Locking the spindle
 

I certainly believe in safety and they are fine for chuck keys, but IMHO
a spring loaded spindle lock without a way to retain it is an invention
of the devil or at least of a legal dept.

I'm not criticizing, just wondering. How do you PM 3520 owners modify
your spindle locks to keep them locked? Maybe the 3520 I saw was an
early model or I'm missing something, but watching a big bowl being
removed from a tommy bar chuck by a person with only two hands was not a
pretty sight.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

Arch wrote:

I certainly believe in safety and they are fine for chuck keys, but IMHO
a spring loaded spindle lock without a way to retain it is an invention
of the devil or at least of a legal dept.

I'm not criticizing, just wondering. How do you PM 3520 owners modify
your spindle locks to keep them locked? Maybe the 3520 I saw was an
early model or I'm missing something, but watching a big bowl being
removed from a tommy bar chuck by a person with only two hands was not a
pretty sight.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

Maybe it is not supposed to be a spindle lock, but an
indexer only. Most indexing pins I've seen are too fragile
to be used to lock the spindle for loosening a tommy bar chuck.
I have only used Key chucks, but for removing the chuck I
have been known to rest the spindle bar on the ways and use
one hand to turn the wrench, leaving one hand free.

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Experience is a wonderful thing. It
enables you to recognize a mistake
when you make it again.

Arch,
Although I haven't done it to my lathe, I know of a couple of turners
who depress the button, then drill an appropriate sized hole through
the flanges on the sides of the button. Then when you need to lock the
spindle, you slide a nail through the holes to keep the spondle locked.
I don't know if it is a feature that I need or not, I am used to doing
without it.
robo hippy



















Gerald Ross wrote:
Arch wrote:

I certainly believe in safety and they are fine for chuck keys, but
IMHO
a spring loaded spindle lock without a way to retain it is an
invention
of the devil or at least of a legal dept.

I'm not criticizing, just wondering. How do you PM 3520 owners
modify
your spindle locks to keep them locked? Maybe the 3520 I saw was
an
early model or I'm missing something, but watching a big bowl being
removed from a tommy bar chuck by a person with only two hands was
not a
pretty sight.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

Maybe it is not supposed to be a spindle lock, but an
indexer only. Most indexing pins I've seen are too fragile
to be used to lock the spindle for loosening a tommy bar chuck.
I have only used Key chucks, but for removing the chuck I
have been known to rest the spindle bar on the ways and use
one hand to turn the wrench, leaving one hand free.

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Experience is a wonderful thing. It
enables you to recognize a mistake
when you make it again.

I believe it's supposed to be a spindle lock....................it wouldn't
function very well as an indexer..........

Barry


"Gerald Ross" wrote in message
...
Arch wrote:

I certainly believe in safety and they are fine for chuck keys, but IMHO
a spring loaded spindle lock without a way to retain it is an invention
of the devil or at least of a legal dept.

I'm not criticizing, just wondering. How do you PM 3520 owners modify
your spindle locks to keep them locked? Maybe the 3520 I saw was an
early model or I'm missing something, but watching a big bowl being
removed from a tommy bar chuck by a person with only two hands was not a
pretty sight.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

Maybe it is not supposed to be a spindle lock, but an
indexer only. Most indexing pins I've seen are too fragile
to be used to lock the spindle for loosening a tommy bar chuck.
I have only used Key chucks, but for removing the chuck I
have been known to rest the spindle bar on the ways and use
one hand to turn the wrench, leaving one hand free.

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Experience is a wonderful thing. It
enables you to recognize a mistake
when you make it again.

Actually, I had another use for a third hand when turning on a PM 3520.
Getting the tailstock back on the machine took one hand to hold it up,
another one underneath it to hold the locking plate in the right
alignment and a third one to hold the cam lock bar up so you could slide
the tailstock on the ways.

Bill

Barry N. Turner wrote:
I believe it's supposed to be a spindle lock....................it wouldn't
function very well as an indexer..........

Barry


"Gerald Ross" wrote in message
...

