Sticking faceplate!

[Oakbear]

Hi guys, i have just spent a pleasant morning turning a few bowls on my old Arundel, using the faceplate (I'm saving for a chuck!).

Now on my last effort i noticed that the screws had worked a bit loose, so switched it off and went to remove the faceplate......but it's stuck fast!
I mean really fast, i can't budge it a bit.
(I'm sure it's not cross threaded, and both threads were clean bar a bit of 3 in 1 when i put it on.)
There seems to be nothing to grab onto to apply any counter-force. It has a reverse thread/outboard, but it's all cylindrical so hard to grip.

HELP!!!!:shock:

Ahem, i mean, anybody got any tips?

 

[cornucopia]

:lol: it sounds daft but tap it with a wooden mallet- it will loosen of eventually. is there any way to wedge the spindle and make a temp lock? as that might also help. for future refernece you need a nylon washer on the plate side.

 

[Oakbear]

Cheers dude!

Nylon washer! Yes that would make a good deal of sense!

I'm off to bash, err tap it with a mallet...
I'll try some kind of wedge too. The reverse thread has a hollow for boring so there scope there i think.

Keep the tips coming folks, i may need them!

On a related note, the tailstock is a non-rotating type, and may be fixed, but looks stuck.
At some point i'd like to replace it with a rotating type, so more 'freeing well stuck old lathe joints' tips would be handy!

 

[TobyB]

On my Arundel Junior I had the same problem - I used a molegrip on the outboard side as a way of locking the rotation to get the plate off ...

 

[TEP]

Hi Oakbear, I'm with Corny on this one. Both my lathes have a washer on the spindle made from the side of a plastic milk carton, I never take them off. The plastic is nice and thin and now't sticks to it. Use it when you get your chuck as well it makes life a lot easier.

 

[penman]

Hi Oakbear

Had a similar problem with the screws in my SuperNova chuck. Once I got the screws out I sprayed the threads with copper grease and have had no problem since.
I see you are in Nottingham if you want to borrow the can of copper grease give me a PM and we can arrange for you to get it.

Malcolm

PS the grease is designed to stop threads from jamming.

 

[Turn It In]

Hi Oakbear,
If you are still having problems getting the face plate off you could bolt on a suitable length of hard wood so that it protrudes far enough to either reach the bench that the lathe is fixed to or the lathe bed. Then with the power disconnected so long as you can get hold of the drive belt and rotate the lathe in the reverse direction to impact the wood bolted to the face plate with the bench or bed ways.
This will provide a considerable rotational force and may free the most stubborn of threads. I usually have to do this to unscrew the 12 inch chucks of my Wilson engineering lathe.
Good advice from Malcolm with the copper lease or even a drop of oil on the threads can help.
Good look with your turning, no one tells you that these things can happen but thats life, nothing is straight forward!
Regards,
Ian

 

[Oakbear]

Thanks very much folks!

I finally got it unstuck utilising a pair of molegrips and the father-in-law!
Nylon washers now purchased, so hopefully that'll sort it!
I have to say it was a great relief, as i couldn't do it on my own.

Malcolm, cheers for the kind offer, but i think my sister has some lurking around in her shed i can nick.


Thanks again,

Ryan