Stuck arbor

Dan Pierson

Dan Pierson

Joined
Nov 24, 2003
Messages
2,357
Now that I've finally set up the used Harbor Freight mini-mill, I found out two things. It's not a Chinese R8 mill, seems that they used to import a Taiwanese 3MT version which got one of. It also seems that the original owner put on the drill chuck and no one has ever tried to remove it. :(

I've sprayed WD-40 into the spindle and let it soak, cobbled together a jig to support the spindle bottom and beat on it with a dead blow hammer, nothing.

Does anyone have an idea how to get the arbor and chuck out of there? I've got a replacement 3MT collet on the way and Tormach tool-holding system so I don't care if what happens to the old chuck and arbor as long as the mill and spindle survive. :confused:

Dan Pierson
 
Some heat should do it .Be patient it will take a while and heat it uniformly.
 
I am of the same opinion, heat it slow. There is not much you can't get apart with a torch. Fred
 
The MT3 doesn't have a drawbar, does it?
Aren't there wedges made for removing stuck tapers?
Where are the machinists?
 
I'm a machinist, it's called a drift key. You can make one out of any type of tool steel and it does not have to be heat treated. All it is, is a piece of steel cut into a long triangle, about 6 in long.

Dan,
When you lower the chuck is there a hole in the shaft that holds the taper? It should be an oval about a 1/4 in wide and 2in long. Put the drift key in there and use a hammer to force it out. A little heat might help as well.
 
That sounds like the same machine I have.I also switched mine out to a collet and chuck system.
It came originally with the chuck attached to the shaft.I just backed the holding nut under the cap on the top of the machine untill it was just above level with the threads and smacked it a couple of good licks with a heavy brass hammer and the taper just fell out.

Bruce
 
Bruce, that would be the draw bar. The correct way to remove something attached to it is to give it 3 turns and then hit it on top with a hammer to loosen it. You only give it 3 turns so you don't ruin the threads at the end of the rod.
 
Yes, mine has a drawbar, probably just like Bruce's. So far it's resisted the whacks. There's about an inch of the spindle protruding below the housing with maybe 1/4" of 3MT arbor or collet below that, then a little bit less of the shaft the chuck's mounted on. No sign of a drift key hole anywhere.

To use a torch, I should heat up the bottom of the spindle slowly, right? Will a propane torch do it? I haven't gotten a bigger rig yet.
 
I had to remove a cutter head from a woodworking planer which had been friction welded to the shaft .I used a O/A torch ,slowly while rotating the shaft. That's an extreme case so you could probably do it with a propane torch if it's just "stuck".
 
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