Stuck Quill Locks on Atlas QC54 Tail Stock

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GerryS

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Jul 26, 2018
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Hello,
I am a rank beginner to this.

The quill on the tailstock turns, but with great difficulty. It seems the quill locks are stuck mostly closed. I can't get the quill out because once off the thread it is too tight to pull.
Any suggestions on how to free the quill locks? I think they have sat for a long time not in use as the guy mostly did small pieces using the chuck on this lathe for decades.

Thank you.

[I made this over in Atlas, I don't see a way to delete it here. Sorry.]
 
I guess I would start with a 50/50 mix of acetone and automatic transmission fluid. Soak anything you can get to. Loosen the lock screw and tap on it with a soft hammer or punch. Then try to work the quill in and out. Eventually it should loosen up.
 
Hello,
Thank you. That is what I have been trying to do although I have been squirting it in as I didn't want to lose the original paint. I am not sure the fluid is getting in between as it is so tight. I just put some more in. Do you think soaking would work?
I will keep trying. I am new to this and afraid to break anything.
 
It depends on the locking mechanism. Some lathe use a split clamp which is tightened by the locking screw. Tapping on the screw would loosen the bottom half but do nothing for the top half. If the screw were removed, it might be possible to insert a hook and pull the upper clamp. If the tailstock is splot, a simple wedge in the slot would work.

Aside from the lock, consider that the key which prevents the quill from rotating is distorted and is preventing free travel. This happened on my 602 lathe.

To remove the stuck quill after disengagement of the lead screw, clamp the quill in the headstock chuck and with some judicious tapping on the tailstock. it should come out. You could also remove the lead scre and insert a rod into the quill socket to drive it out.
 
Thank you.
What should I wrap around the quill in the chuck to keep it from getting marred?
The lead screw only screws out so far (a little passed the key insert) and then seems to be stuck on the cap on the back of the tailstock.
Is the key the same as that set screw on the bottom? (I am very new to this.)
 
On one of my 618's, the clamp pieces were made from the Zmac or whatever its called, and bond up tight. I ended up taking the lock lever out, and screwing a screw into the bottom half, and pounding it loose. Then I could get the quill out. Ended up drilling and breaking up the top clamp. Did not matter, as neither was usable. Made some replacements out of aluminum. I thought about using a helicoil in the bottom half, to give the threads a longer lease on life, but they have been fine without it.
 
Hello,
Thanks.
>>Then I could get the quill out. Ended up drilling and breaking up the top clamp. Did not matter, as neither was usable. Made some replacements out of aluminum.<<
Good to know it is an option. As I am brand new, I am not sure I could machine the parts. But one day I should be able to do so.
 
Do you have a hydraulic press? Sometimes consistent force from a press works a lot better than a hammer. I just had an MT2 taper stuck in my rotary table. I bent a 3/8in bolt trying to hammer this out. I then used the hydraulic press and it is now out.

You are about 2 1/2 hr west of me. If you cannot get this free, we can meet up somewhere on I80 and I will try and get it free, or drill out the screw on my milling machine.
 
Hello,
>>Do you have a hydraulic press?<<
Thank you very much. I often travel to Doylestown PA where my brother lives.
I am thinking about going to a meet up of hobby machinists in Allentown PA on the 18th of August, and then down to my brothers. So I will be making a sweep down through PA in a few weekends.
May I message you my information?
 
GerryS said:
Hello,
Thanks.
>>Then I could get the quill out. Ended up drilling and breaking up the top clamp. Did not matter, as neither was usable. Made some replacements out of aluminum.<<
Good to know it is an option. As I am brand new, I am not sure I could machine the parts. But one day I should be able to do so.
Click to expand...
I did it in my early days. I turned the whole piece down to the right diameter. Cut it in half, and cleaned up the ends. Drilled holes in both pieces (Can use the tail stock with out the lock). Tapped the bottom piece. Then added the curved portion by using a sanding drum on the drill press, but could easily chuck the sanding drum in the lathe. Carefully sanded them to match the contour of the quill.

Easy beginners project

Dave Paine said:
Do you have a hydraulic press? Sometimes consistent force from a press works a lot better than a hammer. I just had an MT2 taper stuck in my rotary table. I bent a 3/8in bolt trying to hammer this out. I then used the hydraulic press and it is now out.

You are about 2 1/2 hr west of me. If you cannot get this free, we can meet up somewhere on I80 and I will try and get it free, or drill out the screw on my milling machine.
Click to expand...
Don't know about the QC54, but on the 618. both pieces have to come out the top, and the bottom of the hole is not open.
 
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