Stuck mandrel saver solution

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bigevilgrape

bigevilgrape

Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2012
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61
Location
Central CT
I got my mandrel saver stuck in my tail stock. It wouldn't eject from my rikon mini as it was suposed to. I came over hear and saw that it was a common problem. I saw a bunch of solutions, but not this one. I took a thin wrench (the one that came with my lathe for the tailstock) and put it between the tail stock and the mandrel saver. When I tightened the tail stock it poped the mandrel saver out. It also works if you place your knock out bar perpendicular to the bed and put it between the saver and tail stock. Hopefully that may help someone else.
 
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bigevilgrape said:
I got my mandrel saver stuck in my tail stock. It wouldn't eject from my rikon mini as it was suposed to. I came over hear and saw that it was a common problem. I saw a bunch of solutions, but not this one. I took a thin wrench (the one that came with my lathe for the tailstock) and put it between the tail stock and the mandrel saver. When I tightened the tail stock it poped the mandrel saver out. It also works if you place your knock out bar perpendicular to the bed and put it between the saver and tail stock. Hopefully that may help someone else.
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A word of caution on using something to pry it out. I believe that is how I ruined my first one. Had some horrible noise and checked with the indicator and was not running true. My solution was to take a 1/2' nut, round off the corners and grind down to match the taper end and epoxied it the end of the taper. Ejects everytime now.
 
I do the same thing using a carbide pen tool in the space between the mandrel saver and the tailstock. Works great.
 
When you put something in there and then back out the tail stock, the danger is that you load the bearing in a direction it was not designed for, especially if it is cocked.

Jake
 
RetiredJake said:
When you put something in there and then back out the tail stock, the danger is that you load the bearing in a direction it was not designed for, especially if it is cocked.

Jake
Click to expand...

That's why he used a wrench, so there is support from two opposite sides of the mandrel saver. Good warning for those inclined to pick up a screwdriver and pry it off!
 
I should have mentioned in my previous post that I was using a piece of hardboard with a half circle cut out. I'd slip the cut out between the mandrel saver and the tail stock and back it out as described by the OP. Thus after time damaging the mandrel saver. After futher investigation I found that the taper was not long enough causing it to not want to eject. That is why I added the piece on the end of the taper.
 
I have the same lathe, same mandrel saver and HAD the same problem. Try this: the mandrel saver has several black 7mm slimline bushings that came with it. Put one black bushing in the right opening of the tailstock. Gently tap the black with the tool you normally use to remove a live center. A few repeats and the mandrel saver is out.

Plan B - Find a drill bit the same size as the outside of the 7mm slimline bushing and repeat the gentle tapping with the removal tool. I have a very, very long drill bit from Harbor Freight that fits well.

Both of these methods work every day for me.
 
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