Noobie Question

[xmaddchillx]

How do I get the faceplate off my headstock. Its on extremely tight I got a 1-1/4 wrench but how do I keep the headstock from spinning? Is there some sort of special wrench for that?

 

[Pen Maker]

mine came with a tamping pin to break free the mandrel, chucks, etc. Look for a hole behind the faceplate. Use the tamp pin together with the wrench.

 

[xmaddchillx]

I got a "knock out rod" i saw the holes. Tried that.. bent the rod. lol

 

[Pen Maker]

your doing it right! Gonna need some WD40. Probably got wood dust in the threads or something binding? Visually Inspect it.

 

[Rudy Vey]

Does your spindle has some flat areas where you could hold it with a wrench or do you have a spindle lock?? Then you can hold the spindle and use another wrench on the faceplate. In case you get it loose, you may consider putting a large plastic washer between the faceplate and the end of your spindle - you can buy them, or make them yourself from lids of a margarine or yoghurt container.

 

[stolicky]

The key is to locking the spindle, somehow, and then getting a hold of the plate to turn it. I cheap strap wrench will usually work pretty good.

 

[TellicoTurning]

some lathes have a locking lever or button... my Ridgid had a pin that you could turn and drop to "lock" the head stock, my Jet 1442 has a button on the front that you hold down and it "locks" the headstock.. then use the wrench.
I have a small faceplate with no flats for the wrench, I have to take it off with channel lock pliers.

 

[JimB]

Does your spindle has some flat areas where you could hold it with a wrench or do you have a spindle lock?? Then you can hold the spindle and use another wrench on the faceplate. In case you get it loose, you may consider putting a large plastic washer between the faceplate and the end of your spindle - you can buy them, or make them yourself from lids of a margarine or yoghurt container.

This will really help you a lot. I battled a face plate for a good 30 minutes on my really old lathe that doesn't have anything to stop the spindle. Once I got it off I made a washer and problem solved. I made mine from cardbord (from the back of a pad of paper) as suggested by someone from Woodcraft. Solved the whole problem.

 

[TellicoTurning]

This will really help you a lot. I battled a face plate for a good 30 minutes on my really old lathe that doesn't have anything to stop the spindle. Once I got it off I made a washer and problem solved. I made mine from cardbord (from the back of a pad of paper) as suggested by someone from Woodcraft. Solved the whole problem.

Yes, I heard this suggestion on IAP some months back, maybe from you Jim, but took it to heart... I had some old scrap leather that I cut a washer from and put over the headstock spindle threads... makes taking face plates and chucks much easier to remove.

 

[ssajn]

Use a strap wrench on the wheel of the headstock and a wrench on the face plate, should come off with little effort. Just a piece of paper between the headstock and face plate will help to remove it next time.