South bend 9" Model A tailstock Screw is stuck in ram.

woodchuckNJ · Jun 10, 2014

I bought a lathe and am reconditioning it.
I pulled the ram out of the tail stock, but I can not turn the screw. It appears to be all the way in, I think.

I have soaked it in blaster penetrating, I have heated the ram and cooled the screw.
I have remounted it in the tailstock and attached the scroll chuck for a good bite, but it's not good enough.

Any ideas on how to free this beast up.

hitandmiss · Jun 10, 2014

It is a Left hand screw and needs to be turned clockwise to loosen it.

Bill

conant · Jun 10, 2014

penetrating oil and time is your best hope. You may free it up by "shocking" the screw. What I mean is exactly what an impact gun does. Tap the end of the screw with something that won't damage the part and likewise with the ram.

Repeat your hot and cold as necessary. I have found that a steady temperature from a heat gun will help draw the penetrating fluid in where it can help.

I use a product called Gibbs Penetrating Fluid. Best I know of.

Gibbs Brand Lubricant at GIBBSBRANDLUBRICANT.COM

Be patient.

Dobermann · Jun 11, 2014

I suspect that the reason it's stuck is due to the fact that the shoulder of the screw is bottomed hard against the back of the ram. By heating the ram and cooling the screw, you have increased the tension in the screw, making it even more impossible to turn the screw. You need to cool the ram and heat the screw to try to reduce the force between the shoulder on the screw and the back of the ram. If it's as I suspect and the screw shoulder is bottomed against the back of the ram, penetrating oil won't help. This is simply a mechanical jam and you'll have to find a way to turn the screw clockwise to back the shoulder away from the back of the ram.

Be patient. You can fix this.

johnoder · Jun 11, 2014

Stick ram/barrel in (big enough) lathe, use parting tool to make a relief centered on the joint which will not hurt anything if done with a little care. This will also tend to unscrew the LH screw

Tony Quiring · Jun 11, 2014

Place it in a container full of paint thinner to penetrate the interface.

While soaking find a nut that almost fits on the screw shaft.

Either drill or bore nut to be snug fit on screw.

Now make key in nut...if drilled key you can use bolt to allow drilling nut.

May need to add setscrew from side of nut into key to make tight.

Now attach nut on screw and use impact wrench in forward to bust it loose.

Tony Quiring · Jun 12, 2014

Another thought...

Wrap a beer can skin around tge screw and clamp it in tge chuck good and tight.

Get the largest bolt that you hsve a socket for and slit the bolt.

Wrap steel strapping around the quil snd through the strap.

Think oil filter wrench...

Use impact wrench to hammer it loose.

Make sure no gears are engaged...back gear out and drive train off.

Just hold chuch with spare hand.

kitno455 · Jun 12, 2014

Remember, its wrong-hand thread before you put an impact wrench on it

allan

woodchuckNJ · Jun 17, 2014

Thanks guys. I have exhausted all except for cutting the shoulder back.
Once I rebuild this lathe I will do that, it makes sense, and a little off the top

won't hurt...

bradjacob · Jun 18, 2014

Wood chuck - If you're close, you can swing by my shop and we'll get it out.

And like others have said, the threads are left hand. The screw can be rusted in place or just tightly binded in place.

If we were in my shop, I'd (first) resign to the fact, that you'll loose the screw. They're cheap and readily available...

I'd try one of two things:

1. Chuck up the SCREW into my lathe. Then use a strap wrench to go around the quill. This would most LIKELY give us the leverage needed to break the stubborn bond.
2. Clamp the quill (in my wooden vise) and use a pipe-wrench or vise-grips to unscrew the screw.

Let me know.

stonehaven · Jun 18, 2014

What i would do, is try Johnoder suggestion to see if it works. Failing that, i would put a piece of keystock in keyway held by hose clamp, then chuck it up with keyway up against 1 jaw to stop barrell from turning. Put lathe in back gear. Get 24 in. of 2 x 1/4 flat bar and drill hole same size as shaft and weld to end of shaft, and unscrew. Dress up end of shaft afterwards. If force is too much that keyway damage is going to happen, you might have to cut shaft out and buy new shaft, as Bradjacob suggested.

Dobermann · Jun 19, 2014

Whoa there!! If you do as suggested with a 24" flat bar to gain leverage to unthread the screw, two things could happen....well OK, 3 things. One, the screw might become un-stuck. That would be a good result. Two, you could break a tooth or two off your back gears. The back gears, while convenient, should NEVER be used as a means to lock the spindle. It's just asking for trouble. Three, since we all agree that the screw is a left hand thread, applying a large torque with the flat bar will tend to un-thread the tailstock screw, but it will TIGHTEN the chuck on the spindle of your lathe and you could very well move to a case of having both a tailstock screw and a chuck thread jammed so tight you can't get either of them apart. The lathe itself should not be participating in the exercise to get the tailstock screw apart!

woodchuckNJ · Jun 21, 2014

yea I kind of agree with Dobermann.
I'll do the back cut. I have already pretty much tried what bradjacob recommended on my own.
It ain't movin.

I have another issue. that I'm about to post... about cleaning the gear changer housing oil journals. Hope you guys can help.

bradjacob · Jun 21, 2014

woodchuckNJ said:
yea I kind of agree with Dobermann.
I'll do the back cut. I have already pretty much tried what bradjacob recommended on my own.
It ain't movin.

I have another issue. that I'm about to post... about cleaning the gear changer housing oil journals. Hope you guys can help.

We can, post away

Jameswood · May 9, 2023

I'm a bit late to this forum. I've had multiple quills and rams (advance screws) bind up on my Delta Midi Lathe. I've always ordered new ones. I decided to try some of your suggestions on my stuck ones as I had nothing to lose. I put the quill in a wood vise and applied my grandfather's 24" pipe wrench to the ram (advance screw) turning it in the correct direction I managed to turn the beast out of the quill. Holding the screw up for inspection I noticed the end was very slightly thicker. A ruler laid across the treads helped to see this. With nothing to lose again I ground the thickness down and then chased the threads with a triangle file. Oiled it up and screwed it back into the quill. It worked! Took an hour to do my three stuck quills and a new one is on the way via a replacement part company. Anyone need refurbished quills with advance screws for Delta Midi Lathes? Thanks for the suggestions.

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South bend 9" Model A tailstock Screw is stuck in ram.

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