# Removing a stuck chuck



## abunai (Nov 27, 2017)

I'm trying to save a Logan 927 lathe.
Got a majority of it home. 
I could not get the chuck off. 
I tried the Belt and leg method. Use a belt to spin the gear to impact the chuck lathe on the bed.
Didn't  work.
So I took the head and chuck off together.
Heavy.
I  tried the impact gun,  and it didn't work.
I have it soaking with PB Blaster now.
No idea how long it's been on. From what I've heard,  the lathe hasn't been used in at least 10 years. Probably longer from the looks of it.
No rust  on the outside. 
Suggestions?????
I don't have the bed......yet.
Hope to get it home soon.


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## dlane (Nov 27, 2017)

Have you looked at this thread
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/stuck-chuck.64149/#post-531578
It is current


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## T Bredehoft (Nov 27, 2017)

Are you sure you know how it's held on? Cams, bolts, left hand threads?


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## brino (Nov 27, 2017)

I prefer a 50/50 mix of acetone and automatic transmission fluid (ATF) as a penetrating oil.
Add a little every day for a week or so, and then try again.

(....and if you try any heat, be careful as the acetone burns!)

-brino


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## magu (Nov 28, 2017)

If it were me, I would try heat with the understanding that I might cook the bearings. I would put a torch on the chuck and slowly turn the spindle while running water through the bore. once it was good and hot I would try and break it free. If that didn't work, I'd just go with cutting the chuck off. This can be started with a torch or saw/grinder, or simply by taking the jaws off, firing up the lathe and doing what we all try really hard not to.... run the tool across the chuck.

Alternatively, there is a spindle on ebay at the moment for $99. Depending what your time is worth, that may be a more sensible option. I find that since I have a toddler running around a lot of things I would have pig-headedly done myself can't be justified anymore because it might take 6 months to get an honest days work done on something.


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## abunai (Nov 29, 2017)

I can see the threads through the face. It's normal right hand.
Don't  see anything like a set screw or pin holding it.
Probably be easier to take off if it was still mounted.
Needed to just get it out. Don't know when the shack is being demolished.
I'll look for a good strap wrench. 
picture attached.


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## Silverbullet (Nov 29, 2017)

I would use the pb blaster but I'd heat the threaded section up with a hand held propane torch. You don't need it red hot but enough you can't   touch it about three hundred degrees. Then add the pb blaster off and on for several days as many times as you can. That and kroil the oil that creeps. It's good stuff. What the heat will do is expand the metal and eventually the pb will leach into the threads. Also Ck and make sure know one pinned the chuck to keep it on in reverse cutting. It'll let go really.


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## stupoty (Nov 29, 2017)

abunai said:


> I'm trying to save a Logan 927 lathe.
> Got a majority of it home.
> I could not get the chuck off.
> I tried the Belt and leg method. Use a belt to spin the gear to impact the chuck lathe on the bed.
> ...




I had a beast of a time getting my chuck of my threaded spindle when I got my lathe . I luckily could unbolt the chuck from the back plate which i used a hacksaw blade on to cut through then used wedged to split the back plate for the last bit near the thread.

their was the tiniest patch of rust that had been holding the chuck extremely fast.


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## markba633csi (Nov 29, 2017)

I've never had anything rusted so bad I couldn't get it off with solvent soak and heat.  Even a nut and bolt that was buried underground
for 27 years in my backyard I was able (just for fun) to unscrew after a good soak and some tapping. 
Patience, patience
Mark S.


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## abunai (Nov 30, 2017)

I have it standing on end so the PB will,  hopefully, soak into the threads.
Looking for a good strap wrench.
Also thinking of making something like tubocain made.  
Shaft that goes through the spindle to hold it . 
Trying to find a left hand thread anything here is going to be a problem.


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## abunai (Dec 1, 2017)

Tried heating  it up today. 
Still stuck.
Have it soaking again.


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## NortonDommi (Dec 1, 2017)

brino said:


> I prefer a 50/50 mix of acetone and automatic transmission fluid (ATF) as a penetrating oil.
> Add a little every day for a week or so, and then try again.
> 
> (....and if you try any heat, be careful as the acetone burns!)
> ...


50/50 Kerosene and ATF works better as with Acetone the Acetone evaporates too fast. Sometimes I add 20% Isopropyl Alcohol to the above mix for fast penetration but it has to be kept in an airtight container.


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## markba633csi (Dec 2, 2017)

Liquid wrench has always worked for me- but I have no affiliation with them
I also found it makes a good fluid for drilling and tapping aluminum
Mark


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## abunai (Dec 2, 2017)

Looking at it again today, I have to mount it better.
The head is off the bed, so it just moves around  to much.
It's  going to come off,  one way or another.


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## abunai (Dec 6, 2017)

Worked on it again today. 
Tried the action wench, but just can't hold it firm enough. Head not attached to bed.
Decided to remove the chuck. I did mark it to put it back in the same place.
It made it so much easier to work with. 
I made an angle flat head to remove the screws holding the front bearing in. 
Hoping there was enough room for it to work.
It did and I got the whole shaft out. 
Now I can hold the shaft in the press, put back the chuck, and hopefully remove the whole thing.
Bearing feels OK, but it doesn't look that great. I may replace it.


