Help please!

I've got the outside of a very nice (so far) bowl turned but can't get the worm screw out. 

Any suggestions? 

I tried rapping the screw with a hammer to loosen it, then putting it back in the chuck. Rubber grippy gloves weren't much use. I really don't want to end up destroying the bowl to get the screw out. 

 

Next time I'll use a spacer to reduce the embedded length of the screw. 

 

Thanks, 

Old guy, novice turner. 

Welcome to the forum from someone who is barely a novice turner (the experienced guys will be along shortly). But let me ask, with the screw in the chuck you can't lock the spindle and spin the bowl off? Man, that thing must really be stuck.

Just now, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Welcome to the forum from someone who is barely a novice turner (the experienced guys will be along shortly). But let me ask, with the screw in the chuck you can't lock the spindle and spin the bowl off? Man, that thing must really be stuck.

 

Great plan.  

 

For leverage you could try one of these or similar. 

https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Strap-Wrench-Set-Functionally/dp/B0B2R2VM48?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=A3SWNU4505EPYW&th=1

 

I haven't used a worm drive screw in ages.  Between centers or a faceplate does the job for me in every situation.  

Thinking about what @Fred W. Hargis Jr said about locking the headstock spindle, that would be my first suggestion.

 

If you can't lock the spindle, does the spindle have opposing flats that a wrench would fit onto?

 

The strap wrench that @forty_caliber mentioned is aa additional option if the walls of the bowl are not too thin.

 

Any pictures?

 

Do you have enough "meat" left on the bottom to part off the bowl then turn away the wood left on the worm screw. 

Turn the bowl and remount it.  Start turning the inside of the bowl and run up beside the screw.  Leave enough wood to run a chisel down beside the screw and split the wood to loosen its grip.

If you had not removed it from chuck was the best way . Since it was removed you will never be able to put it back in . So the solution. Bench vise, clamp the screw in the vise and then you will have better leverage . Should come right off. '

 

One tip is to not leave screw in too long as wood shrinks. Also you might want to look at the size hole you drilled. If you have to exert a lot of force to thread the wood onto screw : the hole is too small. 

 

The space does not make it easier to remove the screw it is to spread the contact of bowl to chuck over a wider area and reduce depth of screw penetration required. Note some screws are longer than others.