Did I break my lathe?

[MIkalourus]

I recently got a lathe,to make a part for a belt grinder I want to build but can't remember what I needed the belt grinder for, probably to build something else I forgot about.

It doesn't have a motor yet but I decided to take it back to the nuts and bolts first and give everything a good clean with wd40, some plastic scourers, and nylon/brass brushes. I planned to give it a nice spray over the summer but the patina is growing on me. It was going great and despite looking like ****e to my beginner's eye the ways are flat across the full length and all the gears are in good shape though a little rusty. The spindle spun freely in each direction and none of the contact points seemed worn.

I couldn't get the chuck off and didn't have a motor to try the reverse trick. After ages of wd40 scrubbing and oil I managed to separate the rusted and bound chuck from it's face plate but the plate remains on the spindle. I couldn't work out how to remove the main spindle with all the back gears, pulleys, etc. After screwing the end cap thing off there was no play in the gear at the end of the threads. I remembered a lathe restoration video where they hammer the spindle through the gears. I tried this and quickly realised that I've crushed the first three threads on the end of the spindle so the end cap thing doesn't screw on now.

Is there a correct method to take this part apart and have I ruined the lathe?

 

[pdentrem]

The spindle is fixable. Once the back plate is removed, a new triangular file will clean up the threads. The file has to be a regular one with 120degrees between sides giving you 60 degree at the peak matching the thread shape.

 

[pdentrem]

As for the backing plate, use a little heat. Propane torch or even a heat gun on the hub of the plate not the spindle.

 

[matthewsx]

First, stop bashing on it.

Try one of the other methods, heat, better penetrating oil, long lever with weight on the end, etc.

There are tons of threads on here about removing chucks, worst case you turn it off and it’ll be chips.

Biggest thing is patience, I had one once and it took weeks of trying before it finally came off.

John

 

[MIkalourus]

Hey thanks for the replies I'll try that on the chuck tomorrow, just a light heat with a propane torch? Any idea how I get the spindle out? That's how I bashed the end, I've seen videos where they hammer the spindle through the gears, etc. Is that the way to do it without backing the threads? Or do I get the plate off and hammer it through that way?

 

[MIkalourus]

Or should I just leave it alone?

 

[matthewsx]

Anything that involves hammering is to be avoided.

Propane may, or may not get hot enough, I’d leave the spindle in there unless you have a replacement ready. It will be harder to get off without the mass of the lathe to hold it.

If I had to do it again I’d go with the lever and weight method. You lock the spindle into place which can be done with a well placed wood wedge or one of the 3D printed jigs. Then attach a long lever to the chuck or faceplate and hang a bucket of heavy scrap or whatever from the end of the lever.

Then you walk away, only suspend the bucket a foot or so off the floor so it doesn’t come apart when the chuck lets loose.

Lots of guys on here have had good success doing this, and it requires very little effort.

Again, patience….

John

 

[Weldingrod1]

I'm pretty sure the far left gear has to come off first. You should figure out which model it is and see about photos/ instructions on what the bare spindle looks like.

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

 

[markba633csi]

Hammers and precision machinery seldom play well together
Penetrating oil, heat and leverage are the best tools to remove stuck chucks and backplates

Often, spindles can be removed by means of a puller tool which can be home made using hefty threaded rod with nuts and washers
sometimes also some bar stock and/or pieces of large pipe to spread the force

 

[matthewsx]

Disassembly would be my last choice. If nothing else works, turn it off. Which will require it being assembled and a motor attached.

John