I did my Speedmaster pipes without cutting off the tapered ends. PIA to drill into the end with the taper and grind the junk off to open the hole big enough to get the baffles out, but it was worth it to me not to have to go through the hassle of welding the cones back on, and I like the tapered end enough to keep them. I used a piece of drill rod and and a piece of 1/2" black pipe to beat out the baffles I couldn't get a drill bit too. After I was all done, I spray painted the inside of the tapered ends black to hide some of my butchering.
