Removing MT2's from PM 3520B tailstock?

[Bernie Meyers]

OK, I must be overlooking something simple. My Jet 1220 had a nice feature.. a self-ejecting tailstock. When you reversed the tailstock's feed to it's zero point, whatever morse taper you were using was automatically ejected. That worked great.. Now that I have the PM 3520B, I find it very difficult to remove my live centers, etc. Powermatic provides a nice knockout rod that works well for solid MT attachments, but when I use it to remove my live centers it just pops out the replaceable tip, leaving the rest of the live center stuck in the tailstock.

How you you remove your live centers from the PM 3520B without wedging a flathead screwdriver between the tailstock and the MT attachment? (PS: don't try this.. you'll destroy the bearing on the live center.. don't ask me how I know this :mad:)

[Curt Fuller]

The shaft on the morse taper probably isn't long enough for it to automatically eject when you back off the tailstock. You can put a block of wood or something similar between the back edge of the live center and the tailstock while backing off the quill and it should pop it out just fine.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bernie,

My PM3520B doesn't automatically pop the live center out UNLESS the locking handle is slightly turned in. I'll explain.


If I were to back the locking handle for the quill out several turns.....then when I back the quill into the tailstock, it wouldn't eject the MT.


If I lock the quill and then just loosen the quill locking handle enough that the handle on the quill can turn and retract the quill....the live center will eject when there is just slightly less than one inch of quill still sticking out of the tailstock.

In other words, mine works but only if I don't over loosen the quill locking handle/mechanism.

I hope this makes sense.

[John Beaver]

Mine backs off to zero, then kind of sticks. If I turn it a little harder it will go past zero and eject the taper. Sometimes I have to kind of hit the handle lightly with my hand to get it to go farther.

On my old lathe, I made a little piece of wood and stuck it behind the taper and it did the trick. (think of it as an extension of the taper) Might be necessary if your taper isn't long enough.

[Ken Glass]

Bernie,
I have no trouble with mine ejecting a MT#2 either, as long as I do just what Ken does. If I have put a lot of pressure on the taper, it is a little harder to eject it, but not much. You might have a bur or dirt in the tailstock. I would give it a good cleaning throughout the quill. It might help.

[Bill Blasic]

My PM has self ejected anything I've put in the tail stock. Come to think about it the other end has ejected a bowl or two.:D:D

[Jeff Nicol]

I have had no trouble with mine ejecting just fine. Like already said if you really crank on it and jam it in there tight, then it takes a bit of pressure on the handle, so I try not to do that! If it is an aftermarket live center and is shorter like has already been stated that will be the problem.

Good luck

Jeff

[Burt Alcantara]

I'm glad to read this post. I thought my tailstock was damaged because it wouldn't eject. To eject the PM center I have to crank it down to where it stops and give it a hard tap with my palm for that extra fraction.

Curiously, the Woodcraft center just pops out when it hits "zero."

DON'T hit it with a hammer!

[Tony Pridmore]

Bernie,

I made the mistake of using the live center from my Jet 1014 mini lathe on my 3520B. It wouldn't self eject, while the stock live center had been self ejecting without any trouble. The live center from the 1014 is a bit shorter.

To get it out of the quill, I popped the head w/ bearing off the morse taper, then simply extended the quill until it came out of the tailstock. Be sure to hang on to it because I'm sure it could put a nasty ding in the bed.

With the quill out I supported the face of the quill on the jaws of a vise with the arbor (morse taper) between the jaws. I then hammered a dowel from the other side and the arbor popped out. If you resort to this you may be better off resting the quill face on a piece of wood with the arbor placed through a hole in the wood.

Tony