Bit stuck in spindle

[toddmaci]

Can anyone give me a non destructive way to remove the surfacing bit from my spindle? I finished surfacing the table and came back a day later and cannot remove the bit. I have only tried holding the bit with a leather glove and spinning it while holding a wrench on the spindle.

Thanks,

Todd

[joewino]

Just whack it real good with a hammer. No....not really.

I do gently tap the collet with the end of the wrench that came with my ShopBot. Probably not recommended but it loosens the bit. Underline the word "gently".

[mzettl]

Todd,

Have you taken the whole collet nut and collet (with the incarcerated bit)off of the spindle? I would do that first, then it should be no problem to remove the bit.

-Matt

[toddmaci]

Raymond,
My problem is I cannot get the nut off to get to the collet. The bit is a 1.24 and will not fit through the hole. Maybe I chucked the bit to far up into the collet? I am new at this.

Thanks,

Todd

[harryball]

I agree with Matt, the entire collet should drop out of the spindle. If the nut comes off and the collet stays in the spindle then perhaps the collet and collet nut were not snapped together correctly when it was inserted?

/RB

[toddmaci]

Thanks for the help. I got it. A little heat from a hair dryer helped. When I chucked it up it was about 95 and today it 76.
Thanks,

Todd

[bill.young]

Hi Todd,

As Robert said above, make sure that the collet is snapped into the nut before threading it onto the spindle or inserting the bit...neglecting to do that can cause the bit to jam (among other problems). Here's a video that shows the process...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gMezORPi8M

Bill

[toddmaci]

Bill,
Thanks for the links to the video. I believe that the collet not snapping into the nut contributed my problem.

Thanks,

Todd
p.s. your MOMA house is very cool.

[bill.young]

Hey Todd,

Thanks...even though it was a lot of work for an old guy like me, it was a neat project to be involved in and the house turned out great! I've posted a few pictures on Flickr that I took on the morning of the opening.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seaside...7606220971717/

Bill