Chuck Removal

S

Spokerider

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Guys,
I have an early vintage Craftsman 101. xxxx lathe......it's the early one with bushings and not Timken bearings.
Anyway, I'd like to remove the 3 jaw chuck, but she's on tight. Currently, it's soaked with PB Blaster.
Dunno when the last owner had it off, or, if the spindle threads were cleaned / lubed before installing it.

Yes, those Zamac gears are fragile. How to best hold the spindle securely when applying torque to the chuck? I have a strap clamp. Use this on the spindle to hold it firmly? Where on the spindle.

Thank you for your thots.
 
You could try a non-metallic strap wrench around the bull gear to hold the spindle and put a 2' or so long 2X4 in the 3-jaw chuck.
 
Place it in the lowest belted speed NOT in back gear.

Place the Chuck key in Chuck with is horizontal facing you.

With left hand pinch the flat belt front to back to make it a brake.

With a large hammer, larger is better, in right hand, gently drop the hammer on the key right where it goes into the Chuck.

If you can use a c clamp to clamp front to back of the drive belt then applying gentle pressure to unscrew Chuck will help.

The large mass of the hammer does the work so slow tap is all that is needed.

That is how it was done in the day.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 
You can lock the spindle by engaging the back gear while leaving the bull gear pin locked in the spindle drive. Then you may apply any sensible means of leverage that you have on hand to wrench the chuck off.
 
Chuck up a socket extension in the chuck & use an IMPACT WRENCH to get it loose.

Put the strap wrench around the spindle in place of a belt. Wind the chuck jaws out beyond the edge of the chuck & smack one with a dead blow hammer

It worked for me after my lathe was under floodwater.
 
pontiac428 said:
You can lock the spindle by engaging the back gear while leaving the bull gear pin locked in the spindle drive. Then you may apply any sensible means of leverage that you have on hand to wrench the chuck off.
Click to expand...
Thats tempting fate with any lathe, Risking suicide with an Atlas. I just saw an Atlas today, with several teeth missing from the bull gear, and back gear assembly.
 
I have had good luck using a strap wrench with a good rubber strap, hex rod, make sure you have the correct socket, and an impact wrench.
 
Thank you all for your suggestions.
It finally came off. A week of soaking with PB Blaster, hex hut and an impact wrench x 2 attempts, heating the chuck adapter with propane, more PB Blaster on the hot parts...…..it finally let go.

The spindle threads look great and not buggered! A nice surprise for sure.
 
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