Help! I can't remove my chuck!

[Dan Cannon]

Hi Everyone,
I was just out in the shop doing some Christmas ornaments, and some very light hollowing work. After my last bulb, I was unable to get the chuck back off of the spindle. I'm not sure how, but it must have gotten jammed against the shoulder at the end of the threads or something. Has anyone experienced this, or have any ideas on how to get it to loosen up or break free?? I usually just use a couple sets of pliers to remove it pretty easily, but even with some serious grunting and some taps with a mallet, it will not budge. Help!!!

Thanks!
Dan

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Can you use your chuck key to unscrew it? Usually, I leave the chuck key in the chuck and give the key a solid hit with a mallet. Or you could open the jaws enoough to get a metal rod (a gouge does work) and then try whacking it with a mallet. The key to getting off the chuck is a nice hard it in the loosening direction. Steady pressure is not the answer.

Oh, I should have asked first if you have a grub screw and you've tightened it down hard. DAMHIKT

[Scott Hackler]

You can also clamp a 1" square (or so) foot long board in the chuck sideways and whack the board to knock it free.

[Jim Underwood]

You have a locking pin somewhere on the spindle? On my Jet 1014 there's a hole in the side of the spindle for a rod. I place my knockout rod in that, and use a tommy bar in the chuck and it usually comes right off. With my Jet 1642 I use the locking pin ( and the extremely useful PM lock pin plate as a third hand) and place the T-handle in the chuck to break it loose.

[Fred Belknap]

You never mentioned what kind of lathe and chuck. It sometimes makes a difference.

[J.D.Redwine]

Looks like he may have a Grizzly G0462.

[Dan Cannon]

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies! I don't have a locking pin, unfortunately. I usually use 2 wrenches, one to hold the spindle steady and the other to loosen the chuck.
J.D. is correct, it's a Grizzly G0462. You guys have given me good ideas though, as long as I can figure out a way to hold the spindle steady. Maybe somehow clamping a wrench or somthing to the spindle down through the ways to keep it from moving while I whack the board as Scott mentioned above?? Thanks everyone, I'll give all these suggestions a shot when I get home tonight!! I'm desperate to get some more turning done!

[John Keeton]

Dan, do you have an oil filter wrench that you could use to grasp the spindle?

[Mike Cruz]

For future use, chuck up the larges bowl you can in the chuck. Set your spindle lock, and use the bowl like hand wheel to loosen it up. That's what I do... Now, if you don't have a spindle lock, that's a different story...

[Dan Cannon]

Dan, do you have an oil filter wrench that you could use to grasp the spindle?

I do! That's a great idea! That, combined with clamping something with the jaws themselves as leverage might just do the trick. I just don't want to go overboard on the mallet part, I'm nervous about knocking the spindle out of whack somehow.

[Josh Bowman]

Dan, even without a spindle lock if you'll do as Mike and others suggested, you can wack the the wrench/chucked up board with a mallet and often it will come loose. I seldom use the lock on my PM and just put the chuck key and yank it with my hand and it spins loose.

[Rich Harkrader]

I have a G0462 also. It's designed so you can use a wrench to hold the spindle still while you twist the chuck or faceplate off. This "makes up" for the moronic lack of a handwheel. If your chuck won't twist off, try spraying a lil PB Blaster on it.

[Michael Dromey]

Dan. There is many good ideas here but I need to ask. When you use your chuck do you put the spindle washer behind your chuck. I have experienced this before but since use a fiber or plastic washer to help prevent this.

Mike

[Dan Cannon]

Update: I finally got it off!! I used a board clamped in the chuck and a wrench on the spindle that was held against the bed so it couldn't rotate. That was enough to knock the chuck loose from the adapter (which I never knew I had until now. I'm so clueless sometimes). From there I was able to keep the wrench on the spindle and use a LARGE wrench (that wouldn't fit when it was all assembled) on the adapter. This gave me enough leverage to break it free. Thanks for the help everyone!!! Now...what could have caused this?? I've used the chuck 100 times before without a problem. I didn't do anything overly strenuous. Hmmmm

[QUOTE=Michael Dromey;2182425]Dan. There is many good ideas here but I need to ask. When you use your chuck do you put the spindle washer behind your chuck. I have experienced this before but since use a fiber or plastic washer to help prevent this.

Mike - it sounds like this might save me some serious hassle, I had no idea they existed. Are they flat enough keep the chuck alignment true? If so, I'll be doing some shopping online tonight

Thanks again!!
Dan

[Roger Chandler]

May I inquire what brand chuck you are using? If it is the Nova chuck, then there is a set screw that tightens the chuck body on the adapter with a little red leather washer underneath to prevent messing up the threads on the adapter. Since the chuck came apart from the adapter, just make sure you have that set screw backed out some...........if it is a Nova chuck.

Your mileage may vary if you have a different brand chuck. Not sure what other brands do as far as the adapter mating to the chuck body and how it gets locked in.