Robbin... Not sure what the true definition of blood brothers is, but somehow I feel like that may be us! One tip/trick I found out the hard way. Stainless steel rod tolerates being pounded on its end pretty well, but it is pretty brittle. Pounding it the direction you will have to to drive the board "down" it may or may not tolerate without shattering. In my case, the pivot and stop pins I removed from the keel were bronze....I gave them a second mission in life and used them in the hole in the keel to pound on, after I shattered a stainless rod and about took my eye out. The bronze rod was softer and deformed with the hammer blows but did not break. After that job the pivot pin was given a third job in life which it continues to do to this day.....I am sitting here looking at it act as a paperweight and a reminder of all the "fun" times right here on my desk! keep the faith brother! S