Help! I can't remove my chuck!

[Dan Cannon]

I'm 99% sure it's an older PSI chuck, that seems to be where most of the accessories that came with the lathe were purchased. I can't find a picture anywhere that matches exactly but the closest one was on the PSI website. It definitely does not look like any of the Novas I've looked at. I'll take a closer look at if/how the adapter locks in, thanks for the heads up!
Dan

[Jamie Donaldson]

ATTENTION to all spindle lock abusers! NEVER,EVER, use the lock pin to hold the spindle when whacking to loosen a stuck chuck!!! That small pin is much too delicate to absorb such abuse, and it will break off. Don't need to ask how I learned this, and some can be a PITA to replace. Use those big wrenches that came with the lathe, or should have, and a piece of wood or steel in the chuck jaws to remove. And a washer between the chuck insert and spindle shoulder is a good way to induce misalignment and vibrations when turning.
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[robert baccus]

Glad you got it off. Take a look---most headstocks have threaded holes bored to the spindle and are easily locked by inserting a rod. Grind down an old screwdriver. The clamped board is my usual chuck wrench--works great and has as much torque as you have. Also consider junking the washer idea --machine shops use Anti-seizeing compound to prevent this and prevents rust & wear as well. Any auto shop has it. Small can for a few bucks. Toys Are Us sells plastic rings.

[Michael Dromey]

Dan here is what I was referring to. I have this one. It is called No Lock Spindle Washer at Craft Supplies. This washer is thin but tough. Sometimes I can unlock it by hand. Depending on how much I have used my chuck.

ts_no-loc_spi_was-2.jpg

[Michael Dromey]

Jamie. When you refer to spindle misalignment, are you referring to these washers I posted a picture of? I guess I don't understand.

[Aric Krueger]

I think both woodcraft and woodturnerscatalog have plastic-type anti-lock spindle washers for different sized spindles. I've used them and they work just fine. I measured mine with a micrometer and they meet the test. They do not affect center or cause wobble. They are made for this purpose (and are inexpensive). I've also used anti-seize grease. It works too, however, I find that it is messy and attracts grit/dust (which DOES cause wobble). It must be fastidiously cleaned off and re-applied often.

[Scott Conners]

I hit my spindle (and ways and other raw cast iron parts) with paste wax on a piece of steel or synthetic wool. It knocks any rust/corrosion down, and leaves a good wax barrier to prevent more corrosion and help things slide easily.

[John Keeton]

My guess is that there are numerous potential causes for this situation, but having a small burr or rough spot on the face of the spindle or chuck insert would be enough to cause a significant "freezing" of the chuck. You might want to check both surfaces.

There have been several threads where these nylon/plastic washers, in fact, caused runout. Those may be isolated situations.

[Jack Mincey]

IMHO the cause of chucks locking onto the spindle has to do with the softness of the steel of both the spindle and the chuck or adapter threads the contact one another. If theses are slammed together from a catch or anything else it causes the steel to flex into each other an become one almost like a weld. Wax or a little grease on the threads should help this from happening as bad. The soft spindle is one of the complaints I had with the PM I had in my school shop. Had to take a small triangle file to clean them up more than once when I was teaching to allow the chuck to screw on an off the lathe without using a lot of force. The hardened spindle on my One Way has never had an issue and looks as good as the day it was delivered. It was used for six months at the school shop while I finished building my home shop and the students never hurt the spindle in any way. They where always messing up the other lathes spindles in the shop. I feel that the shop tool and machine company's should test their equipment in a school shop to look for weakness in the machines design before they put them into full production. A few of my students could tear up an anvil. Jack

[Fred Belknap]

This was caused by a stuck chuck.spindle.jpg

[Mike Cruz]

Care to elaborate, Fred?!?!

[Fred Belknap]

Care to elaborate, Fred?!?!

I had a stuck Talon chuck on a new Grizzly 0698. I put a oak board about 17" x 3" in the chuck and used the indexing pen to hold the spindle. You see the results. I called CS and the person I talked to said he would check with his supervisor and call me back. That has been several years ago and I am still waiting. Can't say I blame them much. The shoulder on the spindle was the same size as the adapter on the chuck. I drilled a hole on the other side and still use the lathe occasionally. Wasn't hard to drill the hole but sure was a dickens getting it in the right place.

[Matt Mackinnon]

I have a oneway lathe and never had a problem with my Talon or Stronghold chuck. I picked up some Dan Pencil aluinum face plates as they were less than 1/2 the cost of oneway to use for friction turning jugs for the ornaments i was making. the first time turning with one and it got stuck on the spindle and didnt want to come off. eventually with enough leverage it loosened.

I put on two pieces of parchment paper cut to make a washer. Just having two pieces of paper was enough that the problem has never happened again. You probably have some in your kitchen and costs next to nothing to solve a problem going forward.

[Duane Meadows]

I had a stuck Talon chuck on a new Grizzly 0698. I put a oak board about 17" x 3" in the chuck and used the indexing pen to hold the spindle. You see the results. I called CS and the person I talked to said he would check with his supervisor and call me back. That has been several years ago and I am still waiting. Can't say I blame them much. The shoulder on the spindle was the same size as the adapter on the chuck. I drilled a hole on the other side and still use the lathe occasionally. Wasn't hard to drill the hole but sure was a dickens getting it in the right place.

That head stock casting is vailable...
P0698042 Headstock Casting $171.00

Think I'd repair it

[Fred Belknap]

That head stock casting is vailable...
P0698042 Headstock Casting $171.00

I works fine, I use the drill bit that I drilled the hole with and it is solid like no wiggling around. I used it as my only lathe for about three years and did a lot of work on it. It is now for sale but that break might put people off. I haven't tried to hard to sell it as it comes in handy sometimes. My main lathe is a 3520B now, it is pretty much the same, just a little bigger and nicer.