Grizzly G0733 Spindle Problem

[Marty Tippin]

I've got a Grizzly G0733 and have discovered that diameter of the portion of the spindle directly behind the threads is about 1.260" -- which is just a tad too big for my SuperNova2 chuck adapter to fit. The threads themselves are fine, but there's about an inch between the end of the thread and the "shoulder" of the spindle that has that 1.260" OD. The ID of the SuperNova2 chuck adapter is 1.250" so it's just a tad too small. I gather that other accessories (such as the Convertible Spur Center I just bought from Bill at StubbyLathe) are also manufactured to about a 1.250" inside diameter as well, which seems to be the industry standard for use on a 1-1/4"x8TPI spindle.

So I'm trying to figure out whether the spindle on my lathe is a manufacturing error or if this is just the way Grizzly makes their spindles. If anyone happens to have the G0733 and a set of calipers, I'd appreciate hearing what the OD of your spindle is.

The attached photo show (or tries to, anyway) the area of the spindle I'm referring to: 273982

[Brian Kent]

I took a look at the same part on the Grizzly website. It also appears to have a slightly larger thread at the base of the spindle.

[Thom Sturgill]

The Nova adapter seats against the inside of the chuck and the chuck body seats against the END of the spindle not the shoulder. Some third party adapters do not get this right and try to seat against the shoulder, generally causing problems such as run-out. So the first question is do you have a *nova* adapter or a third party adapter? Some Woodcraft stores have been known to sell their store brand adapters instead of the true nova adapter, usually by mistake.

Perhaps someone with that lathe can check theirs, but I suspect your lathe is fine.

[Marty Tippin]

The Nova adapter seats against the inside of the chuck and the chuck body seats against the END of the spindle not the shoulder. Some third party adapters do not get this right and try to seat against the shoulder, generally causing problems such as run-out. So the first question is do you have a *nova* adapter or a third party adapter? Some Woodcraft stores have been known to sell their store brand adapters instead of the true nova adapter, usually by mistake.

Perhaps someone with that lathe can check theirs, but I suspect your lathe is fine.

My insert is from Teknatool.

The instructions for the SuperNova2 indicate that the insert must thread all the way into the chuck body and that the other end of the insert must contact the spindle shoulder. From p. 9 of the manual http://www.teknatool.com/products/chucks/SuperNova2/Downloads/SuperNova2%20Maunal%20full%20version.pdf

[Fred Belknap]

I have the predecessor of the G0733. The shoulder on the spindle was slightly oversize by just enough to freeze the Talon chuck I was using. I used a diamond file and with the motor running I turned the shoulder down to fit. The G0698 and the G0733 are almost the same lathe. It is a common problem, I got the fix from someone online. Also if you want to use aftermarket tool rest on their machine you will need to drill out the banjo just a little bit. Hope this helps, it isn't much but just enough to not work.

[Mike Peace]

I had a threading jig that had the same problem with the chuck adapter. I put it between centers and used a file at a speed of about 500 and took the shoulder down so my SN2 chuck would fit over the shoulder to register against the back. This is something you should be able to do without too effort on your lathe. Go slow and check frequently on your progress.

[Roger Chandler]

This is not a problem with the Grizzly spindle........this is an adapter problem. I also have the G0698 that Fred mentioned above. Some Nova adapters and some aftermarket [think Woodriver adapters sold by WoodCraft] have inconsistent machining.......at least that was my experience with them.

I believe Fred and myself both took a file and turned away a little of the shoulder on the spindle to allow the adapter to mate up. On one of the adapters, I did what Mike mentioned above......I threaded on the adapter to the spindle without the chuck.........and opened up the adapter where it would go all the way to the shoulder......some of the others I had already did from the factory, but not that one [again, inconsistent machining, with different manufacturing runs is my guess here]

I don't remember exactly, but I might have had to reverse the motor on the lathe to open up the shoulder as it would have had to be threaded on from the opposite end...........perhaps not.........it has been nearly 4 years ago. :confused:

[Thom Sturgill]

My insert is from Teknatool.

The instructions for the SuperNova2 indicate that the insert must thread all the way into the chuck body and that the other end of the insert must contact the spindle shoulder. From p. 9 of the manual http://www.teknatool.com/products/chucks/SuperNova2/Downloads/SuperNova2%20Maunal%20full%20version.pdf

Right, my bad. The gap is between the adapter and the outside of the chuck body not between the adapter and the spindle. Filing .005" off the radius should be doable, and a hair extra probably would not hurt, just don't mess up the face that the adapter need to seat against.

[Doug Herzberg]

I have the predecessor GO698. The Grizzly chuck fits over the spindle, but my SN2 jammed up against it. I got a spacer washer from Craft Supply for a couple bucks, but it wasn't nearly thick enough. I ended up making an additional spacer from 1-1/4 pvc conduit and use it in conjunction with the washer from CS. I just leave them on all the time, even with the Grizzly chuck.