Arch wrote:


I certainly believe in safety and they are fine for chuck keys, but IMHO
a spring loaded spindle lock without a way to retain it is an invention
of the devil or at least of a legal dept.

I'm not criticizing, just wondering. How do you PM 3520 owners modify
your spindle locks to keep them locked? Maybe the 3520 I saw was an
early model or I'm missing something, but watching a big bowl being
removed from a tommy bar chuck by a person with only two hands was not a
pretty sight.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings


Maybe it is not supposed to be a spindle lock, but an
indexer only. Most indexing pins I've seen are too fragile
to be used to lock the spindle for loosening a tommy bar chuck.
I have only used Key chucks, but for removing the chuck I
have been known to rest the spindle bar on the ways and use
one hand to turn the wrench, leaving one hand free.

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Experience is a wonderful thing. It
enables you to recognize a mistake
when you make it again.

OK all your 3520 owners! I hope you can answer Arch's question. I just
bought a 3520 and love the machine. Compared to my ol' Delta, it is a
Rolls Royce. By biggest disappointment is the spindle lock. I really
wanted a lock that would lock but you can hardly keep it locked even
when holding the button in. But when it takes one hand to hold the
button in, it doesn't leave many hands to do anyting else with! Any
fixes??

Earl

What are the chances of trying to run the lathe with the lock engaged? I
suspect it would happen in MY shop.

Walt C



"Earl" wrote in message
oups.com...
OK all your 3520 owners! I hope you can answer Arch's question. I just
bought a 3520 and love the machine. Compared to my ol' Delta, it is a
Rolls Royce. By biggest disappointment is the spindle lock. I really
wanted a lock that would lock but you can hardly keep it locked even
when holding the button in. But when it takes one hand to hold the
button in, it doesn't leave many hands to do anyting else with! Any
fixes??

Earl

I am not sure about the 3520, but running my Craftsman with the spindle lock
(a very good one) on is a great reason to change the drive belt. :-(

--
God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com

Bill
I had the same problem with my Craftsman so I took a strip of masking tape
to hold the plate in alignment as I put the tailstock on. A three hand
hassle went zip. If I was not so pleased I would have kicked me.

--
God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com

Darrell, I'm not sure if you are glad or sorry that your lathe has a
good spindle lock, or would you rather have it spring loaded?


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

There are days, Arch, when there are no safeties on any machine that can
possibly keep me from messing up. Talent will out, you know :-)

--
God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com

Hi Arch,
I haven't been able to check into the group much anymore (too busy
turning), but it's always a pleasure to see your active involvement.

I have a 3520 and prefer the spring loaded spindle lock over the type that
stays in place by itself. I find it significantly faster and safer
because it is quicker to engage and release, and it releases automatically
so I don't accidentally power up with it engaged. I started up my drill
press one day with the key still in the chuck. I haven't been wearing my
face shield at the drill press but now I am rethinking that.

Most of the time I don't need to hold in the spring loaded spindle lock on
my lathes that have that feature because once it is engaged, simply
maintaining rotational pressure on the chuck or workpiece will hold the
lock in place. On the RARE occasion when I really want it to stay engaged
by itself, I use the nail through the flanges method described in another
post by "robo hippy" . I guess if I felt I needed
it to stay in place often I would come up with something quicker - ought
to be easy to figure out something spring loaded or using a strong magnet.
I can envision a cam on the end of a lever (like on a cam operated bar
clamp) attached to the flanges; that might be the best solution.

I prefer tommy bar chucks and have made bars that hang from the chucks and
wedge against the bed so it frees up my left hand to work the other tommy
bar or hold the spindle lock. The hanging bar is shaped like a "7" - a
short nub goes into the top hole, it wraps around the chuck, and the long
handle hangs down all the way to the bed so it can wedge against or
between the ways if I want that hand free (nearly always). This kind of
bar, by the way, will never make a hole go oval.

best wishes,

-mike paulson, fort collins, co

Bill Rubenstein wrote:
Actually, I had another use for a third hand when turning on a PM 3520.
Getting the tailstock back on the machine took one hand to hold it up,
another one underneath it to hold the locking plate in the right
alignment and a third one to hold the cam lock bar up so you could slide
the tailstock on the ways.


