Faceplate seems to be stuck

[Radek Kowalski]

I was turning a bit today using a 2in faceplate from harbor freight on my Jet 1442. I can not take the face plate off now, I guess its just because there is not enough torque on the little circle. Any ideas how to get this off so I don't go crazy without turning? Thanks.

[Jeff Nicol]

Radek, Do you have a pipe wrench or a set of channel locks to get a hold of the faceplate? Or does the faceplate have a hex shape where it spins on the lathe, then you could use a big cresent wrench. Does the Jet have a spindle lock on it also? If not then you may need some one to hold the spindle handle so you can give the wrench a gentle tap with a dead blow hammer to shock the threads a bit. Some times when I am turning and I don't tighten the face plate up good it will tighten up and make it a bear to get off too!

Good luck,

Jeff

[alex carey]

I would connect a lever to the actual faceplate with screws or bolts. That'll give you loads more torque. I had this problem once and that how I solved it.

[Don Carter]

Radek:
Do you have a strap wrench. Sears sells one with an aluminum handle that works pretty well and it is not very expensive.
All the best.

Don

[Harvey M. Taylor]

When you do ger it off, get a plastic milk jug and from a flat side cut a washer to go over the threads and make a 'gasket' so the next time it will come off easily. Craft supplies, and others sell ready-made washers, but I pinch my pennies where I can. Max

[Curt Fuller]

You already received some good suggestions to get it loose. But to keep it from happening again, cut a washer from some thin plastic like plastic milk jug or similar and use that between the faceplate and headstock. Or you can buy a 1" nylon washer at HD or other hardware store. Good luck getting it off, they can really get torqued on sometimes.

[curtis rosche]

make sure you are turning it the right way:D:D;):p i do that once in a while which then makes it harder to get out. just get a big wrench. but then i guess not many people have an 8inch 4ft long 60lbs pipe wrench lieing around do they? if the lathe has a heavy duty spindle lock like the big generals do, spin the face plate in the right direction and push in the spindle lock button so that it hits into place, the bigg generals can do this as their spindle lock is a peice of half inch thick bar stock. dont do it otherwise, smaller might break or bend

[Allen Neighbors]

I would screw an Oak or otherwise hardwood 16" board to the faceplate and hit the end of the wood with a large mallet, a good, sharp, hard blow (try to break the board). It should come loose, even without a locking spindle.