Hi,
I recently bought an old general lathe, and everything works great, except i can’t seem to get the drive center out. I’ve tried giving it a sharp wack from in behind and i’ve tried soaking it with some oil to try and loosen it up, but i just can’t seem to get it to come out. If anybody has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated, I’d like to try turning a bowl but with the drive center stuck I can’t get a face plate on. Thank you.
John
Replies
On some lathes, there is an elongated slot, a wedged shaped key is tapped in to loosen the drive center. If you don't have a slot, try some heat from a propane torch.
Gently and with Great Patience.
John,
If the center is badly rusted in place it can be a bear to get loose. Do not use a torch, you will risk melting the seals and cooking the grease in the head bearing. Your machine is very unlikely have the key slot someone else mentioned.
The slow and easy approach is the safest. Douse it with penetrating oil, using a spray can with a tube to get to the back end of the center in the bore. Then tap lightly, but sharply, on the sides of the center all the way around with a brass hammer. You are trying to flex the center in the bore to work the penetrating oil into the seam. Also tap on the back of the center with a steel bar through the bore to again try to get oil worked into the seam. The bar should be just a bit smaller in diameter than the inside diameter of the bore to keep it as stiff as possible. Heavy hammering can damage your bearings - go easy and be patient.
Keep adding oil and tapping around the center and on the back of it for several minutes at a time, several times a day and with any luck the center will eventually come loose, I wouldn't give up hope until you have worked on it a few dozen times over the course of a week.
Once you get it loose, cleaning it up without doing further damage to the bore, or yourself, will also be a challenge. Check back when it comes loose.
Good Luck
Well just when i'd given up, out walks my boss determined to fix my lathe for me, and with a couple light taps, out popped the center (i guess it was just time). cleaned it up, cleaned up the bore, and on the third attempt (thank god for the face sheild on the first two...lol) I finally have my first succesful bowl, its nothing amazing but I learned alot from the first two failed attempts and I'm pretty proud of me little candy dish. Anyway I just wanted to thank everyone for the helpfull sugestions. and any other advice or suggestion when it comes to turning bowls or really anything to do with lathe work would be awesome. I think my next project is going to be a baseball bat, keep it simple.lol.
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