Nice little tongue in cheek part about the chuck key, many years ago, for my local school I setup a holder for the chuck key with a micro switch interlock, so the machine wouldn't run if the chuck key wasn't in its holder. It stopped a lot of accidents.
Hey, that is a nice way to do it 👍. Thankfully my old atlas has the spindle lock, at least till I shear it off lol. In which case I'll need to know your method for sure, thanks😁
Thanks for that, helped me while restoring an old Super 7. Although the instructor in me started to rage as soon as you did the whole chuck key bit. lol
My Myford Super 7B which is 25 years old has an original locking pin at the back of the head stock which enters a hole in the pulley to help unlock chucks!!! Never had any problems I just push the pin into the hole and with an adjustable spanner I grip one of the jaws of the chuck and off it goes!!!!!!
An ordinary paper ring will work as well as gasket material to make the chuck easier to remove. Just remember not to be doing any work that requires running the spindle in reverse or use on a lathe with a good spindle brake. The safest method is to make a spindle bore expanding mandrel with a long crank handle that can be anchored and then a hexagon bar in the chuck. Like he says, using the back gear or wedges into the cast iron head stock is inviting disaster.
NO!!! Never leave the key in a lathe chuck. If it accidentally gets turned on, the key can become a missile! One of the first things I had pounded into my head in machinist school.
