Salvaging Wheels from Rusted Out Casters

[BuffaloJohn]

Here is a way to salvage the wheels from rusted out casters. These particular ones were from a pair of 4 wheel moving dollies that had seen better days.

So - we start with a bucket-O-casters


The first problem is how to get the rivet pin out. I tried drilling it out, but that didn't work, it just spun. Turning it and pushing the pin shows that there is a little bit of the round head that might be useful to hold it.


and if we stick in the vice jaws:


But that still is difficult to drill out. So, how about a cutting wheel in the angle grinder?


That works really well. A light touch is required, the rivet is easily ground off.


Then a light tap on something hard and the caster frame and rivet are clear of each other.


Turn the assembly sideways and now we can punch the rivet out of the wheel. Now the wheel is free of the caster frame.


And - in only a few minutes per caster, we have wheels and scrap...