Dang. Broken spindle lock collar (3520a)

Re: Dang. Broken spindle lock collar (3520a)

John Lucas

>Mike

I couldn't figure out what part it is from the parts list. I'll have to go down and look at my lathe. I hate to hear about that. I use a light coat of air tool oil on my spindle threads and flange. It's been a long time since a faceplate or whatever has locked up on me. I used to have that problem all the time.

Re: Dang. Broken spindle lock collar (3520a)

Bob Hackett

>This seems to be a recurring problem with Jet/Powermatic.For whatever reason(cost cutting?)Jet chooses to use inappropriate materials for some of thier parts.Years ago I made more than 4 retainer plates out of steel when folks I knew were buying thier swivel head lathes.These plates should have been made of steel instead of cast iron from the beginning,if for no other reason than safety.

If that collar had been made of steel instead of cast it would have deformed instead of breaking.If someone in the design shop had been thinking of the customer,instead of something else,he would have made the collar and lock assembly so the lock deformed instead of the collar.Seems to me that the lock button is a whole lot easier to replace than that collar.

I`d be curious to know if the old Powermatics(pre-Jet manufacture)had steel collars or cast.

Mainely,Bob

Now I'm not so embarrassed!

Brian MacDonald - Olympia, Wa

>I had the same thing happen on my Jet 1642...same collar, I believe.

I checked out the 3520 last time I was at the Jet factory store. The casting for the locking pin is approx 1/2 thick. On the Jet, the casting is about 1/8".

My locking pin bent when the collar snapped and broke out the bottom of the csting. Jet (and my dealer) are replacing the headstock (45-60 days out).

The lathe is still usable, but a bit of a pain to change chucks/faceplates.

Re: Dang. Broken spindle lock collar (3520a)

Tony Reynolds Newark, OH

>Mike, I hate to hear that. Haven't had a problem with mine yet. What kind of torque were you putting on it? I do the same as John and lube the threads when changing devices. Let us know what PM does.

Tony

Another happy PM3520a owner

Easy fix

Rodney Jenkins

>Mike,

Same thing happened to me within probably two months of purchasing.

The easy fix is to call Powermatic. They sent a tech out posthaste to replace the original collar with a much more substantial (better steel) collar. Took him about an hour. It was a no-quibble call.

Good luck widit.

RJ

Re: Dang. Broken spindle lock collar (3520a)

John Lucas

>Mike

I looked at mine during lunch. There is a casting that is part of the headstock and holds the locking pin. The pin sticks out of the casting about a inch to engage the locking collar on the spindle. Did you break the Collar or the pin casting? I think the casting on the headstock should be beefier and not allow the pin to protrude quite so far. This allows a lot of leverage on that casting and it's only about 1/2" thick.

Keep us informed as to what happens. There are an awful lot of 3520's out there.

the broken part (PIC)

Mike Schwing from Maryland

>John, here's the broken collar and it reassembled. You don't think a little CA will do the trick, do you? (wink). Of course it broke at somewhat obvious weak points. Looks like Rodney, just above your post, has had the same thing and a satisfactory repair. House call? Wow. We'll see, I'll call them tomorrow.

I typically use "white lightning" as a lubricant for my screws, nuts, spindle adapters, etc.. its a bicycle chain lubricant - you may already know about it - applies as a liquid but leaves a wax covering on the surfaces, very slippery. It normally prevents sieze ups and the like, but not always.

Re: the broken part (PIC)

John Lucas

>Mike

Is that part cast? It appears to be. I guess everythings made that way nowdays. I wonder why they didn't just machine a round steel part and drill two or 3 holes for the spindle lock. I guess everyone has to cut corners unless you charge 5K for the lathe.

Re: the broken part (PIC)

John Lucas

>Mike

You lube your chain? No wonder you can ride 100 while only ride 20 to 40. It's like the old chainsaw joke. What's that noise?

Re: the broken part (PIC)

Dick Hines

>My did not break but the set screw came loose twice. I had to cut off an allen wrench so I could get in there to lock it up again.

It clicked whaen the spendle turned and at first I though a bearing had gone bad.

Keep us up to date, Mike

Re: Dang. Broken spindle lock collar (3520a)

bill dotten

>Mine did too.-A phone call got a technician out.

He explained their choice of materiels to me as a protection for the other parts. The collar should break before bending the shaft. I felt that the shaft should have been able to take a lot more. original problem caused by superNova chuck running up on base of the shaft and being a jam fit. A wooden and then a plastic spacer/washer solved the problem by keeping the chuck from bottoming out

Re: Dang. Broken spindle lock collar (3520a)

Keith Tompkins

>sorry to hear that Mike. A good machinist could make a more substantial unit. Luckily, you must still be under warranty!

was the replacement a 2 piece unit?

Mike Schwing from Maryland

>Just curious. I think thats what I'd do if I were making service calls. Otherwise the spindle has to come out of that thing in order to get a one piece collar on.

Re: Dang. Broken spindle lock collar (3520a)

Ed Mackey

>I had the same problem. The cast collar broke in three pieces. I made a call to PM made and they came out and put a new collar on (made of Steel). No Charge. It took about 2-3 hours. I watched closely cause I suspect the same process would be required to change a belt.

In spite of that one problem, its still a great machine.

One piece collar

Rodney Jenkins

>...requires pulling the spindle to install. It really isn't that bad: locking ring on the outside (at the handwheel) and a allen-headed set screw on the inside pulley. Sounds a lot more complicated than it is. I would have done it if they had sent me the part, but they volunteered to send a tech, so...

RJ

Re: was the replacement a 2 piece unit?

Rodney Jenkins

>Just noticed the picture you posted. That's the same material (looks like pot metal) the one I had that broke is made of. The new one is high grade shiney steel (appears to be stainless).

RJ

Re: Dang. Broken spindle lock collar (3520a)

Whit

>A comment for Bill Dotten, and others:

A better solution than a plastic shim would be a really flat steel shim. With anything at all flexible you're just asking for vibration and vibration is the enemy. An aven better solution would be to grind the spindle back enough that the chuck or whatever seats solidly. That's where the transfer of power from the motor to the wood takes place.

Whit

Re: Dang. Broken spindle lock collar (3520a)

Roy Girolami

>I find this message thread to be very amusing in that it is so opposite of what happened to me a year ago when I had trouble with the spindle threading on my PM3520a. I called PM and they sent me a new spindle, which was the old style for a PM35290 which had a threaded end about an inch long which gave very little extension from the headstock. I called them back, and they sent me another spindle, which was incorrectly threaded like the first. Another call got another spindle which was threaded correctly, so I removed the spindle and all the assorted pulleys, keys and other stuff. When I started to re-assemble the spindle, I found the lock ring would not thread onto the spindle. Another call, I received another spindle with lock ring included, which I then installed and put everything in its place. No offers of technicians, no offers of bribes to make me forget two months of back and forth, not even an apology for screwing up. I couldn't even get the address of the head so I could write him directly to express myself. I am totally not a PM fan.

Roy Girolami

Apex, NC

Re: Dang. Broken spindle lock collar (3520a)

Mike Schwing from Maryland

>Sorry to hear that Roy. Powermatic is sending me the part(s) and scheduling a tech for a house call to install them. Can't ask for too much more than that!