Beaver Model 3400 Lathe
 

I just acquired one of these in good shape and am getting it set up. It has
a hefty-looking 4-spur drive center in it right now, but came with 4 great
faceplates of varying sizes.

My problem is I can't figure out how one would remove the drive center. The
outboard end of the shaft has a long nut going into the [threaded] shaft,
but this just comes out and nothing happens. Similarly there are two small
set screws with allen heads outboard on the side of the shaft, but removal
of these accomplishes nothing either... The thread on the outboard end of
the shaft is smaller than the thread on the face plates.

The spur drive center has a large (1 1/8?) hex head but there is nothing to
turn against.

Help!!!

Beaver Model 3400 Lathe
 

There should be a stopped hole just to the left of the base of the
4-spur drive center. Insert the end of a shaft or bolt in it and use it
as a lever. Apply an open end wrench to the spur center itself. The spur
center will screw off toward you.

I think they used to have a special wrench that would fit in the hole at
the shaft, so maybe look around the pile of loose parts that you may
have picked up with the lathe.

Nice lathe, IMO.

J.

Graham Gilbert wrote:
I just acquired one of these in good shape and am getting it set up. It has
a hefty-looking 4-spur drive center in it right now, but came with 4 great
faceplates of varying sizes.

My problem is I can't figure out how one would remove the drive center. The
outboard end of the shaft has a long nut going into the [threaded] shaft,
but this just comes out and nothing happens. Similarly there are two small
set screws with allen heads outboard on the side of the shaft, but removal
of these accomplishes nothing either... The thread on the outboard end of
the shaft is smaller than the thread on the face plates.

The spur drive center has a large (1 1/8?) hex head but there is nothing to
turn against.

Help!!!

Beaver Model 3400 Lathe
 

Stick a bar through the spindle and knock out the driver. The driver is
seated in a taper socket, held by friction.
"Graham Gilbert" wrote in message
news:gYfRh.127$Uf7.27@edtnps89...
I just acquired one of these in good shape and am getting it set up. It
has
a hefty-looking 4-spur drive center in it right now, but came with 4 great
faceplates of varying sizes.

My problem is I can't figure out how one would remove the drive center.
The
outboard end of the shaft has a long nut going into the [threaded] shaft,
but this just comes out and nothing happens. Similarly there are two small
set screws with allen heads outboard on the side of the shaft, but removal
of these accomplishes nothing either... The thread on the outboard end of
the shaft is smaller than the thread on the face plates.

The spur drive center has a large (1 1/8?) hex head but there is nothing
to
turn against.

Help!!!

Beaver Model 3400 Lathe
 

On Apr 5, 8:59 pm, "J." wrote:
There should be a stopped hole just to the left of the base of the 4-spur drive center. Insert the end of a shaft or bolt in it and use it as a lever. Apply an open end wrench to the spur center itself. The spur center will screw off toward you.

I think they used to have a special wrench that would fit in the hole at the shaft

I think J is probably right. A very few of the older lathes used
solid spindles and screwed on drive spurs and accessories. I saw an
old Walker Turner where this was the case, and the owner of the lathe
mistook the hollow end where the handwheel was mounted as a sign of a
totally hollow spindle shaft.

He beat the absolute hell out of that thing trying to drive out the
spur thinking it was a taper fit of some kind. Of course it never
moved. Being old iron he didn't hurt it, but he didn't get the spur
out either. He took the headstock to his buddy in the welding
profession who took it for granted that the spur screwed on because
that was the way his accessories mounted on his metal lathe.

He took it off exactly as J. described.

BTW, I had to do the same exact thing to a 30 year old Sears lathe
about 2-3 years ago. Liquid Wrench, a 12" pipe wrench and a 12"
crescent broke it loose.

Robert

Beaver Model 3400 Lathe
 

"CW" wrote in message
link.net...
Stick a bar through the spindle and knock out the driver. The driver is
seated in a taper socket, held by friction.

Hoping you look at your owners' manual. CW is speaking from below the
bellybutton. The 3400 should be similar to this
http://www.acetoolrepair.com/DeltaHtml/WL/3401A.htm
with a threaded spur center.
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/Images/4883-B.jpg IIRC, there are flats on
the spindle to keep it from rotating as you unscrew. It will be a
right-hand thread, so Leftie will get Lucy. The one in the picture
http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/Images/5522-B.JPG here shows threads and
the locking setscrews on the other end.

Recommend a bit of WD40 or your flavor of rust-busting item prior to the
attempt.

Beaver Model 3400 Lathe
 

Eureka!!!

You were right, J. A couple of strategic applications of WD 40, a couple of
hours of patience, a pipe wrench outboard and presto. (There was no stopped
hole)

Thanks to everyone for the help. I sandblasted the body yesterday, and will
prime and paint it over the next few days. Then to mount it on what used to
be the base of my workbench.and give her a whirl (no pun intended...)

I'm actually quite happy with this unit. It has an extension to the bed so I
can take up to 52 inches in length.
wrote in message
ups.com...
On Apr 5, 8:59 pm, "J." wrote:
There should be a stopped hole just to the left of the base of the
4-spur drive center. Insert the end of a shaft or bolt in it and use it
as a lever. Apply an open end wrench to the spur center itself. The spur
center will screw off toward you.

I think they used to have a special wrench that would fit in the hole at
the shaft

I think J is probably right. A very few of the older lathes used
solid spindles and screwed on drive spurs and accessories. I saw an
old Walker Turner where this was the case, and the owner of the lathe
mistook the hollow end where the handwheel was mounted as a sign of a
totally hollow spindle shaft.

He beat the absolute hell out of that thing trying to drive out the
spur thinking it was a taper fit of some kind. Of course it never
moved. Being old iron he didn't hurt it, but he didn't get the spur
out either. He took the headstock to his buddy in the welding
profession who took it for granted that the spur screwed on because
that was the way his accessories mounted on his metal lathe.

He took it off exactly as J. described.

BTW, I had to do the same exact thing to a 30 year old Sears lathe
about 2-3 years ago. Liquid Wrench, a 12" pipe wrench and a 12"
crescent broke it loose.

Robert

Beaver Model 3400 Lathe
 

My old Rockwell/Delta is a bit younger than your Beaver but it's
essentially the same lathe. (I guess the stopped hole was a later
improvement.) With the bed extension on you're probably going to need or
want a steady rest. And if you ever decide to get a scroll chuck for it
you'll find that the Nova series is the only one around that has a
7/8-14tpi headstock spindle adapter. (I believe it is highly likely that
your inboard thread size is the same as my later model.)

Happy turning!

J.

Graham Gilbert wrote:
Eureka!!!

You were right, J. A couple of strategic applications of WD 40, a couple of
hours of patience, a pipe wrench outboard and presto. (There was no stopped
hole)

Thanks to everyone for the help. I sandblasted the body yesterday, and will
prime and paint it over the next few days. Then to mount it on what used to
be the base of my workbench.and give her a whirl (no pun intended...)

I'm actually quite happy with this unit. It has an extension to the bed so I
can take up to 52 inches in length.

Beaver Model 3400 Lathe
 

replying to J., Kevin Maughan wrote:
I searched high and low to find an adapter for my head spindle. My lathe is an
old Beaver 3400. Spindle is a 7/8 14 tip. In need an adapter to go up to be
able to put a chuck "jaws" assembly on it. When I got my lathe given to me it
came with no Faceplates. I am limited to only spindle pieces.

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