cinematechnic
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2005
- Location
- Walnut Creek, CA
Happy Easter fellows...
I'm hoping to again lean on the great expertise and wisdom that resides in this forum.
I've had almost all my business go away, as have many of you, and I've been dealing with the current CCP Virus situation by trying to make a batch of parts so that when business conditions improve I have some completed product in stock.
I have a Hardinge HLV-H with 4º taper nose, and a 5" 3-Jaw 30AHC chuck "Made in England". I got the chuck used and I have no idea how it was used in the past.
After turning, drilling and grooving several aluminum parts, the chuck would not come off the spindle. It was STUCK.
I'm not sure how happened, and I hope someone can suggest possible causes. Before I go any further: I ALWAYS make sure the 4º nose is clean and give it a shot of T9 or Vactra oil before mounting anything to it. And I NEVER over tighten.
I've been using this lathe for nearly 3 years and this has never happened in that time.
I have been using the method of holding one jaw near the edge with an adjustable wrench to remove the chuck. Would not budge.
I used more force than usual...Would not budge... I switched to a bigger wrench... Would not budge... I hit it with a dead blow hammer... Would not budge... Bigger dead blow hammer... Would not budge... Penetrating oil on the spindle and through the hole for the pin... Would not budge... Heated the chuck mounting plate with a torch while spinning slowly... Would not budge...
I was contemplating spending the Easter holiday pretending to take the day off all the while only being able to think about this problem.
Then I got the idea that worked: My neighbor where I have my workshop is a woodworker. I asked if he could make me some wedges. He already had some big maple shims.
I removed the pin from the back plate and carefully drove the two maple wedges in and eventually the chuck came off.
The chuck still operates but now the scroll action binds at certain points. It does not bind completely but gets much tighter at the binding point. The worst binding point seems to be at the point where the ends of the internal jaws are near the edge of the chuck.
Buying a new chuck, or even a decent used chuck is not an option right now. Need to hang on to $$ like a miser until business conditions improve.
QUESTIONS:
What could have caused the chuck mount to get stuck?
I have some suspicion that the pin (at the end of the modified set screw) was somehow a possible cause. The pin is worn and I had turned it make it near round again. But I don't have dimensions for what the size/shape of the end of that pin should be.
Was there a better method of dealing with the stuck chuck?
(I wish I had gone with the wood wedges first)
Is the chuck ruined? Or is there something I can do to repair it?
Does the binding affect accuracy?
Thanks!!!
I'm hoping to again lean on the great expertise and wisdom that resides in this forum.
I've had almost all my business go away, as have many of you, and I've been dealing with the current CCP Virus situation by trying to make a batch of parts so that when business conditions improve I have some completed product in stock.
I have a Hardinge HLV-H with 4º taper nose, and a 5" 3-Jaw 30AHC chuck "Made in England". I got the chuck used and I have no idea how it was used in the past.
After turning, drilling and grooving several aluminum parts, the chuck would not come off the spindle. It was STUCK.
I'm not sure how happened, and I hope someone can suggest possible causes. Before I go any further: I ALWAYS make sure the 4º nose is clean and give it a shot of T9 or Vactra oil before mounting anything to it. And I NEVER over tighten.
I've been using this lathe for nearly 3 years and this has never happened in that time.
I have been using the method of holding one jaw near the edge with an adjustable wrench to remove the chuck. Would not budge.
I used more force than usual...Would not budge... I switched to a bigger wrench... Would not budge... I hit it with a dead blow hammer... Would not budge... Bigger dead blow hammer... Would not budge... Penetrating oil on the spindle and through the hole for the pin... Would not budge... Heated the chuck mounting plate with a torch while spinning slowly... Would not budge...
I was contemplating spending the Easter holiday pretending to take the day off all the while only being able to think about this problem.
Then I got the idea that worked: My neighbor where I have my workshop is a woodworker. I asked if he could make me some wedges. He already had some big maple shims.
I removed the pin from the back plate and carefully drove the two maple wedges in and eventually the chuck came off.
The chuck still operates but now the scroll action binds at certain points. It does not bind completely but gets much tighter at the binding point. The worst binding point seems to be at the point where the ends of the internal jaws are near the edge of the chuck.
Buying a new chuck, or even a decent used chuck is not an option right now. Need to hang on to $$ like a miser until business conditions improve.
QUESTIONS:
What could have caused the chuck mount to get stuck?
I have some suspicion that the pin (at the end of the modified set screw) was somehow a possible cause. The pin is worn and I had turned it make it near round again. But I don't have dimensions for what the size/shape of the end of that pin should be.
Was there a better method of dealing with the stuck chuck?
(I wish I had gone with the wood wedges first)
Is the chuck ruined? Or is there something I can do to repair it?
Does the binding affect accuracy?
Thanks!!!