Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

Dwight Rutherford

Call Jet customer service. They should be able to help.

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

john lucas

sounds like your handwheel is loose. The handwheel is what keeps all the bearings in place. Since you are having trouble removing it, try tightening it instead. All you need to do is tighten it to the point there isn't any slop in the spindle. The reason you can't get the hand wheel off may be burs raised by the set screws on the spindle. I take a drill bit that barely fits in the handwheel hole. I use a hand held electric drill and just barely drill down. All you want to do is remove or weaken those burrs created by the set screw. You should be able to unscrew the handwheel. For the life of me right now I can't remember if it's left handed or right handed so if one direction doesn't work try the other.

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

eliot feldman

Thanks for the advice; I'll try both calling Jet (first) and drilling out the bottom of the set screw holes -- unless Jet has a better idea.

hand wheel is threaded on

Dick Coers

That hand wheel is left hand threaded onto the shaft. Two set screws to lock it on.

Re: hand wheel is threaded on

john lucas

Thanks Dick I was pretty sure it was left handed but it's been a while since I took a Jet mini apart.

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

eliot feldman

I called Jet. They were as helpful as they could be ,but about all I got from them was that the hand wheel was probably loose and that I should try to tighten it -- and that it is a left-handed thread.

The problem, as I explained to them, is that the wheel won't budge. They didn't have too much to say about that except to use a monkey wrench and a towel to keep from dinging up the hand wheel. I didn't like that solution because I believed the polished wheel would become damaged even through the towel.

I tried drilling to free up possible burrs, but that didn't work. What I eventually did was to clamp on my largest wooden clamp -- the kind that has two all thread rods -- one normal and the other left-handed-- and try to turn the hand-wheel (counter clockwise) using this clamp. The clamp slipped some, but I think I may have moved it just a little bit.

My next attempt will be to find a couple of stout boards, hinge them at one end, wrap a rope at the other end around both boards and twist the rope with a large bar to tighten the boards around the wheel -- like using a nut cracker -- and then try turning the wheel that way. We'll see.

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

Cyril Griesbach

Eliot, try a strap wrench.

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

john lucas

If you don't have a strap wrench see if you have an extension cord that has a lot of friction. some are slick and some don't slide well on metal. Wrap the cord around it and grip both ends so it gets tighter as you twist. This will often get things off although if your clamp didn't twist it I don't know if the extension cord will work.

Another thought I've used. Get one of those rubber jar lid openers. Wrap it around the handle and then put a clamp on it. That should help keep the clamp or boards from slipping.

I have a chain wrench that I guarantee would work but it will mar the finish. Not as bad as a pipe wrench but it really grips.

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

Don Orr

Left hand threads mean you have to turn the hand wheel CLOCKWISE to loosen it.

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

Eliot Feldman

Of course I understand that. The problem I am having is that the hand wheel needs to be TIGHTENED. The whole mechanism inside the case shifts toward the tail stock when I use the knockout bar. I called Jet, and they said that the hand wheel has to be tightened. My real problem is that it just won't budge in either direction. Actually I figured even before calling them that the hand wheel tightens in the counterclockwise direction because one is often grabbing it after the power is switched off to slow it down. If the thread was normal , that process would tend to loosen the hand wheel.

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

John K Jordan

Assuming you've already squirted PDblaster or something to soak into the threads, there are two things that often loosen stubborn threads. One is heat, propane torch might be enough, the other is tapping sharply on the object, protect with a piece of aluminum or something on the side then rap sharply and repearedly with a hammer. A hammer drill is good for that too. I did not take a look at my jet minis to see the configuration, perhaps something more specific will come to mind.

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

Gbalock

Actually getting the hand wheel off and inspecting the whole thing before reassembly isn't a bad idea. If this situation happened once, it will happen again. When reassembling, I'd put a coat of anti-seize on it to prevent this happening again.

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

gil jones

Is there a second set screw in each threaded hole?

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

Eliot feldman

Yes. there is a set screw in each threaded hole. I loosened these.

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

Dick Strauss

Eliot,

Gil was suggesting that there might be two set screws stacked on top of each other in every hole. The first inside one holds the handwheel to the spindle or whatever and the second one keeps the first from becoming loose from vibration (like stacking two nuts on something threaded). If you only got one out and there are actually two, the second one is still holding preventing you from loosening or tightening the handwheel!

Re: Problem with Jet Mini Lathe

eliot feldman

There's just one set screw per hole.