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## Dave Paine (Dec 6, 2017)

Thanks for the update, making progress.


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## Chuck K (Dec 6, 2017)

abunai said:


> Worked on it again today.
> Tried the action wench, but just can't hold it firm enough. Head not attached to bed.
> Decided to remove the chuck. I did mark it to put it back in the same place.
> It made it so much easier to work with.
> ...


If that is the original New Departure bearing, it would behoove you to try to save it.  I have heard of people hanging a lot of weight on a bar held in the chuck and lubricating it.  Come back the next day and the weight is on the ground.  Never tried it but it sounds like it would work.


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## abunai (Dec 6, 2017)

It is a New Departure bearing.  
It feels good, but looks really dirty.  Lots of brown staining around it.
Once I get the plate off I can see the bearing better.
Going to cut two  "V" blocks to hold the shaft in the press.
Reinstall the chuck.
I'll try the "hanging  a weight" trick and see how it works. 
It will come off.  I will not be defeated by it.


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## eeler1 (Dec 7, 2017)

The 927 should have a 2 & 1/4-8 threaded spindle, I've heard of, but never seen, any modified with a locking screw.  I'm thinking it's just stuck, not unusual if it's been on there for 10 years.  As mentioned above, you may be able to remove the front portion and turn down the back plate.  Replacing the back plate is no big deal, just another cost.  Get used to it.


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## magu (Dec 7, 2017)

If you already have the chuck off, I would just split the back plate and be done with it. Backplates are reasonably cheap, if you mess around with it long enough you may break or damage something more expensive.


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## chips&more (Dec 7, 2017)

Make a large bolt with left hand threads that will go through the head stock spindle hole and be secured at both ends of the faces at the spindle hole. With that bolt you can hold fast the spindle and unscrew the chuck. With this method you will not be using gears, slipping strap wrenches etc. that could break something or at least get you high blood pressure. This method will just hold the spindle. The only down side is you will need to make the left hand threaded bolt. And sorry, a right hand thread will not work…Dave


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## Mikelkie (Dec 7, 2017)

Some years ago a friend of mine (he's  in the UK now) had the same problem. He welded a mandrel  to a piece of 2"pipe to form a t  at midpoint of the pipe, in the pipe he put a piece of 35 mm round bar and welded the ends closed. I was then ran the lathe at slow speed with the t pipe going 'klonk klonk'  and after about 40 minutes the offending chuck was loose. I'm don't know if it was any good for the head stock bearings though  .


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## Nogoingback (Dec 7, 2017)

When I changed the bearings on my lathe, I clamped the spindle into a vice with a thick piece of leather wrapped around it.  Only tightened
it enough to hold it.  If you do that and bolt a "handle" to the adapter, you could heat the adapter up and then smack the handle with a hammer.  That might shock it loose.  If it slips, it won't damage the spindle OD.


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## ch2co (Dec 7, 2017)

Impact wrench turning the biggest bolt you can find which is mounted in the chuck??
CHuck


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## abunai (Dec 8, 2017)

I tried the impact gun.  Didn't work.
That's the  first way I use to remove chucks. 
Works most of the time.


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## Bob Korves (Dec 8, 2017)

Make sure to work the stuck threads in both directions, to get it a slight bit loose.  After it moves a tiny bit, the outcome is certain.  Sometimes, going in just one direction only tightens whatever is blocking the threads even tighter.


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## Tozguy (Dec 8, 2017)

abunai said:


> Tried heating  it up today.
> Still stuck.
> Have it soaking again.



If you heat it up enough to melt candle wax, that might be better than any other penetrant.


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## Silverbullet (Dec 9, 2017)

It may take several days to get the penetrating oil to work. As I said before heat it up the chuck mount not the bearing. Do it as many times a day as you can it takes time . Brute force will brake things . Go easy it will work if you take the chuck off the mount it will be better and the oil can be added in front too.


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## ch2co (Dec 9, 2017)

abunai said:


> I tried the impact gun.  Didn't work.
> That's the  first way I use to remove chucks.
> Works most of the time.



Did you try to reverse the direction of the impact wrench. I have found that the shock of first forward then backward impacts done in succession
i.e. many cycles of switching forward then backward can remove nuts (chucks?) that applying just the single direction won't budge.


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## abunai (Dec 10, 2017)

Never saw that candle wax trick.
I wonder if it might work.
Haven't had time to do anything to it. 
Hopefully tomorrow.


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## abunai (Dec 10, 2017)

Had some time today, so I plated with the chuck.
Made some "V" blocks out of wood. 
Put it  in the press.
Now  press will not hold pressure.
What next!!!!!!!
Now I have to work on the press.
It's a Nigier.
Anyone  know about these????


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## Gadgetologist (Aug 10, 2020)

This thread is old and solved I am sure.  I restore old antique tractors.  The best rust buster I have used is Sea Foam Marine Deep Creep.  We have had it knock loose items that we have almost given up on.  I have tried everything on the market and my on concoctions.  This is the best I have found so far.


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