My current project is killing me! Never had this much trouble on a rod, guess it's the full moon! Finish not mixed right, cork chipped out after turning grip, now my second attempt at a reel seat insert (first attempt, tailstock on lathe came loose, i bent my 3/8" mandrel, broke the insert and destroyed my hardware) has reached a road block. I put some masking tape on the mandrel to help hold my reel seat blank in place while turning. It was snug, but not terribly tight. This is how i always do it. After finishing turning, now i can't get the darn thing off the mandrel. I've put some pretty good effort in to pushing it off and i can't get it to budge. Any ideas on how to get it off short of destroying it?

Thanks

Carrington
Fort Collins, CO

The seat has spun slightly and unwrapped the masking tape, which has then inverted and jammed with the sticky side out. If it has only backrolled and bit of the tape, then the solution is twist it on the mandrel in the direction of chuck rotation.

Yep, like Ted mentioned, untwist it in the opposite direction that your lathe spins. Also, take the seat and dribble some alcohol down around the tape, stand it on end, and let it sit and soak a few min before trying to untwist. Should come right off easily.

DR

chuck the mandrel in a cordless drill. hold the piece in your hand. turn on the drill while holding and hopefully you will be able to break the surface tension. once the surface tension is broken then the piece should be able to be pulled off as the mandrel spins. be careful as the tape under your piece can bunch up and cause it to get stuck further. determine which direction is best before beginning. this has worked for me. the key is initially breaking the tension between the piece and mandrel. it goes without saying to be careful with this method. gloves can help to hold the piece and get a better grip. if all else fails chuck the mandrel and turn off the piece.
good luck

thanks for the advice, unfortunately, it wasn't to be. Cracked when trying to twist it. Thanks again, good techniques to remember.

Carrington

Sorry to hear the bad news Carrington. Yesterday I shattered a Claro Walnut insert that had ten light coats of CA applied - you guessed it, glued to the mandrel......

Jeff

Carrington,
To help avoid this problem, I always wax the mandrel before use. I use a torch or heat gun to heat the manderal and then simply put a stick of parrifin wax against the manderal as I am spinning it in my lathe. This gives a nice thin even coat of wax on the maderal which helps to avoid sticking problems.
Roger

The use of a woodturning type mandrel will eliminate the problem and make life a lot easier. You can buy them already made up or modify the ones you already have fairly easy [www.rodbuilding.org]

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

You need to find a copy of Andy Dear's turning DVD. He suggests, and I have done it, that after you drill out the blank for the seat insert, you slide it on the corresponding mandrel and secure it by applying five minute epoxy to each end of the seat, glueing it to the mandrel at the ends only. Then after you have turned the piece to your desired shape, you simply remove the epoxy with a parting tool. It is necessary to leave the shoulders you have on either end of the piece a little longer than you want, so you can free the seat and keep the right length.
This method makes it easier to remove the piece when yoy are done. No tape bushings to jam, no wax needed. Just slide it off.