another 1442 question

[Craig Zettle]

In the instructions it says that to take off the headstock faceplate you loosen two setscrews then screw off. Not seeing these setscrews I contacted Jet and after 20 minuts of research they said that there are no setscrews, just unscrew the faceplate. I just wanted to check with someone who actually removed the faceplate before giving it a good twist.

[Cory Martin]

Thats correct Craig, just set the spindle lock and pull. One thing I will say is to be sure the spindle lock is fully engaged. I actually broke one of the teeth off mine because I assume I didn't have it in all the way.

[Al Wasser]

I recall reading that when I got mine a yr. ago. I figured there must have been a design change and someone forgot to change the instructions. Just take it off. Have fun.

[Roy McQuay]

Hi Craig, I just got my 1442 yesterday. I had the same problem as you. I stuck an allen wrench in all 3 holes near the spindle and there were no setscrews. I pushed in the indexing button as hard as I could and it doesn't hold it from turning to unscrew the faceplate. I noticed a knurled pin in the bag with the wrench. I screwed the knurled pin in one of the 3 holes near the spindle and found, the knurled pin is the setscrew to hold the spindle to unscrew the faceplate. It's easy, once you know the secret. I hope this is understandable to you, and not clear as mud.

[Mark Pruitt]

Hi Craig, I just got my 1442 yesterday. I had the same problem as you. I stuck an allen wrench in all 3 holes near the spindle and there were no setscrews. I pushed in the indexing button as hard as I could and it doesn't hold it from turning to unscrew the faceplate. I noticed a knurled pin in the bag with the wrench. I screwed the knurled pin in one of the 3 holes near the spindle and found, the knurled pin is the setscrew to hold the spindle to unscrew the faceplate. It's easy, once you know the secret. I hope this is understandable to you, and not clear as mud.

Roy, that sounds an awful lot like an indexing pin you're referring to; i.e. to secure a spindle in positions at fixed intervals for fluting, drilling, etc. The button that you push to hold the spindle while loosening a faceplate or chuck is spring loaded to prevent accidentally turning on the lathe while the spindle lock is engaged.

[Roy McQuay]

Roy, that sounds an awful lot like an indexing pin you're referring to; i.e. to secure a spindle in positions at fixed intervals for fluting, drilling, etc. The button that you push to hold the spindle while loosening a faceplate or chuck is spring loaded to prevent accidentally turning on the lathe while the spindle lock is engaged.

You are correct Mark, but the spindle lock doesn't hold the spindle for counter-clockwise rotation. You have to screw the knurled pin in to hold the spindle to unscrew the faceplate. The directions say remove 2 setscrews, but there are no setscrews that attach the faceplate. The directions were confusing on that point.

[Mark Pruitt]

You are correct Mark, but the spindle lock doesn't hold the spindle for counter-clockwise rotation.

Roy, the spindle lock is there to hold the spindle regardless of clockwise vs. counter clockwise rotation. The manual says

G.

Headstock Spindle Lock: (G, Fig. 5)
Push in pin to keep the spindle from turning.

...in regard to the spindle lock button. Regarding the threaded holes to which you're referring, it says

M.

Headstock Indexing Hole: (M, Fig. 7)
Thread indexing pin into the indexing hole
making sure that it locates in the spindle
hole. There are 12 holes in the spindle 30°
apart. Three holes in the headstock casting
accept the indexing pin. These holes are 20°
apart. The combination of holes will allow
you to mark your workpiece for evenly
spaced features. See chart on page 32.

...referring to the feature I was mentioning earlier. Look toward the back of the manual and you see further elaboration on this feature. I would not use the indexing pin for holding the spindle while removing a faceplate or chuck; that's what the spindle lock was designed for.

What might be happening is, the button is "springing" back out of its locked position while you're trying to loosen a faceplate. WMH designed the spindle lock this way, to prevent accidentally turning on the machine with the spindle lock engaged. I have, however, seen a couple of ways to "defeat" this. One way has been to drill two holes through the flanges on the left & right of the spindle lock button and insert a bolt through those holes to hold the button in a pressed position. The other method is to remove the screw immediately beneath the spindle lock button and "rotate" the cover to completely cover the button when it is pressed.

If you are holding the spindle lock button fully in, and are unable to remove the faceplate, I suggest that you contact WMH. But I would not use the indexing pin as a spindle lock.

