Stuck Spindle Nose

[SkyMoCo]

I'm trying to replace the collet set screw on my Bridgeport clone. I removed the little set screw that holds the nose and I can look in there with a mirror and a light and see the threads.

I've managed to loosen it a little bit, maybe five degrees, assuming its a right hand thread, but it's really not wanting to move.

Can this be that tight? I've broken my spanner wrench and not sure what the next step might be. Custom spanner wrench? Prayers?

[duckman]

Yes its right hand, when I've run into this problem I break out my 18" channel locks never fails .

[SkyMoCo]

Yes its right hand, when I've run into this problem I break out my 18" channel locks never fails .

I guess that's what I looking for, before I break out the channel locks or even worse a pipe wrench on my innocent mill, I wanted some sort of validation.

[Don Young]

Sometimes tapping around the outside of the quill with a brass/bronze hammer will help loosen the threads. Just don't overdo it and dent the quill.

[lane]

Make sure their are not 2 set screws one on top of the other . Some B>P> clones have a left hand thread on the spindle cap . Mine does and i know a few others do too. Real Bridgeports have right hand threads ,but most of the Clones have left hand threads.

[SkyMoCo]

I can see that there are no more set screws as I can see the threads. They look like right hand threads to me, but since this is clone I'll check again. Ugh. Are new spindle caps available with both left hand and right hand threads?

[krutch]

The threads are most likely burred from the set screw. Work the Quill nose back and forth a little. Be careful not to bugger the quill threads(ID). They will be hard to straighten out. The nose cap not so difficult.
Find a brass tipped screw to replace it with to reassemble. Or make a brass disc to fit the screw hole so the brass clamps the threads.

Some quill caps have threaded holes on the 'face' for attatchments or something. You might be able to use them to turn the cap. Or drill corresponding holes in scrap plate to match the spaner holes, if that fits your application