6. Put on your rubber, high-friction gloves. Grip the handwheel on the rear of the spindle. Use the faceplate
wrench on the spindle’s flats to loosen the handwheel.
NOTE:
the spindle handwheel is left-hand threaded.
Turn the handwheel clockwise (as viewed from the back of the lathe, with the spindle stationary) to loosen it.
Remove the handwheel and set it aside.
7. Use a hex wrench to loosen the set screw on the spindle pulley (Fig. 2 below). Note the pulley’s position
relative to the inside walls of the headstock. Take a picture if need be.
8. Move the lathe tailstock as far away from the headstock as it will go. Lock it in place. Move the lathe banjo (the
piece that holds the toolrest) as far away from the headstock as it will go. Lock it in place. Place a piece of
cardboard, or thick cloth, on the bed of the lathe. Failure to do so could lead to the lathe bed or the spindle
threads getting damaged when it is removed from the headstock. Alternatively, have a helper position
him/herself to catch the spindle as it is removed.
9. Hold the spindle pulley in position (otherwise it will fall and possibly get damaged). Use a rubber mallet to tap
the spindle out of the headstock. Tap the handwheel side (so the spindle will be ejected towards the lathe
tailstock).
NOTE
: you may have to whack the spindle with some force. If a rubber mallet won’t do the trick,
place a block of wood over the handwheel end of the spindle and hit the block of wood with a standard
Date last modified: 2020.02.03
Fig. 1: There are two set screws; loosen both.
Fig. 2: Spindle pulley set screw.