stupid mistake... Need suggestions

[dow]

theeviltwinn said:

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I think someone snuck in while you weren't looking and put set screws in the chuck. They may even have reversed the threads.

Twinn

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Hahaha!!!

[dow]

MidwestMan said:

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I'm amazed you can not get it off. With the lathe locked and a big wrench and baby sledge, that should do it. Using sturdy whomps with the hammer, should break it free slowly, without risk of damage.

In other words, get a bigger hammer.

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Well, there's the problem. When it first got stuck on there, I tried that, and bend the spindle lock pin. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the big pipe wrenches I grew up with in the oilfield. As it is, the best I can do is strap clamps to hold the spindle and a piece of wood in the jaws to hammer on. Still no luck. Times like this, I really miss those old 36" pipe wrenches.

[MidwestMan]

Wait a minute, this could be an opportunity ! Just tell yourself and your spouse, that it would cost more to fix it, than just buying another lathe.

Then you would have a dedicated chucked lathe.

[dow]

Man, wouldn't it be great if that worked. Unfortunately, she's smarter than me.

[MidwestMan]

dow said:

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[blockquote]MidwestMan said:

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I'm amazed you can not get it off. With the lathe locked and a big wrench and baby sledge, that should do it. Using sturdy whomps with the hammer, should break it free slowly, without risk of damage.

In other words, get a bigger hammer.

---

Well, there's the problem. When it first got stuck on there, I tried that, and bend the spindle lock pin. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the big pipe wrenches I grew up with in the oilfield. As it is, the best I can do is strap clamps to hold the spindle and a piece of wood in the jaws to hammer on. Still no luck. Times like this, I really miss those old 36" pipe wrenches.

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[/blockquote]

Okay, I think I get it now. If I understand it right, you can NOT lock the spindle from spinning the lathe, so, that is a pain. I really wish I was nearby, I like resolving problems like this. You need to find a way "lock" the lathe from spinning, right?

[MidwestMan]

Even though the pin is bent, I would think that it could still perform to resolve this. Firm blows with a heavy hammer (as mentioned earlier) is the approach to use.

Without seeing everything, it is difficult to help.

[dow]

That would sure help. That's why the earlier poster recommended running it in reverse so that I could chuck a piece of wood up and smack that against the bed to break it loose. So far, I've broken one 2x4 and cracked another trying this method, but the chuck has remained stubbornly in place.

I just got off the phone with Rikon, and will probably try to tear into the headstock this weekend to see if I can secure it from inside. He told me that they're working on a new spindle design that will have a hole bored into the side of the spindle where the indicator numbers are so that you can put a bar in it to lock it down, but of course that's not yet ready, nor will it help in this particular case.

He he he... he also kindly offered to send me a new nylon washer so this wouldn't happen again, lol.

Oh well, if things were easy then I probably wouldn't appreciate them as much. lol.

As for using the bent pin, they really aren't designed for that kind of heavy work. The first time I got this chuck stuck (six years back) I bent the pin and then tried to use a bar in through the pin hole to lock down the spindle via the teeth on the locking gear... that's how I broke one of the teeth off of the gear.

[MidwestMan]

Well okay, Dow. I'd probably try a piece of harder wood, than a 2x4 and give the "ole reverse rap" several more tries.

Safety first, don't get hurt doing it.

[theeviltwinn]

Maybe something like this would work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDruQ3uIX1s

Think home made spanner wrench. I would make it strong enough to hit with a hammer

Twinn

[gear jammer]

I would lock the headstock using a grade 8 bolt that would fit the hole and use the sharp rap on the crescent wrench. grade 8 is Harder steel and less likely to bend as easy.

The reverse sounds good and as Midwest man suggested use something stiffer than 2x4. Roll it over towards you as far as you can to give it a running start. Be sure to be out of the line of fire if it does come loose.