How to Remove Tight Dowel Pins

Dowel pins are meant to keep parts in a locked position. However, due to this fact, they often prove difficult to remove. Thankfully, most metal dowel pins are soft enough to drill through allowing the following technique to become useful in removing a tight dowel pin.

Instructions

1

Prepare a power drill with a bit 1/10 diameter of the dowel pin. Center the drill on the head of the dowel pin and drill through.

2

Fill the pin's center completely with motor oil using a syringe.

3

Break another same size drill bit in half and thread into the drill. Make sure there's no extension of the broken bit beyond the drill shaft.

4

Place the drill on top of the pin's hollowed out center. Tap the other end of the drill with a hammer.

5

Continue to fill the cavity with oil and tap the drill on the pin's center with a hammer. The dowel pin is relieved by the force from the drill pushing the oil up and around it's outside edge.