Help needed please

[Garno]

Hi everyone,

Today I have ran into a couple of problems that I do not know how to solve.

1) What way is the thread on a screw chuck, clockwise or anti-clockwise?
I have got the chuck off the lathe but for the life of me I just can not budge the tiny bowl that is attached to it. The bowl is only about 3 - 4 inches diameter and has about a half inch overhang from the faceplate of the chuck, so very little to grab hold of. It doesn't help that I do not know what way I should unscrew the bowl.

2) I have made a round "disc" out of 3/4" plywood, it will be used on the head stock for when I remove the "Nub" (Dowel) on the underside of bowls. I have made the disc a little over 9 inches, the maximum size my lathe can do is 10 inches and I am very close to that. Whilst turning it I noticed a "wobble" (left to right). The faceplate had 4 screw holes, after a while I noticed that 2 of the screws had loosened by quite a lot. I do not know if they are the cause of the wobble or are they a result of the wobble? I have never had any kind of wobble before or if there has been one I have never noticed it, the faceplate is a generic one and came with the lathe that I purchased second hand.
If the thread size on the faceplate is metric and the head stock is imperial could that be the problem and would that cause the wobble? A converter (not sure if that is the right term but it screws on the lathe and the faceplate) came with the lathe but I don't know how safe they are to use, could that be the answer? or do I really need to get a new faceplate altogether?
Or is it possible that the problem is occurring because I am at/close to the maximum diameter?

Thank you
Gary

 

[21William]

I think we need more information to be of assistance Gary. What lathe, what spindle nose thread does it have and what chuck and jaws are you using? You also mentioned an “adapter”? Pictures would also be helpful at this stage. Don’t panic though, I’m sure it can be sorted once we have more information.

 

[21William]

I should have mentioned earlier, if you fix a disc of plywood or MDF etc to a faceplate for cleaning up the base of a bowl etc the best way of fixing it is with countersunk bolts. Carefully drill through the faceplate into the ply to get the holes in the right place then countersink the holes on the other side. Pass some countersunk bolts through the ply and faceplate and secure with nuts and washers. Mark both with a dob of paint or something so if you need to remove the ply to use the faceplate for something else you can get it back in the right place.

 

[Garno]

I should have mentioned earlier, if you fix a disc of plywood or MDF etc to a faceplate for cleaning up the base of a bowl etc the best way of fixing it is with countersunk bolts. Carefully drill through the faceplate into the ply to get the holes in the right place then countersink the holes on the other side. Pass some countersunk bolts through the ply and faceplate and secure with nuts and washers. Mark both with a dob of paint or something so if you need to remove the ply to use the faceplate for something else you can get it back in the right place.

Once the faceplate is on it will be staying there.
If I understand this correctly the bolt heads will face the tailstock and the nuts will face the headstock?
The screw holes on the faceplate are not the largest will 4 bolts be enough and will/should I make them bigger?

The adapter may well be a reducer but I will take some photo's tomorrow as I am probably just confusing things even more

Gary

 

[howsitwork?]

generally screw chucks screw on clockwise ( as do most “ normal “ screws).

I find gripper gloves most useful for revolving bowls etc off . These are usually an orange latticed glove which improve your grip on things even when wet.

Let’s have some photos of your faceplate and set u0 so we can give better advice related to what we see?

Screws loosening generally is due to vibration whilst cutting or turning

 

[21William]

Once the faceplate is on it will be staying there.
If I understand this correctly the bolt heads will face the tailstock and the nuts will face the headstock?
The screw holes on the faceplate are not the largest will 4 bolts be enough and will/should I make them bigger?


Gary

Yes that’s correct Gary. There should be no need to use large bolts as they’re not under a lot of pressure. It’s more about stopping any movement. I think I used just three M6 bolts on mine and it’s been fine. If you can recess the heads M6 furniture bolts are good. I can let you have some if you want. These are the sort of thing, more secure than countersunk.

Joint Connector Bolts BZP M6 x 25mm 50 Pack | Cross Dowel Nuts & Bolts | Screwfix.com

 

[21William]

Just for clarity this is the base of my Doughnut chuck. First picture with some spare bolts. Let me know if you want some.

 

[Garno]

I think I may have resolved the problem, I think it was the ply. I tightened up the screws as tight as I could get them and turned the front of the ply, once I did that i didn't have the wobbling.
So I am now thinking that using cheap ply was not such a good idea or that maybe I had not tightened the screws enough.

The lathe is to the best of my knowledge an unbranded Axminster



I was mistaken about the adapter and have worked out what it is, it is to increase M1 taper to an M2



This is the faceplate that came with the lathe



The screw chuck is still stuck but some gripper gloves arrived today so I will attack it again tomorrow.