How to get them out?

[mattcullum]

My 4 prong drive centre came, and I had a quick play. One question how do you remove the drive centre from the head stock after using it? I guess the same question applys to the tail stock.

Seems like a daft question I know, my other question is how do you size the drive centre to the work? I am pretty sure I have bought one too small for the spindles I want to turn.

...and while I'm here.. are there any woodturning courses in the suffolk area? I'm struggling a bit..

Thanks guys!

Matt

 

[loz]

Hi Matt,

Not sure what lathe you have, but you should either be able to use a rod through the spindle from the left and eject the drive with a lighth mallet tap, or if you have a lathe like mine, you should be using a thread protector, this will unscrew and in turn eject the drive,

not aware any max dia ( balanced ) for between centre work with 4 prong drives ! though i might use a faceplate on anything more than 4 inches.

Regs

Loz

 

[Bodrighy]

If you have a hollow headstock you should also have a rod that is used to knock out the drive. If however you have a solid headstock you should have a thread protector, a nut that is screwed onto the thread before inserting the morse taper. This is then unscrewed to push the drive out. The tail stock should be hollow and the rod used to knock the tail out. Gebnnerally apeaking you use a drive (4 or 2 prong) for smaller spindle work. anything over about 2 or 3" should be done with a faceplate. It also depends on the wood. Soft wood doesn't always grip that well with a drive.

Hope this helps

Pete

Too slow again :lol:

 

[mattcullum]

Darn it! Meant to mention the lathe

Its a Coronet No1......Its doesn;t seem to have a hole all the way through,so I'm guessing a thread protector it is...

Where do I get one of them then? Just when you think your getting a grip on this theres something else you don't know about!!!

 

[Bodrighy]

I have one of them. You should have a thread protector. As I have also done this when I first got it I used a piece of wood andf a hammer. Be hgentle though as ypu don't want to damage the morse taper. If you haven't got a thread protector you can get them in most of the stores or on flea bay.

Pete

 

[loz]

Too slow again :lol:

Im just delighted that i got to answer a question !

You should have got a thread protector with the lathe, - when u look at the spindle ( that your drive is inserted into ) , do you see external thread, or something covering it ? -

 

[mattcullum]

just bare thread...so I guess I am a thread protector down, this hobby is making me poor!!

 

[big soft moose]

just bare thread...so I guess I am a thread protector down, this hobby is making me poor!!

you can probably get them out by clamping a mole wrench on then gentle tapping with a mallet - dont clamp it too hard though as you dont want it to pinch the centre.

 

[loz]

just bare thread...so I guess I am a thread protector down, this hobby is making me poor!!

Only one i could find, unless someone was a spare one.

http://www.powertooldirect.co.uk/record_power_cwa170_threaded_projector_centre_ejecto-p-88928.html

Loz



edit - sorry discontinued.

Im sure if you gve record power a call/email they;d be able to get you one.

 

[loz]

Here you go Matt,

www.thstools.co.uk

and the item is cwa170 - and can be seen in here

http://www.thstools.co.uk/web/Data/PublicCatalogueSections/16_WOODWORKING.pdf

12 quid

 

[mattcullum]

Mercy me!! 20 quid and its discountinued!

Shakes head and wanders off to bed........

 

[Paul.J]

I remember having this problem with the DML24 i had which did have a thread protector,and just got in the way when the drive got stuck.
I used to use an open ended spanner that fitted nicely round the drive and just tapped the spanner with an hammer,turning it by hand as i done so,so i was tapping either side of it.
This was one of the things that annoyed me about the lathe :roll:

 

[TEP]

Hi Matt.

Best if you contacted Record Tools, I'm sure they could help.

If not. If you can find someone with a welder thread protectors are easy to make. Nut with compatible thread, and either a large washer, or a piece of steel welded to one end. Just make sure the hole is small enough to catch the rear of the drive centres.