[Tom Sherman]

Ditto what Mark said, if you engage the spindle lock pin and rotate the spindle to apply some pressure the lock will hold so you can loosen your faceplate. Keep in mind though when you relax your pressure on the pin it will pop out of the locking hole and turn free.

[Roy McQuay]

Roy, the spindle lock is there to hold the spindle regardless of clockwise vs. counter clockwise rotation. The manual says


G.

Headstock Spindle Lock: (G, Fig. 5)

Push in pin to keep the spindle from turning.

...in regard to the spindle lock button. Regarding the threaded holes to which you're referring, it says

M.

Headstock Indexing Hole: (M, Fig. 7)

Thread indexing pin into the indexing hole
making sure that it locates in the spindle
hole. There are 12 holes in the spindle 30°
apart. Three holes in the headstock casting
accept the indexing pin. These holes are 20°
apart. The combination of holes will allow
you to mark your workpiece for evenly
spaced features. See chart on page 32.

...referring to the feature I was mentioning earlier. Look toward the back of the manual and you see further elaboration on this feature. I would not use the indexing pin for holding the spindle while removing a faceplate or chuck; that's what the spindle lock was designed for.

What might be happening is, the button is "springing" back out of its locked position while you're trying to loosen a faceplate. WMH designed the spindle lock this way, to prevent accidentally turning on the machine with the spindle lock engaged. I have, however, seen a couple of ways to "defeat" this. One way has been to drill two holes through the flanges on the left & right of the spindle lock button and insert a bolt through those holes to hold the button in a pressed position. The other method is to remove the screw immediately beneath the spindle lock button and "rotate" the cover to completely cover the button when it is pressed.

If you are holding the spindle lock button fully in, and are unable to remove the faceplate, I suggest that you contact WMH. But I would not use the indexing pin as a spindle lock.

Thank you Mark. I am glad you pointed this out before I messed up my indexing pin. I will try to do it again, the right way and see if my my spindle lock is working correctly.

[Bill Wyko]

Yes those 3 holes are for an indexing pin. Your lathe should have come with a knurled, threaded pin that will screw in by hand to lock the shaft in 10 degree increments. I found that pin with mine and had to figure what it was.

[Nathan Camp]

I just picked up the 1442 at Rockler today. Got it home and put together. Turned a maple blank between centers and then tried to take off the faceplate.

I pushed and held the indexing pin, but cannot get that guy to budge.

Tried beating on the wrench with my knocker (started off as a hollow form, but after many escapes and trips across the shop, it became a knocker).

What am I missing here.

Nathan

[Roy McQuay]

My spindle lock is working correctly. I just wasn't pushing it in all the way.

[Nathan Camp]

Roy, the spindle lock is there to hold the ...

The other method is to remove the screw immediately beneath the spindle lock button and "rotate" the cover to completely cover the button when it is pressed.

Mark,

I tried that trick and it bent the cover up. My spindle lock does not want to stay engaged on the CCW rotation.

I bent the wrench that came with the lathe. Didn't have a 1 1/2" open ended wrench, but had a large cresent wrench that would fit. Had to use the indexing pin to hold in place.

Took all of my weight to get that sucker to break free. (I'm not a small guy (~270 lbs).

In any case, I got if off. The front thread was galled (), and was locking the sucker in place. I think I can clean that up with some emroy cloth, use a cardboard washer and be in good shape.

Nathan

[Craig Zettle]

Nathan, glad to hear you got your faceplate off, mine is still stuck. I just had carpal tunnel surgery to both hands so I can't lean in to it the way you did. Was that a push or a pull on the wrench? I can't afford to make mine any tighter. That wrench supplied with the lathe is about the cheesiest thing I've seen, it looks like something you would buy at Harbor Freight. They should at least give you one that can do the job without bending.

[Nathan Camp]

Nathan, glad to hear you got your faceplate off, mine is still stuck. I just had carpal tunnel surgery to both hands so I can't lean in to it the way you did. Was that a push or a pull on the wrench? I can't afford to make mine any tighter. That wrench supplied with the lathe is about the cheesiest thing I've seen, it looks like something you would buy at Harbor Freight. They should at least give you one that can do the job without bending.

I pushed down to loosen. I did put some 3 in 1 oil onto the threads and rotated by hand for a bit to let it soak in. Don't know if that helped or not. Some penitrating oil might help as well.

If you have a three of four foot piece of pipe that will fit over the wrench handle, that would help. Levers are great things. 200 lbs of force at 1 ft is the same as 100 lbs at 2 ft, etc.

I was afraid of breaking something as is, so be careful.

Nathan