# SB 9A Spindle threads are 'bunged' up?



## yort81 (Aug 25, 2013)

I purchased a Bealle er32 Collet chuck ( 1-1/2  x  8 ).... When i try to screw it onto the spindle... it will turn 2 full turns and then stop....  about 3/8s of an inch short of being fully attached....darn it! 

So my question is... are these spindle threads bunged up? and if so... is there an reasonable 'fix' short of buying a new/used spindle?  Did I order the correct size Collet chuck?


http://s837.photobucket.com/user/yort81/media/IMG_8256.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

http://s837.photobucket.com/user/yort81/media/IMG_8255.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

http://s837.photobucket.com/user/yort81/media/IMG_8254.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2


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## Chuck K (Aug 25, 2013)

Is this lathe new to you?  Do your other chucks thread on the spindle well?  I can't tell from the pics if you have a bad spot on your threads.  If the only thing in the equation that doesn't work is the collet chuck....I would suspect the collet chuck.

Chuck


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## yort81 (Aug 25, 2013)

Chuck K said:


> Is this lathe new to you?  Do your other chucks thread on the spindle well?  I can't tell from the pics if you have a bad spot on your threads.  If the only thing in the equation that doesn't work is the collet chuck....I would suspect the collet chuck.
> 
> Chuck



Hi Chuck....yes..I purchased this lathe about a year ago without any ANY tooling.... in a pretty grimy shape..... this week is the first time i have seen it run.  and no... I dont have any other chucks to put on to see


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## george wilson (Aug 25, 2013)

It sounds like the chuck's threads are a thou or 2 too small. I advise sending it back and getting another one sent. And make sure they don't just send you the same chuck! I'd make a discrete little mark on it somewhere,perhaps  in the bore,that you can recognize if they send the same one back again.

Failing a return,you could make a threaded adapter that screws over your spindle. Then,making the adapter as short as possible,turn a new set of threads in situ until they will screw with a little resistance,into your new chuck.

Maybe someone else will offer a better solution,but if you turn the threads in place,the chuck should run true(unless the threads in THE CHUCK are not true.)

Things can be mysterious,though. I used to make a lot of steel spinning chucks,and turned a true running adapter in my lathe to fit spinning lathes' spindles. Somehow,the chuck that ran true in my lathe would always manage to wobble a bit in the other lathe. This was a standard problem,apparently,because the spinners used a large washer with a hollow radius on 1 side. They's put the washer on the spindle,hollow side out. The washer's hole was about 1/8" larger than their spindle. They'd screw a spinning chuck on,and tap the washer until the chuck would get slightly cocked enough to make it run true. They did this with every chuck they ever put on.This might be a valuable wrinkle to keep in mind.


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## stevecmo (Aug 25, 2013)

I believe the SB 9A spindle is a 1 1/2-8 thread, not a 1-8.


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## yort81 (Aug 25, 2013)

george wilson said:


> It sounds like the chuck's threads are a thou or 2 too small. I advise sending it back and getting another one sent. And make sure they don't just send you the same chuck! I'd make a discrete little mark on it somewhere,perhaps  in the bore,that you can recognize if they send the same one back again.
> 
> Failing a return,you could make a threaded adapter that screws over your spindle. Then,making the adapter as short as possible,turn a new set of threads in situ until they will screw with a little resistance,into your new chuck.
> 
> ...



Hi George, thank you for your kind reply .....  I beg your forgiveness... I have never turned metal before... and this is my first metal lathe... and the collet chuck is my only work holding device at the moment... I'll call Bealle tomorrow and ask them if they have ever had that problem before   But looking at the threads closely on my spindle...Im guessing they are not the cleanest 

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stevecmo said:


> I believe the SB 9A spindle is a 1 1/2-8 thread, not a 1-8.



Steve...you are correct...I 'miss spoke'  the chuck IS 1 1/2-8 thread

thank you for spotting that for me 

Troy


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## Ray C (Aug 26, 2013)

Bummer...  Obviously I can't say for sure that your threads are fine but, I've seen a LOT worse.  I presume your collet chuck spins on/off just fine?

Have you looked at the threads on the new backplate and if so, what do they look like?  Any burrs or irregularities?  Just to be on the safe side, get ruler or caliper and count your threads.  Measure from any fixed spot on a thread to the same spot on the next.  Maybe by some chance you have 8 TPI  spindle.


Ray


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## 12bolts (Aug 26, 2013)

I had a close examination of the pics you posted and the 2 pics I have here are zoom shots of your middle picture.
It may just be the light, but,



Looking at the yellow circled areas the thread flanks look to be in good condition and of a good profile. In the red circled areas the thread flanks look to have been pushed out of shape. The thread peaks also seem to have lost their truncated tops and appear to be much sharper. This could equate with some damage occuring as the collet chuck was screwed on. Did you use force at all? The collet chuck, or whatever you screw on to the spindle, should spin on freely up to the shoulder. By hand. Have  a close look inside the collet chuck. I am guessing you will find some poor threads in there that have damaged your spindle.
I dont think replacing your spindle is going to be cheap. But neither do I think it is beyond repair. A touch up with a file on those "apparently" damaged threads should bring them back to order.
As you dont have any other chucks or face plate to try on the spindle is there any chance of borrowing one to try out?

