Delta 14inch (stuck faceplate)

Newbie check: did you lock the spindle first? If not, there's no way you'll get it off, because the spindle will just turn and turn and turn...

Scary thought... if your lathe has reverse, bolt a plank to it, just long enough to reach the bed, and turn the lathe on. Warning! The board will swing around and smack into the back of the bed, and if it works, the faceplate will come off FAST and probably fly across the room a bit. Have someone nearby to (1) record the event, and (2) call

Me, though, I'd just lock the shaft, put a big pipe wrench around the neck of the faceplate, and heave. Assuming I knew it really was stuck, and not fastened on intentionally ;-)

Some faceplates have setscrews at the point closest to the spindle, there's sometimes a groove behind the threads on the spindle for that, so that you can sand in reverse without accidentally unthreading the faceplate. They'd be perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

Hi Dusty

One other thing that will work sometimes, put a couple of pins in the faceplate holes and put a large wrench between those pins, lock the spindle, if you can't lock it and you are able to hold the v-belt hold both sides, and give the bar or wrench a sharp rap, that might be all that's needed, some help to hold the shaft from turning would make the job easier. Vicegrips or pipe wrench might help to hold it if you are able to get in there.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

dusty> Hello all,

Thanks guys,

I applied a little brute strength to the thing, and it popped right off, along with .0237 inches of skin.

DJ Delorie wrote:

Which model do you have? Does it have two holes in the headstock shaft next to the headstock? If so, stick the knockout bar in the hole, and rest the bar on the ways. Fasten a pipe wrench onto the base of the faceplate and strike it sharply with a wooden mallet. Buy or make a plastic washer to rest between the faceplate and the base of the headstock shaft to prevent sticking in the future.

Unless the manual specifically calls the indexing pin a spindle lock, don't use it to hold the spindle while trying to remove the faceplate. You will only bend or break the pin.