How to Free a Stuck Faceplate

Faceplates provide an easy way to get bowl blanks mounted on the lathe. One downside….the direction in which they spin is the same direction in which they tighten. That is, of course, a good thing when it comes to keeping the bowl blank on the lathe. But it can be a bad thing when it comes to getting the faceplate OFF the lathe. The more you turn, the tighter the faceplate gets. This can quickly lead to you trying to figure out how to free a stuck faceplate. No problem, we’ve got a solution for you.

Breaking it loose

Some faceplates are faceted so you can put a wrench on them. Others have a hole in them somewhere you can put a rod into for leverage. But if your faceplate doesn’t, or you don’t have the tool for the job, there’s another tool that’ll work. Run out to the garage and grab your oil filter wrench. This tool works perfectly to free a stuck faceplate. They are, after all, designed to grab round things. You’ll have plenty of leverage and plenty of torque, making it very simple to get the faceplate off.

So you like turning?

Lathe turning is a great hobby, and very addictive. It’s one of the few things you can do in woodworking that provides nearly instant gratification. You can get many projects on and off the lathe in no time. If you want to expand your lathe turning repertoire, be sure to look at our woodturning videos.