3520B Tailstock Quill Locking Up

[Burt Alcantara]

This is beginning to happen more frequently. I retract the quill all the way then I can't turn the handle either direction. Most recently, I was using the included live center. I went to remove it to install a chuck. As there was about 1.5" inches out of the tailstock I used the ramrod. It wouldn't budge so I retracted the quill all the way thinking it would auto-eject. Didn't.

Tried the ramrod again. Wouldn't budge. So I pounded on it until it finally came out. Inserted the chuck, drilled my hole then installed a different live center. Same thing. Time to remove the center and everything froze up. I ended up pounding on the handle with a dead-blow mallet which I was not happy about. Even then it took a while before I was able to free the quill.

What gives? Do I have a defective tailstock or is this "common?"

Thanks,
Burt

[Steve Schlumpf]

Burt - sounds like it is time to take things apart and give it a good cleaning/lube. The locking bolt on the side of the tailstock sometimes will go out of track - meaning the quill rotates within the tailstock and will jam things up. Loosen the locking bolt - rotate the quill by hand and see if that doesn't take care of the problem.

[Curt Fuller]

Burt, two things that don't seem right. First, what kind of chuck are you putting in the tailstock? Are you talking about a Jacobs chuck on a more taper? And second, is the live center that's getting stuck just the #2 morse taper that's seated very tight? The reason I ask is I would never use a rod to remove a live center or any other morse taper accessory from the tailstock. I'm not real familiar with the 3520 but on my lathe if I back off the quill all the way it will push the live center out. But I have an old live center with a short morse taper that won't push out so I put a block of wood between it and the tailstock and back the quill off until it pushes it out. I hope that makes sense. Just put the block between the back of the jacobs chuck or the back of the bearing on the live center and the cast iron part of the tailstock. Then when you back off the tailstock spindle it will push out the morse taper. Saves a lot of banging on the ram rod.

[Burt Alcantara]

Curt,
The ramrod is an included item with the 3520B. The chuck was on a morse taper (#2) as well as the live center. The tailstock has the auto-eject feature but I think that is the problem with mine. When I bring the quill back it jams and doesn't eject. I probably need to take the tailstock apart and, as Steve mentioned, give it a good cleaning and alignment.

I was hoping that someone knew what this specific problem was.

Burt

[Dick Sowa]

I agree with Steve. Normal operation should be smooth and easy. Anything less means that something is broken, jammed, or out of alignment. Don't try to force it, or you might cause damage. They aren't that difficult to take apart and reassemble.

[Cyril Griesbach]

Been there with my 3520B, Bert. A good cleaning and some light lube worked for me. Lately I've been giving it a light squirt and wipe with WD40 occasionally which seems to help.

[Jeff Nicol]

Burt, I have been turning on my 3520B for almost 3 years and have never had any trouble with the tailstock. If the taper got that jammed in the tailstock, how much pressure do you put on the live center when you bring it up to the blank? Sounds like the taper is dirty ,worn or scratched or some thing. On all my lathes the tapers come out with out any trouble and I use them just about everyday. Just seems strange to me

Jeff

[phil harold]

Sounds like a job for the GREEN WEENIE

get a morse taper cleaner

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Lathe_Accessories___Morse_Taper_Accessories___Tape r_Mate___taper_mate?Args=

[Dave Rudy]

Burt,

If I understand you correctly, I had a similar problem with my tailstock. Turned out that the allen set screw that rides in the keyway of the quill had backed off (probably from vibration) and allowed the quill to turn, so that the keyway rotated away from the set screw. The set screw then grooved the quill, making it impossible to turn it back. Finally the whole thing stuck hard.

So I suggest that you back off the set screw, remove the quill completely and inspect it for burrs, etc. When I called Powermatic tech support, they immediately shipped me a new quill, n/c although the lathe was more than 6 months old at that point.

HTH

Dave

[Burt Alcantara]

Dave,
I discovered a similar thing. There is a burr on the quill groove that causes the set screw to jam. If I back the quill very gingerly just a tad past that point I can get the quill to work correctly but if I back it all the way then it jams.

I'll try the PM tech support and see if I can get a new quill also.

Thanks for that tip!
Burt