it: remove the auger, shaft vertical, a lot of Penetrating Oil, heat, then beat a little on the end of the auger rake with a special tool I made. Repeat until get some movement then go to the hydraulic press.


----------



## cpchriste (Jan 19, 2014)

Very interesting! Would you please describe the process a bit more?

Was the auger in the machine or disassembled?
Did you hammer radially on the auger tube only or also on the auger flighting?
Did you use any backing piece on the opposite side of the blows?
Was the subsequent twisting of the auger to free it done freehand without tools?
Any solvent used beforehand?
Would you say this was a "bad" case of corrosion before you started?

Thanks for this info - I'd like to add it to my mental toolbox!


----------



## russkat (Feb 25, 2015)

HCBPH said:


> Definitely sounds easier than the way I've done it: remove the auger, shaft vertical, a lot of Penetrating Oil, heat, then beat a little on the end of the auger rake with a special tool I made. Repeat until get some movement then go to the hydraulic press.


I was not looking forward to those steps and I think I can use the rivet gun for similar procedures, such as stuck pulleys, brake drums, and various other parts that are seized together.
I think those sharp/quick blows are the key.


----------



## amuller (Jan 3, 2016)

This is a good approach. Things rust together because the oxides that build up have a higher volume than the metal they come from. But the compressive strength is not that high. I don't have a proper rivet gun to hand, but I do have a plain old air hammer. That should work with the sort of flat set used for shooting flush rivets, no?

Does anybody know, offhand, what would be a typical radial clearance between the shaft and the auger tube?

Thanks!


----------



## guyl (Jun 12, 2016)

I have one of those among my various air tools. Very handy for that yes. I've loosened up brake discs that way. A chisel tip is handy for cutting bricks or concrete. Also handy is a metal ripping tip. This has 3 fingers and tears out a thin (about 1/8 of an inch) strip of sheet metal as the air shocks move it along. Great for making straight or curved cuts in sheet metal. Great for making shrouds, guards, etc.

Once a tool nut, always a tool nut


----------

