[Dick Linn]

Absolutely do not bang on the ends of an axle shaft to get things in or out unless you use something "soft". The 5/8 inch axle is butter-soft and striking the end with anything but a block of wood, plastic hammer or brass rod in between will mushroom the end. If you do mushroom it, not a problem if you've left the shaft a hair longer than it needs to be. Just bevel the end slightly on a grinder ( keep the shaft almost parallel to the axis of the grinding wheel shaft). Or you can file the end nearly parallel to the shaft. I've had to do this constantly, every time an uninitiated soul bangs on it (or I get frustrated). Tightening down set screws for a shaft collar has the same effect. Use emery paper on a block of wood to reduce the raised metal around the dimple caused by tightening a setscrew. And you can touch the keyway with a bit of sandpaper to get rid of burrs. No biggie. It's just amazing how a few hammer-taps can mushroom it so much...just look carefully and you can see the bulge at the end. Or lat the shaft down on a flat surface and look for daylight at the bulged end.