Fun! Fun! Fun!

Re: Fun! Fun! Fun!

Dave MacLuskie

>Make sure you put something over the tablesaw and jointer so they don't get rusty from being lonely and used now that you have a spinny thiny thing!

Who wants to put bets on when Carole upgrades to a monster lathe?

Re: Fun! Fun! Fun!

Dale Stansbery

>Carol, I presume you did use a tool rest, and not just the holder as shown in the picture!

LOL

Barbara Gill, Remlik Virginia

>

Addicting! Addicting! Addicting!

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native in Florida Exile :

>Not a bad turning for a first-timer Carol.

Beware the lathe tho, it can be very, very addicting, and you'll never look at a piece of scrap wood the same way again. Also, a lathe is not called "The Evil Money Sucker From He!!" for nothing.

Enjoy your new found interest,and be careful Things Flying Off Lathes (TFOL) can hurt! DAMHIKT :~(

Todd O.

Re: Fun! Fun! Fun!

Carole in VA

>Tool rest? Is that what that thing is? No wonder it was so hard to turn that spindle! *grin*

Re: Fun! Fun! Fun!

Dick Hines

>How long did it take you to get the lathe unpacked and a piece of wood spinning?

Offer still stands for a helping hand. Looking at the spindle you don't need to much help.

Post you first bowl.

I guess it won't be long before you order a big white or mustard lathe.

Re: Fun! Fun! Fun!

Mike Schwing from Md.

>You're in for it now! But just think, that tablesaw, router(s), jointer and planer will be in pristine condition when you sell them years from now.

You'll need the bandsaw, so keep that. Figure on buying a new lathe in the range of $1500-4000 in the next year, and then wishing you'd have kept the small one for collars, finials, and pens. You'll then go out and buy another mini for just that.

About 3 minutes

Carole in VA

>Ran the tail stock in to be sure it was aligned with the headstock, checked the speed, mounted the blank and started spinning. Can't figure out how to get the face plate off though. Didn't see that in the manual, but will look again. Will work on that tomorrow if I have time and figure out how to mount a small bowl blank. If all thses darn computers would quit messing up and I didn't have to work so much, I would head to your shop this weekend. Still might do it.

Re: About 3 minutes

Larry in Lima

>Carole,

Look in the round silver part just in front of your black faceplate. You'll see 2 holes, about the size of the end of that silver rod with the round black plastic handle.

The 2 holes are just opposite of each other. Place the end of the rod in one of these holes and hold it there and then start turning the faceplace counter clockwise. The silver rod will "bump" the lathe bed and will only go so far. Once the rod bumps the bed of the lathe, the faceplate will be locked from moving and the faceplate "should" just turn off (counterclockwise) with a little hand pressure.

Absolutely do not do any of this with the lathe turned on, and I'd recommend unplugging it just to be "extra" safe.

Hopefully you can understand my drivel... Larry

Re: About 3 minutes

Carole in VA

>Won't budge, Larry. I even dug out some of my rubber grip stuff to get a good grip. And yes, I am trying to turn it counterclockwise (towards me and in the same direction that the motor turns.) Any suggestions on how to loosen it up?

Life will never be the same

Leo Van Der Loo

>

Re: About 3 minutes

Tom In Red Deer

>Hi Carol,

Sometimes they get pretty tight. Have you got one of those rubber band tools that us old folks use to open jars with? That might work...also try...with the lathe unplugged...wrapping the faceplate with an old towl and using the towell for extra leverage.

Also, once you get it off and want to put it back on...spin the the faceplate on until it just stops and wont go any farther...then back off about 1/2 turn and give it a flick to it's locked position. That way it should come off easier next time. Don't put it on most of the way and then turn on the machine...that will lock it for shure.

Hope that helps

Tom in Red Deer

Re: About 3 minutes

Larry in Lima

>The jar opening "wrench" with large rubber band sounds like your best option, maybe a little liquid wrench or something if you can get it dribbled in there.

Might also be able to get a couple small steel rods of some kind through the holes in the face plate and get some leverage?

Maybe borrow the big brute guy who lives next doors for a few minutes? ;)

I've bought two of the Jet mini lathes and both were pretty tight, but I COULD get the faceplates off with a fair amount of strength on them. Hope something here helps, or maybe someone else has another idea?

Larry

Re: About 3 minutes

Carole in VA

>Hehe...I've been lookin' a loooong time for a "big brute guy"...there aren't any in this neighborhood! Maybe I'll have to go kidnap one of those gym rats up at the Y. :-)

Re: Fun! Fun! Fun!

Bill Grumbine, Kutztown PA

>Congratulations on the new lathe Carole! I know you will have fun with it, and the video should be there any time now. Speaking as a big brute guy, sometimes we have trouble getting those things apart too, so don't feel too bad about it. You'll get if off eventually.

Bill

It takes a shock to release the plate.

Al Crandall

>Just put the rod into the hole and hold it in position while you give the face plate a violent snap counter clockwise. When the rod contacts the front edge of the lathe bed, the inertia of the spindle and the plate should break loose the threads. The shock is a lot stronger than any pressure you can apply by twisting on the plate while the rod stays stationary. Be careful that the rod doesn't fly out and hit you during the brief moment it is being spun toward the bed. A quick hard snap is the secret to unsticking a contrary chuck or plate.

Re: Fun! Fun! Fun!

Doug Leite

>Carole,

While I don't have a jet mini, my Delta Midi, which is a close twin to the Jet, came with a thin open end wrench that fits onto 2 flats milled onto the backside of the faceplate.This is used in conjunction with the rod in the hole on the spinlde collar and resting on the bed. I would hope that the jet has this. It makes removal easy even for a short guy. Also, do I see in your photo that the lathe is not yet bolted down?

Aloha

Doug

Re: It takes a shock to release the plate.

Carole in VA

>Thanks. Got it off with a tip from another turner..bolted a stick of hickory to the faceplate to give me some leverage. The threads looked like they were all full of paint. No wonder it was stuck. I suppose I need to clean that out of there somehow.

Re: Fun! Fun! Fun!

Carole in VA

>Got it off. No flats, but stick of hickory bolted to the faceplate gave me the leverage I needed. There was paint in the threads. No it's not bolted down yet...it will be when it has it's permanent home. Has indicated no tendency to walk yet.

Re: It takes a shock to release the plate.

woodspinner/ Bill Hale

>Clean up the threads on both surfaces and spray each with WD40. Cut a washer from a plastic milk jug and put it on prior to the faceplate. Be sure to tighten the faceplate prior to turning on the machine.

Good turning and be safe

Bill

Re: Fun! Fun! Fun!

woodspinner/ Bill Hale

>Carol

Welcome to the addicted.

I bought a Craftsman mechanics base cabinet and put mine on it. I put a piece of 1/2 plywood on top to fit and the lathe on that. It works great to have the drawers for all of the stuff you will get. Easy to roll around and put away. If you want you can bolt a tall back on it and put magnetic bars to hold your tools. Put a shelf on the back to hold glue etc.

We are all here to help so ask all you want.

Good turning and be safe

Bill

Re: Fun! Fun! Fun!

Carole in VA

>Bill,

I had wondered about putting it on wheels, but didn't know if it would be stable enough. I am going to build my own stand so that it is at the right height for me. The bench that it is on now is a little high. Can't do that until the bed extension arrives and I know what length I am dealing with. I need to do something for the tools since I have a rust problem here. :-(