[Marty Tippin]

Haven't heard from Grizzly yet, but if they don't indicate that anything is amiss, I'll go after it with a file - it's "only" a few thousandths...

[Roger Chandler]

Haven't heard from Grizzly yet, but if they don't indicate that anything is amiss, I'll go after it with a file - it's "only" a few thousandths...

Marty.............it is highly unlikely the issue is the spindle........they do manufacture them to metric dimensions as they are made in China. The inconsistent manufacturing of the inserts accounts for your problems.....I had 3 different measurements on Nova inserts, when I used a caliper to measure, and another with the Woodriver insert from WC.......it can be fixed with filing off a few thousanth's from the spindle or enlarging the inside mating surface on your insert.

Either solution will work.

[John Teichert]

Roger: "This is not a problem with the Grizzly spindle........this is an adapter problem. I also have the G0698 that Fred mentioned above. Some Nova adapters and some aftermarket [think Woodriver adapters sold by WoodCraft] have inconsistent machining.......at least that was my experience with them. "

Roger, let me understand this correctly. The SN2 adpater fits a 1.25" spindle, but the Grizzly spindle which is supposed to be 1.25" actually has a shoulder that is 1.26", and somehow this is the fault of the adapter which measures out at 1.25. Somehow I don't buy that, the 1.25" adapters fit my 1.25" spindle on my Nova just fine (as will a WoodRiver adapter), and sorry to hear that you ran into some with issues.

I must admit I didn't run right down to the basement with my calipers to check, but I suspect that I just don't have a 1.26 shoulder on the spindle of my lathe.

Regardless of the "spindle/adapter" diversion, if adapters or accessories, have a 1.25" thread, it sounds as if they will have problems seating against the shoulder of the lathe if it has a 1.26" diameter shaft behind the threads. If an accessory has an adapter, milling some slop might make sense, but if it's a substantial accessory, like my Beall collet chuck, I'm not so sure that I would be "adjusting" them to fit the shaft, as much as I would be considering "adjusting" the diameter of the shaft to make it 1.25. Apparently that 1/100" of an inch might be a pain in the future.

As Roger basically says, either method of "adjustment" will work, the choice is yours.

[Marty Tippin]

they do manufacture them to metric dimensions as they are made in China. .

That may very well be the case -- 1.260" is exactly 32mm which might explain things. Grizzly is researching the issue and will let me know.

In any case, the most obvious solution seems that I should turn down the diameter of the spindle slightly with a file (or perhaps pull the spindle out and let my buddy with all the cool machine shop tools do a more precise job of it...)

[Fred Belknap]

the most obvious solution seems that I should turn down the diameter of the spindle slightly with a file

I used the diamond sharpener for planer blades. Took it apart and used the diamond sharpener by it self. It is about 1/4" square and about 4" long. It only took a minute or so to do.

[Roger Chandler]

I used the diamond sharpener for planer blades. Took it apart and used the diamond sharpener by it self. It is about 1/4" square and about 4" long. It only took a minute or so to do.

I did mine with a fine tooth file [ 600 rpm] and then used 600 grit to polish it while spinning at about 1200rpm...........it is simple to do for sure!

Whatever you decide to do Marty, I wish you the best with it. I wonder if the inserts for chucks that are sold outside the United States are in metric diameters..........perhaps the lathe manufacturer continues to use metric for machining, and the inserts sold here in the U.S. are machined to inch diameters..........that would be a useful bit of information to have in the body of the turning community.

John..........I have 6 chucks.........4 of them SN2's and one original SuperNova chuck. Out of the 5 from Teknatool, I had 3 different diameters...and the Woodriver insert was another.............that is why I mentioned inconsistent machining. At first, [from my understanding,] the Nova's were made in New Zealand, and then the manufacturing was transferred to China at some point. I have found issues with most things made in the PRCC, but I will refrain from going on a tirade, but I think these things do show up once in a while..........especially if the runs in manufacturing were at different times, and each set up is just a bit different than the one before..........just my take! :confused:

[Marty Tippin]

Grizzly confirmed (but didn't offer any explanation as to why) that the spindle on the G0733 is intentionally manufactured to 1.261" diameter.

I'm going to pull the spindle and have it turned down accurately by my machine shop buddy.

[Mike Goetzke]

Grizzly confirmed (but didn't offer any explanation as to why) that the spindle on the G0733 is intentionally manufactured to 1.261" diameter.

I'm going to pull the spindle and have it turned down accurately by my machine shop buddy.

How far does the larger dia. shoulder stick out? I have seen some vendors offer some type of plastic washer to make it easier to remove our chuck for less than $2. I think Craft Supplies sells these.

Mike

[David C. Roseman]

Grizzly confirmed (but didn't offer any explanation as to why) that the spindle on the G0733 is intentionally manufactured to 1.261" diameter.

I'm going to pull the spindle and have it turned down accurately by my machine shop buddy.

