Removing the QC to install the Rock

[weberts]

I just received my Rock chuck and will soon be installing it. I have read just about every message concerning removing the stock Quick Chuck and the thought of using heat scares me a little. I did order the removal tool also but... I was wondering if anyone has tried or thought of this method. Put a #3 square drive bit in the top and use an impact driver to break the QC loose, am I asking for trouble or does it sound like a reasonable plan of attack?

[Digitalwoodshop]

Depends..... Sometimes it will work and other times it will snap off the square drive bit or like I did many years ago.... Stripped the top from square to round.

Use the heat..... Watch the video FIRST.

AL

[PCW]

Impact scares me more than the heat. Try this link (http://www.carvespot.com/forum/read.php?3,440) to CraveSpot there is some information over there that may help.

[Tom Spaulding]

I just received my Rock chuck and will soon be installing it. I have read just about every message concerning removing the stock Quick Chuck and the thought of using heat scares me a little. I did order the removal tool also but... I was wondering if anyone has tried or thought of this method. Put a #3 square drive bit in the top and use an impact driver to break the QC loose, am I asking for trouble or does it sound like a reasonable plan of attack?

I say it might work well or you'll be ordering a new ztruck, depending on how much locktite is on your spindle.

I just switched mine out. I ended up not having to use heat on a 2 week old unit.
I just used a socket on the square tool and gave it a couple jerks to break it loose. But from everything I read, I was lucky.
I actually was using the flame method and got scared when I had the torch lit and decided to give it one go without heat.

-Tom

[Digitalwoodshop]

I think that a QC from China will come off easier than a QC on a Reconditioned Z Truck from LHR with "Forever RED Locktite".... The one that broke my 3 square bits never came off and was a Reconditioned by LHR version.

I think with enough heat and damaging the lower bearing I can get the QC off someday...

As Clint would say.... "DO you feel LUCKY?".....

AL

[Ike]

I will getting my Rock soon I can't wait! Talked to Ron a couple days ago for over a half hour....great guy and a great asset to this forum and the machine! I am glad we have smart people like Ron and Al for dummies like me!


Ike

[weberts]

Would you believe my QC came off with just a quick jerk on the square adapter tool?! No heat!! Got the rock chuck on and will test drive it soon

[dbfletcher]

I just got my rock today too. I have been dreading taking the evil qc off becuase I have had my machine for several years so i thought for sure mine would be an evil red loctite machine. But I guess i got lucky... followed the video.. two short jerks on the square tools and the qc started to turn. No heat required for me either! Now what to do with the two additional square tools I bought after reading all the horror stories about removing the qc.

Doug Fletche

[Tacis]

I think that a QC from China will come off easier than a QC on a Reconditioned Z Truck from LHR with "Forever RED Locktite".... The one that broke my 3 square bits never came off and was a Reconditioned by LHR version.

I think with enough heat and damaging the lower bearing I can get the QC off someday...

As Clint would say.... "DO you feel LUCKY?".....

AL

Hey Al,

The reconad busted my square bit from LHRditioned Z-Truch are a bugger. I did this with success. I took a soldering iron and put i inthe hole. I bought a #3 Dewalt square bit at Lowes and fitted it to the impact. Came off like a charm.

[MikeON]

Would you believe my QC came off with just a quick jerk on the square adapter tool?! No heat!! Got the rock chuck on and will test drive it soon

I did that and busted the square adapter tool on the first quick jerk. I dusted off the lathe and surface grinder and put a new square on the tool. Will try again tonight, but with heat.

[mostlycold]

I did that and busted the square adapter tool on the first quick jerk. I dusted off the lathe and surface grinder and put a new square on the tool. Will try again tonight, but with heat.

Broke the square tool first time I tried. Very leary of putting a torch inside a machine with computer chips and a plastic housing. Used a heat gun (looks like a hair dryer) and laid the metal cage end of the blower directly on the metal rod I had inserted into the QC. Spun the QC slowly from the top. Tried at 3 minutes, still wouldn't budge, three more minutes and it came right off. The heat gun blows hot air through the machine without causing any heat build-up inside the hood, but still got the shaft hot enough to release.

This is what worked for me,
Dan

[MikeON]

Broke the square tool first time I tried. Very leary of putting a torch inside a machine with computer chips and a plastic housing. Used a heat gun (looks like a hair dryer) and laid the metal cage end of the blower directly on the metal rod I had inserted into the QC. Spun the QC slowly from the top. Tried at 3 minutes, still wouldn't budge, three more minutes and it came right off. The heat gun blows hot air through the machine without causing any heat build-up inside the hood, but still got the shaft hot enough to release.

This is what worked for me,
Dan

Well, my patched up square tool did the trick. I had turned the broken end and surface-ground a new square on it. It was barely long enough to get the wrench on after machining on a new square. It took a LOT of heat. It had the yellow Loctite, but the threads were completely loaded with it. Like you, I didn't like to put a torch inside the machine, so I heated up a short piece of 1/2 round to just starting to glow, and held it inside the QC with pliers. Had a cake pan on the traction belts in case I dropped the rod, but that didn't happen. It took several reheatings and reinsertion of the rod to get it loose. Even then, I was pulling so hard I thought I was going to break the square tool again, but it finally came loose.

[Dan Frecks]

WELL.....

Like most of you it seems I too broke the square tool trying to remove the QC. Bummer too, cause I was really looking forward to the rock chuck. After trying to get it off without success, I decided to to a test carve that my sons and I worked on with the QC in.

Got the crappiest carve ever. Horrible edges, poor lines, and the flex shaft got really hot (for the first time ever) so I aborted the carve. I don't think it was the lubrication on the shaft as I just did that.

I an hoping that I may have partially loosened the chuck and that was the issue. I am also hoping that I didn't somehow damage the inside of the thing trying to take it apart.

BUMMER!

Gonna go buy a #3 square bit today and see if I can get it off....

[geekviking]

grinding down an old case hardened(?) screwdriver, if you have one to spare.
I did until the end fit about a half inch into the square hole, and it took my whole body weight laying into the ztruck without breaking.
Seriously, I had to put it into a vise because the vise grips I was using started to come open from so much torque... :D