Stuck chuck.

R

rwdenney

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My South Bend 14-1/2 uses a 2-1/4x6 threaded spindle. I recently turned a square piece with about 11 of swing to round, which meant a lot of interrupted turning.

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I used the 10” Skinner 4-jaw chuck, which I installed immediately before the project. I’ve switched back and forth between the 10” 4-jaw and the 8” Rohm 3-jaw chuck many times.

I think the interrupted cut pounded that chuck onto the spindle more tightly than it’s ever been, and now I can’t get it off.

I do not use the back gears, of course, and have never had a problem using a 2x4 locked in the chuck jaws, bearing against the ways, and a strap wrench on the spindle pulley. When that didn’t work, I tried a large dead-blow on the 2x4. Nothing. I even heated the backing plate with no effect.

My final attempt was a 4-foot 4x4 in the chuck and a 2-foot cheater pipe on the strap wrench. The strap wrench (a Titan cheapie with a 12” handle and a 1” strap) shattered.

I read stories about people unbolting the chuck from the backing plate and turning off the backing plate, and I just want to throw up. I Do Not Want To Damage The Lathe.

Any ideas?

Please, telling me that this is the reason your lathe has a cam-lock system will not solve my problem, but that’s exactly the responses to such questions I see on PM.

I gotta think people used industrial South Bend lathes for work like this in the past, and we’ve just forgotten their tricks.

Rick “shopping for a better strap wrench with a 24” handle, but worried about that bull gear lock pin” Denney
 
I would not worry about the lock pin, I'd use a 2X4 to the ways against the chuck jaw put it in back gear and pull on the belt by hand to unscrew it.
 
pontiac428 said:
Bummer, Rick. Sounds like it's on there. Could you cleat the bull gear against the head casting?
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Not without a lot of disassembly. The bull gear is covered pretty well. But I’d rather attempt that than machining off the backing plate.

I have ordered a better strap wrench—a Reed with a 24” handle and a long enough strap to reach around the chuck.

Rick “gotta be a better way” Denney
 
benmychree said:
I would not worry about the lock pin, I'd use a 2X4 to the ways against the chuck jaw put it in back gear and pull on the belt by hand to unscrew it.
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Not sure how I’d be able to grasp the belt. It’s fully enclosed except for the part that wraps around the cone pulley. This lathe has the motor under the headstock, like most all SB 14-1/2’s.

Rick “already used a strap wrench on the large pulley” Denney
 
Lock the spindle with your strap wrench and chuck up a 6' 2x4 in the 4 jaw so it sticks out towards the front. Hang as much weight as you can on the end of the 2x4 without tipping the lathe over and turn the lights off for the night. The weight should only be a foot or less above the floor, the constant torque will break it loose while you're sleeping.
 
I had a three jaw that would constantly give me trouble. Then one day it was a brute, I gave up. I unbolted the chuck. Spun the back plate at slow speed, while using a propane torch to heat the backplate, I quickly reattached the chuck, engaged the back gears. Stuck a heafty Allen key in the chucks jaws, clamped down pretty tight. Then with a 3 foot cheater bar finally broke loose.

Just make sure to have a piece of wood protect your ways, when the bar drops.

End up having to remachine the back plate shoulder. I think it had a high spot prior to it coming to my ownership.
 
OTmachine said:
Do you have a 1/2" drive short impact extension, preferably a 1/2' to 1" adapter, that you could chuck up to use an impact wrench to loosen the chuck?
Kind of like reversing the process.
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Put a piece of wood or plywood down to protect the ways in case the chuck spins all the way off the threads!
 
At least it was the four jaw… you can do anything with that one.

Sorry, nothing to contribute so I thought I would share a bit of a silver lining?
 
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