Marty, haven't been on SMC for a few days, so missed this thread until now. I have the G0733. The spindle boss clearance issue is a known condition. It's due to metric sizing of the shoulder boss at the factory, as Roger says. All the G0733 spindles are like that, so it's not your particular lathe. I'm surprised that whomever you first spoke with at Grizzly tech service took so long to get back to you on this.

Some chuck inserts have enough clearance for it not to matter, but for your chucks, and for my Oneways, it does. If you force the chuck insert onto the slightly larger boss it can seize up. But if you haven't already done it, I urge you not to go to the trouble of pulling your spindle and having it machined, unless you just want to. :eek: We're talking only a few thousandths of an inch here. You can much more easily just turn the lathe on at low rpm and hold a fine-toothed mill file against the boss, checking your work frequently. Only took me a few minutes to bring it to the necessary diameter. The diameter of the boss relative to the unthreaded area of the chuck insert is not a critical tolerance, since chuck inserts vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. So long as it's not too large, of course. :)

David

[Marty Tippin]

I urge you not to go to the trouble of pulling your spindle and having it machined, unless you just want to. :eek: We're talking only a few thousandths of an inch here. You can much more easily just turn the lathe on at low rpm and hold a fine-toothed mill file against the boss, checking your work frequently. Only took me a few minutes to bring it to the necessary diameter.

Yeah, once I saw how complicated it was going to be to get the spindle out - and with Grizzly tech support's recommendation that the bearings should be replaced rather than reused - I decided the low-tech solution might work better. I worked on it a little last night just to satisfy myself that the file will do the job - and it will. I was in the middle of a dozen other things though so didn't take the time to work it all the way down to where it needs to be, will probably take care of that over the weekend. Initial concern was that the spindle was some kind of hardened steel, but given how easily my $.50 file cut into it, I guess it's not...

[David C. Roseman]

Marty, your reply crossed with my edit. :) Yes, the boss files easily. Have fun with the lathe. Several of us have the G0733, or the earlier G0698, so if you have other issues we may be able to help. If you haven't joined the Grizzly Green Monster Group on SMC, you may find that useful as well.

David

[Marty Tippin]

I was able to get the boss turned down without any trouble.

The Convertible Drive Center I bought recently from Stubby Lathe threads on nicely now and stops squarely against the shoulder of the spindle like it should.

However, I measured almost .012" of runout at the end of the drive center and started to investigate. Best I can tell, the threaded portion of the spindle is eccentric; I checked the side of the shoulder, the face of the shoulder, the end of the spindle and the boss that I turned down, and all show less than .002" of wobble. But at the end of the threads (between the boss and the threads), I can measure right at .010" of eccentricity.

I'll post some photos over the weekend and maybe a short video. And I'll be in touch with Grizzly early next week to see what's going on and what my options are. I suspect it's going to be a little bit of a battle once they learn that I've "modified" the lathe -- even though my modification has nothing to do with the problem at hand...

[charlie knighton]

glad i got a jet.....used a plastic spacer with delta, had to throw it out with jet, caused runout

[Marty Tippin]

Finally had time to contact Grizzly, they're sending a new spindle (and replacement bearings) at no charge under warranty. Didn't have to argue with them or anything. No guarantee, of course, that the new spindle will be any better than the current one - I'll do my best to check it out thoroughly before going to the trouble of removing the original one.

[robert baccus]

Hope it works out ok. Having bought from both companies I think Nova would win out in an integrity contest.

[Marty Tippin]

Well, the "new" spindle arrived today. Unfortunately, though, it's not new -- judging by the rust, setscrew marks and scratches it's clear this was previously installed in a lathe and removed somewhere along the way.

A quick call to Grizzly and they're sending another replacement, with a specific note to ensure that it's in "new" condition before packing.

Disappointed that they'd send out something that's obviously not new, but satisfied with their level of customer service, both in the original request for service and in the followup. I've had a few occasions to call them regarding other tools that I have and they've always been easy to work with and committed to fixing the issue.

[Dale Miner]

Well, the "new" s. ndle arrived today. Unfortunately, though, it's not new -- judging by the rust, setscrew marks and scratches it's clear this was previously installed in a lathe and removed somewhere along the way.

A quick call to Grizzly and they're sending another replacement, with a specific note to ensure that it's in "new" condition before packing.

Disappointed that they'd send out something that's obviously not new, but satisfied with their level of customer service, both in the original request for service and in the followup. I've had a few occasions to call them regarding other tools that I have and they've always been easy to work with and committed to fixing the issue.

Just curious, did you measure the diameter of the shoulder on the 'not new' replacement?

[Marty Tippin]

Just curious, did you measure the diameter of the shoulder on the 'not new' replacement?

It's the same as the original, 1.261" or 32mm. Think I'll go ahead and have the new spindle turned down "properly" before installing it.

BTW - I was able to get the old spindle out pretty easily, just a few whacks with a dead-blow hammer and it came right out. Grizzly sent new bearings with the new spindle so I just have to press them on the shaft and away I go.