Thread: Jammed face plate

It may be helpful if you could advise the brand and model of the lathe as most likely a Formanite has had this problem before, a photo of the lathe would also help.

Regards


Router

I get my chuck on my lathe good and stuck from time to time. It's because when I wind it onto the threads, I get it started and then give a good hard spin and it spins it way until it bottoms out on the spindle and locks itself tight. I can get shifting spanners on my spindle so it's no great drama. If I didn't have the shifting spanners, I would clamp the spindle (using a clamp on the spindle and using the lathe bed from preventing the clamp from rotating), and then stick a screwdriver or something in one of the face plate mounting holes and wack that screwdriver with a 2 pound sledgy. I wouldn't be very gentle with it since it is steel and not delicate timber.

I will take a few photos of the solution tomorrow after work.

But i went to bunnings got a shifter with very narrow jaws (the width of them is about 6 mm vs most larger pair having 8-10+ mm) this fit around the the grooves in the spindle.

Wedged that against with the shifter against the bed. I also got a thing called a riggers wrench that has a tapper to the end, finishing in a ~4mm. I drill out the hole in the face plate to 10mm so i could get leverage.

Tap tap tap tap TAP and it was off.

Dropped the riggers wrench onto the top of my boot, honestly that tool has fantastic aerodynamics. Just straight down with grace and accuracy.

Btw the lathe is a M900 Carbatec homebrand.

Much thanks to everyone that took the time to reply.

Finally im about to do some reading on making the washer. I guess teflon tape is not enough?

Again Thank you all

It is good that you have released the faceplate. All i have on my lathe is a fibre washer. The same as the ones that are used by plumbers on taps. Get one that fits on the shaft and job done.

Good one.

Router

Originally Posted by Kuffy

I get my chuck on my lathe good and stuck from time to time. It's because when I wind it onto the threads, I get it started and then give a good hard spin and it spins it way until it bottoms out on the spindle and locks itself tight.

That is possibily the absolute worse thing you could do. I have been turning for about 50 years and learned very early on that a face plate, or chuck, should never be fitted with more than gentle hand pressure. I have never had the need to use any sort of washer between the face plate and the shoulder of the head stock spindle. Actually, lately, I have been usning home made wooden face plates. They are sacrificial as well as very cheap and never jam up. It is also a hard learned habit to remove driving spurs, tail stock centres and face plates. Tail stock centres have a nasty habit of drawing blood fron the elbow of the right arm.

Jim

I don't like washers either, I reckon they can make the faceplate/chuck run untrue if they don't sit against the machined shoulder on the spindle as intended.
That is just my opinion.
I saw a bloke who used a thick leather washer complain that his new chuck was out wack & didn't run true.
I reckon it was the thick leather washer causing the problem.

Originally Posted by powderpost

That is possibily the absolute worse thing you could do.

I couldn't agree more. Everytime I do it I tell myself "thats gonna be a pain to get off later". But I find it so entertaining to see the chuck/faceplate spin really fast onto the threads and then just stop instantly. I guess it is one of those small things/small minds type of thing.

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

I don't like washers either, I reckon they can make the faceplate/chuck run untrue if they don't sit against the machined shoulder on the spindle as intended.
That is just my opinion.
I saw a bloke who used a thick leather washer complain that his new chuck was out wack & didn't run true.
I reckon it was the thick leather washer causing the problem.

Funny how that wobbly chuck will often run true on another lathe or even the same lathe without the washer. I've seen this before myself.

I agree with Powderpost, a bit like the Goldilocks fable, just hand tight, not loose & not "nipped up."

mine was a little worse than this one..........
- I bought an el-cheapo thin shifting spanner from Bunnos
- hitting with a hammer did not budge it so I tried the back of my axe and broke the spanner
- I then went to a metal work place and got them to make me a spanner to fit. After having to go back a couple of times to get it more exact I finally got the faceplate off with a big wack from the back of the axe.

I think I will try to avoid this situation next time, although I at least have a custom spanner!
cheers
Mick