Yup, finally did it. Got my live center stuck in the tailstock but good. Wouldn't eject. Wouldn't come out with a rod and hammer, either, penetrating oil or not.
Sooooo, I took the tailstock quill out and used a couple of wedges between the center's body and the face of the quill to free it. What wedges, you ask? Why, the only metal wedges I had on hand ... my shop chisels. Two together with the "ramps" opposing worked with one good rap from a hammer. Out it popped!
Unfortunately, one chisel decided to slip right up my finger and slice it open to the bone between the two knuckles closest to the palm. It stopped after hitting the knuckle itself. I barely felt it. But brother did that sucker bleed! I looked down to see blood running (not dripping) out of the cut and all over the bed and leg of the lathe, and onto the floor. A few blood-soaked paper towels later, a disinfecting scrub, peroxide, super glue (one specifically for bonding skin), and steri-strips later I managed to avoid a trip for stitches and I'm all patched up. My wife was kind enough to clean up the sink area, which was ... well ... ew.
Here's what I learned:
1) Don't use chisels for wedges, stupid.
2) Don't use a knockout rod that will stick in the end of a hollow taper shaft.
3) Super Glue bonds skin really well, but it STINGS LIKE A M*#$%(##!
4) Make sure the taper surfaces are clean and don't get the center stuck!!!!
Sooooo, I took the tailstock quill out and used a couple of wedges between the center's body and the face of the quill to free it. What wedges, you ask? Why, the only metal wedges I had on hand ... my shop chisels. Two together with the "ramps" opposing worked with one good rap from a hammer. Out it popped!
Unfortunately, one chisel decided to slip right up my finger and slice it open to the bone between the two knuckles closest to the palm. It stopped after hitting the knuckle itself. I barely felt it. But brother did that sucker bleed! I looked down to see blood running (not dripping) out of the cut and all over the bed and leg of the lathe, and onto the floor. A few blood-soaked paper towels later, a disinfecting scrub, peroxide, super glue (one specifically for bonding skin), and steri-strips later I managed to avoid a trip for stitches and I'm all patched up. My wife was kind enough to clean up the sink area, which was ... well ... ew.
Here's what I learned:
1) Don't use chisels for wedges, stupid.
2) Don't use a knockout rod that will stick in the end of a hollow taper shaft.
3) Super Glue bonds skin really well, but it STINGS LIKE A M*#$%(##!
4) Make sure the taper surfaces are clean and don't get the center stuck!!!!
