Ed - Amen to that ... I have no pressing timeframe for this project (one of 3 Hodies in progress), and I think that is a major factor in not forcing the issue(s). Matt - in many times past I would have done exactly that, but now that I've seen the havoc that can happen between plain steel and alumin...

thanks Darrell. making some progress - using a little jig to brace the posts and a spring loaded punch at lowest tension, I was finally able to get the float pin out. as suspected, it's a cut-off nail. with some further soaking, the main jet needle came out tonight. the last and hardest part will be...

thanks very much for all those responses. sounds like a good plan will be to continue soaking since I am basically on day 2 with the pine sol. the cleaning is going very well otherwise, so I think some heat will be a good idea to try next and nothing hotter than boiling water. and probably need to f...

greetings all - I am trying to recondition a 20mm Mikuni for a Steen rehab project, and there are several parts that just won't budge at all. The float pin can't be tapped out (it might be a clipped nail), the pilot jet shows no signs of turning, and the main needle jet also can't be tapped out. I t...

I was recently able to loosen up two original seized petcocks from a CW tank by putting them into the freezer for a couple hours. one has remained operational, but the other returned to it's stuck condition. so this technique many need some refinement, but it did work far better than everything else...