 

[duncanh]

Gebnnerally apeaking you use a drive (4 or 2 prong) for smaller spindle work. anything over about 2 or 3" should be done with a faceplate. It also depends on the wood. Soft wood doesn't always grip that well with a drive.

Pete - would you really use a faceplate for something of only 3" (let alone 2")? I couldn't really say what the maximum I've turned with drives is, but it's well over that. And I often do my first mounting of a bowl with drive centres.

Obviously, as with most things turning related, it comes down to what you're comfortable with.

When I do use a faceplate it's often my converted one, to which I've added 3 spurs to do the driving, so I don't need to screw it in place.

Duncan

 

[Bodrighy]

Hi Duncan. Peronally I would use a drive for much bigger things but as we are talking to someone who is only just starting I was playing safe. I have never seen any guidelines about size etc and assume that I am doing it the wrong way :lol:
I have to admit I rarely use a face plate as it is so much hassle taking and putting the thing on and off but as the smallest one I have is 3" dias. I assumesd that was a reasonable size to plump for.

Pete

 

[NickWelford]

I now mostly use a 4 prong drive sitting in my chuck - no probelms with it and it saves time. I do use a thread protector for other morse attachments, aven though my spindle is hollow, I have an indexing attachment on the outboard end which prevents knocking through.

 

[mattcullum]

As always thanks to everyone for there comments, since they are so simple, sounds like it is time to break out my welder. Now all I need to do is find a nut the right size!

Best Regards

Matthew

 

[big soft moose]

Gebnnerally apeaking you use a drive (4 or 2 prong) for smaller spindle work. anything over about 2 or 3" should be done with a faceplate. It also depends on the wood. Soft wood doesn't always grip that well with a drive.

Pete - would you really use a faceplate for something of only 3" (let alone 2")? I couldn't really say what the maximum I've turned with drives is, but it's well over that. And I often do my first mounting of a bowl with drive centres.

Obviously, as with most things turning related, it comes down to what you're comfortable with.

When I do use a faceplate it's often my converted one, to which I've added 3 spurs to do the driving, so I don't need to screw it in place.

Duncan

by contrast ive been turning for 9 years and only very rarely use my drives as i just dont like them - I mainly do bowls etc anyway but even on the occasional spindle i tend to hold the stock in my chuck and bring up a live centre on the tail stock.

before i had the chuck if it was too small for the faceplate i used a screw chuck.

 

[greybeard]

A note for the future.....because sometimes it's a really tough wossname to get the drive out even when you do have a thread protector fitted (DAMHIKT!)....Do you have easy access to the pulleys on the drive shaft?
If so can you see/feel the bit of the shaft between the pulleys and the headstock bearing housing? Reason for asking is that there may be a 'flat' (don't know the technical term for it!) on the shaft which enables you to pop a spanner on and brace it against the housing. That immobilises the shaft (that gives you a fighting chance!).
And then you can unwind the protector, gently!, with molegrips or (as I do) with a generously proportioned adjustable spanner - the bigger the easier - and out pops the seemingly welded in place pronged drive.
It's worth trying to keep the shaft interior as clear/clean as you can - a buildup of crud in there makes for a strikingly effective 'glue'!

 

[toolsntat]

A note for the future.....because sometimes it's a really tough wossname to get the drive out even when you do have a thread protector fitted (DAMHIKT!)....Do you have easy access to the pulleys on the drive shaft?
If so can you see/feel the bit of the shaft between the pulleys and the headstock bearing housing? Reason for asking is that there may be a 'flat' (don't know the technical term for it!) on the shaft which enables you to pop a spanner on and brace it against the housing. That immobilises the shaft (that gives you a fighting chance!).
And then you can unwind the protector, gently!, with molegrips or (as I do) with a generously proportioned adjustable spanner - the bigger the easier - and out pops the seemingly welded in place pronged drive.
It's worth trying to keep the shaft interior as clear/clean as you can - a buildup of crud in there makes for a strikingly effective 'glue'!

Have this problem at the moment and this could be the answer.....
Cheers
Andy