Spindle locking a Jet mini?

In similar situations with my Delt midi, I use the knockout bar to block the rotation of the spindle in various ways.

While not for your screw chuck above, when using longer jaws on my chuck, I'll just slip the knockout between the jaws and down between the bed "rails". The knob on the top of the bar keeps it from falling between the jaws.

In situations like yours, I'll put the knock out in the factory spindle holes for the bar and then use a rare-earth magnet to hold the bar against the lathe bed. It's surprising how much wiggling you can do to the chuck and still have the magnet hold the bar in place.

These are two quickie ways to stop the spindle from turning but it'll still move slightly - so if you need to absolutely lock the spindle, I've not come up with a good idea yet. Perhaps you could drill through the headstock into the aluminum pulley and insert a bar through both. (Haven't looked closely enough at my lathe to see if this is a viable fix.)

Owen

Thanks for the tips. I did use the knockout rod, but had trouble holding it in place. Didn't think to use a magnet (isn't it amazing how simple a solution can get overlooked).

David

======================================

David,

I haven't tried this, but I think it's worth a try. Go to your local auto parts store for a piece of water (radiator) hose from their bulk stock. Cut it to a length that will fit into an an open space on the spindle. Split it length wise into a piece that will just wrap around the spindle without overlap. Clamp it down with a screw type clamp. Then use a piece of wood or metal wedged under the head of the clamp screw to hold the spindle stationary. This will work for one direction only. You might be able to use another clamp to create a "2 sided" stop and cut a piece to fit between the 2 stops. Just my 2 cents.

Ken Moon Webberville, TX