Hi Bill,

There are several solutions to that problem. You can add some rubber
washers to the bar that passes through the tailstock body to create a bit
of friction that will hold the handle straight when you want it to stay
put. You can turn a longish sort of knob to replace the round one, thread
it onto the bar, and then unscrew it slightly to bear against the top of
the tailstock to hold it there. My solution is simply to pick up the
tailstock by the cam lever rather than the body of the tailstock or the
handwheel - couldn't be easier.

happy turning,

-mike paulson, fort collins, co

Arch wrote:
I certainly believe in safety and they are fine for chuck keys, but IMHO
a spring loaded spindle lock without a way to retain it is an invention
of the devil or at least of a legal dept.

I'm not criticizing, just wondering. How do you PM 3520 owners modify
your spindle locks to keep them locked? Maybe the 3520 I saw was an
early model or I'm missing something, but watching a big bowl being
removed from a tommy bar chuck by a person with only two hands was not a
pretty sight.

Seeing a person with three hands could be even more unpleasant ;-)

I have the old-style Vicmarc with tommy bars, and never had a need for a
spindle lock unless I'm trying to remove a stuck chuck or faceplate.

At least with my Vic, you can usually get the two bars close enough
together to manipulate with one hand, while holding the turning with the
other.

If I had a 3520 I'd probably wanna figure this one out, but haven't had
a chance to fondle one with my 2 hands yet. Actually, I will this coming
weekend, at our AAW chapter meeting--the host has one.
BTW, it will be a 2 day workshop with Alan Lacer if anyone is in the
neighborhood (Onalaska, Wisconsin, $40 at the door for both days).

Ken Grunke
La Farge, WI


--
take da "ma" offa dot com fer eemayl


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"Ken Grunke" wrote in message
...

I have the old-style Vicmarc with tommy bars, and never had a need for a
spindle lock unless I'm trying to remove a stuck chuck or faceplate.

At least with my Vic, you can usually get the two bars close enough
together to manipulate with one hand, while holding the turning with the
other.


You've noticed that the square holes respond to round pins too?

I've the old Novas with the pin spanner, and my normal method of removing
them is to hang the spanner on the outer ring and give a sharp blow from the
heel of my hand. I dread the day it's on tight....

On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 05:31:37 -0500, "George" george@least wrote:


"Ken Grunke" wrote in message
...

I have the old-style Vicmarc with tommy bars, and never had a need for a
spindle lock unless I'm trying to remove a stuck chuck or faceplate.

At least with my Vic, you can usually get the two bars close enough
together to manipulate with one hand, while holding the turning with the
other.


You've noticed that the square holes respond to round pins too?

I've the old Novas with the pin spanner, and my normal method of removing
them is to hang the spanner on the outer ring and give a sharp blow from the
heel of my hand. I dread the day it's on tight....

George... as an ol' fart that has hit way too many things with my
hands and regrets it..
please use a mallet, wood or rubber..
your hands will thank you later in life..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"mac davis" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 05:31:37 -0500, "George" george@least wrote:

I've the old Novas with the pin spanner, and my normal method of removing
them is to hang the spanner on the outer ring and give a sharp blow from
the
heel of my hand. I dread the day it's on tight....

George... as an ol' fart that has hit way too many things with my
hands and regrets it..
please use a mallet, wood or rubber..
your hands will thank you later in life..

I'm sure they will, and I'm trying to do better. Step at a time....

On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 11:35:15 -0500, "George" george@least wrote:


"mac davis" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 05:31:37 -0500, "George" george@least wrote:

I've the old Novas with the pin spanner, and my normal method of removing
them is to hang the spanner on the outer ring and give a sharp blow from
the
heel of my hand. I dread the day it's on tight....

George... as an ol' fart that has hit way too many things with my
hands and regrets it..
please use a mallet, wood or rubber..
your hands will thank you later in life..

I'm sure they will, and I'm trying to do better. Step at a time....

sure as hell, I caught myself doing it tonight... I was going to give
something a lil "tap" with my hand and grabbed the mallet...

golden years, my ass... lol



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing