Sticking Chuck

[Wood spinner]

That told me 

[Woodcrafts]

Hi Bill, I think a photo shows more than words what I mean.  The photos show how I use the Nova chuck spanner to release my stuck SuperNova2 chuck when stuck on the spindle.  The two lugs on the spanner engage with the two adjacent holes (where the key engages).   This always works for me.
   

The chuck spanner is designed so the lug you have shown going into the allen key pinion hole is meant to go into the jaw slide slot. You are then exerting any forcees onto the body of the chuck and no damage will be done.
Regarding washers, they should never be used as no matter how thin, they can introduce a wobble. The secret to preventing chucks jamming on the spindle thread is to tighten the chuck onto the spindle, thereby taking up any play. It doesn't need a great deal of force, just enough to secure it in place. Works every time, with all chucks on all lathes.

[Tim Pettigrew]

The chuck spanner is designed so the lug you have shown going into the allen key pinion hole is meant to go into the jaw slide slot. You are then exerting any forcees onto the body of the chuck and no damage will be done.

Well that's a very welcome revelation to me as I have always assumed that the lugs on the spanners fit into the pinion holes.  A Google search revealed no guidance on the use of these spanners although I guess it should be blindingly obvious to most people (sadly up to now not to me! ) that the spanner engages with the jaw slide slots and NOT with the pinion holes.  Very many thanks for highlighting that.

Tim

[Woodcrafts]

Hi Tim,
Glad to be of help. You are not the first turner who wasn't aware of this.

[Bill21]

The secret to preventing chucks jamming on the spindle thread is to tighten the chuck onto the spindle, thereby taking up any play. It doesn't need a great deal of force, just enough to secure it in place. Works every time, with all chucks on all lathes.

That’s never worked for me, and I can’t do any more than screw the chuck firmly onto the spindle. Axminster sell a dedicated chuck removal spanner so I’m guessing it’s a common enough problem.  Nova sell one as well but it doesn’t fit my chuck.

The problem with sage advice is that the author often has no idea exactly what equipment others are using.

[Bill21]

It may be worth mentioning that I have a 150mm faceplate that unscrews itself when stopping the lathe, even with a small blank. Axminster, in their wisdom, manufacture this faceplate without a locking screw. Fortunately I have the tools to drill and tap a hole for an M6 socket set screw to keep it in place.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Bill if this happened to me (and it has done in the past) I would get a brass wire brush and clean all the threads. The least little bit of rubbish can cause this, always try to work clean. I would make sure there are no burrs on any thread or face and add the washer as others have suggested. Make sure the chuck is fully "home" before starting the lathe.

[Goldfinger234]

Heavy lubicating oil on the threads when you put the chuck on. Washer of some kind between chuck and read of spindle, preferably two thin ones then they release easily. Open chuck and put a bar across the jaws, close jaws onto bar, lock spindle & release chuck with the bar easily. Even better still, get a pair of soft jaw pump pliers and hold the shaft with Thor, they won’t marr it up and you won’t bend your locking pin. They’re really designed for holding the shaft in place, not endlessly levering against.