Does anyone have any hints for removing the very rusty pins that hold the headstock and side cover on? I am afraid of breaking off the lugs that they go through. The machine is an Atlas TH42. I am also having trouble removing the three jaw chuck also rusted tight. Thanks in advance for any help.
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Cover hinges
- Thread starter Gene
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2011
- Messages
- 2,476
Gene,
Many times here members have been faced with a stuck chuck. Perseverence with some type of penetrating oil, brute force and perhaps a little bit of heat has worked for most.
Try letting some "fluid" soak around the spindle threads overnight or longer. Open the jaws and squirt some up the inside as well. If you lock the spindle and use a large bar as a lever mounted sideways across the face of the chuck, and hang a weight off there. Dont use a hammer on the chuck key!
cheers Phil
Many times here members have been faced with a stuck chuck. Perseverence with some type of penetrating oil, brute force and perhaps a little bit of heat has worked for most.
Try letting some "fluid" soak around the spindle threads overnight or longer. Open the jaws and squirt some up the inside as well. If you lock the spindle and use a large bar as a lever mounted sideways across the face of the chuck, and hang a weight off there. Dont use a hammer on the chuck key!
cheers Phil
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2013
- Messages
- 764
There is a publication titled "Farm Show" which features projects & products made or bought by farmers, ranchers and other clever folks. A while back they published an evaluation study of the various popular penetrating fluids. Included were WD-40, Blaster, Kroil, Liquid Wrench and some others as well as a 50-50% mix of ATF & acetone. The home-grown 50-50 mix beat all others for time to work hands down & by a large margin. It probably wants ventilation around while using because of the acetone content.
If it ever gets warmer here in Wisconsin I'll be mixin' up a batch. Heaven knows I have enough things to free up around my digs.
If it ever gets warmer here in Wisconsin I'll be mixin' up a batch. Heaven knows I have enough things to free up around my digs.
For the time being, I am just going to remove covers and hinges as one from machine and set aside . Now that I managed to get the chuck off, I want to begin to disassemble the Headstock and also the Apron. Would it be better to remove the Apron along with the Lead screw or slip it off with Lead screw still on the lathe. I do not want to risk bending the Lead screw.
If not already done, remove the tailstock by sliding it off the right end of the bed.
Open the split nuts on the apron by lifting the lever then remove the leadscrew bearing at the right end of the bed leaving it on the leadscrew. Now slide the leadscrew out to the right. There is nothing securing it to the drive gearing at the headstock end so it will pull out easily. Loosen the carriage gibs at the back of the carriage then crank the carriage all the way to the right and slide it off the bed. You can now service the apron and carriage on your work bench.
Putting the carriage back on the bed is is the exact reverse procedure.
Having refurbed several pieces now I can surely agree with the comments on this thread. I can add that when a new (old) machine comes to my "waiting to be refurbed area" the first thing I do is spray EVERYTHING with a liberal amount of PB Blast. Then through out the days and weeks that follow I continue to spray all areas that even look like a mechanical attachment. On smaller items I have a 5 Gallon bucket full of motor oil. I once threw the most ridiculously rusted and seized drill chuck in it and left it for a year. I never did get it freed up..LOL but my point is be patient. Spray it up and let things marinate.