taking a cam lock chuck off

[bearcar1]

If it is in fact grease that has 'locked' the chuck on the spindle a gentle application of heat from a non-combustible heat source would help to soften said grease. WD40 is not really that strong of a solvent to do much good, especially blocked cracks and crevices. A product called PB Blaster is a very good solvent and is very combustible. It is widely used by the car groups to get rusted fasteners loose. Use a heat lamp first and then apply the PB Blaster. You may have to apply it several times and let it soak overnight, applying some moderate blows with a large rubber mallet, nothing too crazy but it will help the PBB to wick into the sealed up gap.


BC1
Jim

 

[Jadecy]

I'm assuming this is a D1-4 with 3 cam locks. Since you say you've done it many times I am going to assume that the the unlock marks are aligned. That does seem very odd that it is not releasing. Mine comes off relatively easy once all locks are released.

Do you have oxidation issues on other items in your shop? Did you get some loctite or something similar on the mating surfaces by accident?

You might want to try something more agressive than WD40 before you try smacking it. Try your local auto parts store for something like "PB Blaster" or some other releasing/penetrating solvent.

If you do have to hit it use a dead blow hammer, plastic hammer, or rubber hammer and be sure to cover your ways with a pieace of wood. Do not hit the chuck with a metal hammer!



Ya beat me Jim. I posted just after you! ;D

 

[bearcar1]

I noticed that too Jad'. Great minds ??? think alike? Rof}

BC1
Jim

 

[GailInNM]

I had one that was a little bit stubborn once. I think that some crud had fallen off the chuck as I had probably not cleaned the chuck well enough before mounting it.

I put a piece of one inch or so bar stock in the chuck that was long enough to reach through the head stock. Tightened the chuck firmly and then tapped the bar stock with a dead blow hammer. Came right off and the bar stock kept it from falling on to the bed of the lathe. Only took a gentle tap. No pounding.

Gail in NM,USA

 

[New_Guy]

some good ideas here thanks guy. the lathe is new and this is the first time taking the chuck off since it was put on in china ??? i have a bit of wood under the chuck and a bar clamped in the jaws ill try and hit it through the spindle (with a friend holding the other end ) ill also try the heat lamp tomorrow. the strongest stuff i have is Kerosene so ill give it a spray tonight to soak and hopefully it should seep in somewhat and ill try getting it off tomorrow

 

[Davo J]

My D14 chucks always need a firm tap from behind with the rubber hammer to release it off the taper. If it sticking on the taper it is a good thing as you know it is properly seating which is important to reputability of the chuck. I recently bought a spare seconed hand D14 4 jaw chuck and it would not pull up with the cams and left a gap (even though it fitted the blokes lathe that I bought it off) so I had to carefully bore out until it was tight on the taper when the cams pulled up to the face .Goes to show not all D14s are the same dimensions. I am glad it was not the other way around as I would have had to take meat off the back of the chuck. So keep a $2 rubber hammer close by you will use it each chuck change. Dave

 

[steamer]

D14's when made and fitted correctly are a interferance fit on the taper while docking to the vertical face when the pins pull it home. This arrangement creates one of the most ridgid chuck mountings ever designed and is very reliable. It is possible though to either get a chip under the taper or perhaps a bit of moisture that may cause them to stick. If it were me, I would put a small piece of plywood over the ways to protect them from a falling chuck, good idea regardless, and give the loosened chuck a tap with a rubber faced hammer. It should come off.

Dave

 

[shred]

I occasionally have to give my D1-5 chuck a light tap with a rubber mallet to get it to spring free. It can seem totally stuck, but a light thump pops it loose.

 

[New_Guy]

tried to get it off just before by putting a pipe in the jaws and tapping it through the back of the spindle this didn't work it is a D1-4 chuck by the way i didnt say that before. on a closer look at the spindle face there is paint on it!!!!!! and im sure they spilled some on the front face so im sure thats my problem. ill give it another try but im not sure if it will come off

Edit: a little while after this post me and a friend tried again this time i wacked the pipe and after some tightening of the jaws and more brute force it poped off ;D i inspected the mounting faces of the spindle and chuck, they both had some paint on them but not much. im thinking it could be that the chuck is tight fitting on it and being covered in oil for so many months it just stuck.

 

[Davo J]

Glad to hear you got it off sometimes it’s a bit scary dismantling something expensive and new to you as you don’t want to damage anything. Now it’s off clean the paint off with some thinners or something similar. The surfaces should be spotless clean when you put the chuck on then you should not have any problems in the future. Dave

 

[steamer]

Good!

Now get yourself a razor blade and carefully scrape the paint on both surfaces. The tolerances on a D mount are tenths, and that could definitely cause a jam. Once your done with that, you should be good to go!

Dave

 

[bearcar1]

Happy days! woohoo1 Now clean it up and start making a mess of shavings :big:


BC1
Jim