Cheers Phil


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## george wilson (Aug 26, 2013)

Your threads are 1 1/2" 8,just like the Atlas 10" or 12". No question about that. They ALL are. Don't worry about that. That's been established for very many years.

I would take a triangular file and gently file off any burrs or other protrusions on the threads. Your threads don't look bad. I'm not able to tell the whole story from pictures. Just do as suggested. It is possible the chuck is getting jammed on protruding burrs or squashed threads. Don't file the whole spindle's threads from start to finish,or you may cause nothing to ever run true again. Just look for things protruding out and get rid of them without removing metal beyond the protrusion.

Don't you have anything else,like a face plate to try screwing onto the spindle? Even Atlas stuff will fit your 9" SB lathe.

There's no need to buy a whole new spindle. The Beale chuck may be a bit too small. Find a real SB face plate,or some other SB thing to screw on,and see how it fits.

You could send the spindle and the chuck to me as a last resort. I can skillfully take a hair off your threads in my large,very accurate lathe if necessary,or just cut deep enough to shave the burrs off. I ensure full concentricity. I need the chuck to make sure it goes on fully. PM me if necessary.


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## LJP (Aug 26, 2013)

Yort, I had a similar problem with my SB9A. I had an old 4 jaw chuck that I have had kicking around for years. It has an 1 1/2" x 8 thread but would not spin on. On close examination, I determined it was the chucks backplate. There were damaged threads as well as some rust in the old threads. The more I cleaned the threads the further on it would turn. I got more and more agressive as well. I ended up cleaning all the threads with a dremel tool with a small cut off wheel. I figured I had nothing to lose, the old chuck was no good if I couln't use it. The more I worked it, the better it got until it fit nicely. I trued up the backplate, and have used it since with no run out. Now this was a four jaw chuck, it doesn't need to run as perfect, because you center the work. But I think it helps confirm what others have said, that the threads in the chuck are to tight. The threads on the spindle are probably not the problem. I tried my faceplates from my Powermatic wood lathe, they are 1 1/2" x 8 as well, but do not fit. As I purchased other old SB faceplates I found they were fine. I was glad I had not messed with the spindle. So again, to confirm what others have suggested, try to get a SB faceplate before you mess with the spindle. 
I hope this helps! Best of luck. Larry


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## NEL957 (Sep 2, 2013)

LJP said:


> Yort, I had a similar problem with my SB9A. I had an old 4 jaw chuck that I have had kicking around for years. It has an 1 1/2" x 8 thread but would not spin on. On close examination, I determined it was the chucks backplate. There were damaged threads as well as some rust in the old threads. The more I cleaned the threads the further on it would turn. I got more and more agressive as well. I ended up cleaning all the threads with a dremel tool with a small cut off wheel. I figured I had nothing to lose, the old chuck was no good if I couln't use it. The more I worked it, the better it got until it fit nicely. I trued up the backplate, and have used it since with no run out. Now this was a four jaw chuck, it doesn't need to run as perfect, because you center the work. But I think it helps confirm what others have said, that the threads in the chuck are to tight. The threads on the spindle are probably not the problem. I tried my faceplates from my Powermatic wood lathe, they are 1 1/2" x 8 as well, but do not fit. As I purchased other old SB faceplates I found they were fine. I was glad I had not messed with the spindle. So again, to confirm what others have suggested, try to get a SB faceplate before you mess with the spindle.
> I hope this helps! Best of luck. Larry




Larry
Your wood lathe does not work because it does not have the relief at the start threads. It's not the threads that make it accurate, it is the shoulder behind the threads, the threads just pull it on to that register point.

Yort81
There appears to be no problem with the threads. Like it was said before the best way to determine is to put a chuck or faceplate on it (a South Bend chuck or faceplate).


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## GK1918 (Sep 2, 2013)

I should think you would be able to get a faceplate /dog plate whatever.  Those are cheap cheap, you will have a need anyways down the road.
All it takes is to drop a chuck key on it, try the file or wet paper like said, its where it registers or "butts".  I still put my bet on your new chuck. or
buy a nut that size, that too you can use down the road to make your own face plate. For me from the pics thats in good shape, ya should see what
the kids do in high school.   Usually can see a school machine a mile away.

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George just sparked my mind, If you know how to thread a light spring pass by hand no power that will find a "bunged or a squashed up thread" real quick. 
good time to learn how to "pick up a thread"  all this stuff is on utube.


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## yort81 (Sep 4, 2013)

My Friends!!! Thank you for all your Replies.... as it turns out... My spindle threads were Indeed 'bunged up'....  At the behest of a user.... I reacquired the thread using the thread dial and visual siting in... and ran the 60º threading tool ever so slightly down the threads.... it looks like it barely took some dust off the threads... but the chuck then spun on smooth as silk to the base!!  I could not be happier! 

Thank you again for all the fantastic replies!

Troy


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## DAN_IN_MN (Sep 4, 2013)

Another thread with a positive ending!


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