help with tull international lathe please.

[vtmike]

hi i am completely new to wood turning. I have a Tull international lathe, which is fairly old but works OK.
but i am having a problem with the drive center. I can't find how to remove it so i can attach the bowl plate. The drive center has 2 flat spots either side of the shaft, which i thought a spanner would turn it as if it was on a thread, but it hasn't worked i cant pull it out either. The bowl plate also doubles to tighten on to the bolt that holds the tail stock secure.
i know there are problem some bits missing from this lathe i did have to buy a tool rest for it.

 

[myturn]

The drive centre will be on a Morse Taper that fits in the headstock.

If your headstock is drilled right through you can use a knockout bar through the headstock to give a tap on the back of the drive centre.

If you can't use a knockout bar then you need to lock the headstock then place the spanner on the flats on the drive centre and give the end of the spanner a light tap.

 

[nev]

hi i am completely new to wood turning. I have a Tull international lathe, which is fairly old but works OK.
but i am having a problem with the drive center. I can't find how to remove it so i can attach the bowl plate. The drive center has 2 flat spots either side of the shaft, which i thought a spanner would turn it as if it was on a thread, but it hasn't worked i cant pull it out either. The bowl plate also doubles to tighten on to the bolt that holds the tail stock secure.
i know there are problem some bits missing from this lathe i did have to buy a tool rest for it.

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum. I am not familiar with your lathe, so any chance of a pic of the offending article?

Usually, the driveshaft has two methods of fixing, a thread on the outside, on to which to fix your faceplate, chuck etc. and a tapered hole on the inside of the shaft. Into this tapered hole push fit various drive centres, mandrels etc.
when using the (morse) taper usually you would have what is effectively a large nut onto the threaded shaft first, then insert the tapered drive. you can then undo the nut which pushes the tapered drive out of the shaft. If no 'thread saver' has been fitted then the tapers can be a right so and so to get out.
can you hold the driveshift (inside the headstock?) with a spanner? if you can then you can try breaking the taper seal with a large pair of grips on the drive centre by twisting ?