I do have a knock out bar & yes, the shaft is hollow - it's a year old
14" Delta lathe & it comes with a light, steel bar with a plastic knob at one end. It works, but only if I've turned for a short length of time & haven't tightened the tailstock much at all. Otherwise, I have to lock the head, start cranking with the wrench & hit at the same time. It didn't start out this tight, but seems to have gotten tighter. The amount of force needed just isn't right. When the center pops out, it's like a bullet.
High Score, Thanks for the idea on the heat, but I'd rather not. Can't imagine that would be good for it. Might peel the finish & let it rust, not to mention all the sawdust around.
I've only been using a lathe for 2 years & my first one was a cheap HF one that I hated. Still, it didn't have this problem. I'm thinking I'm doing something dumb - I usually turn bowls, so this doesn't come up often. What about a few drops of oil?
brid, The typing paper would wrap around the shaft? Could you expand on that?
Again, thanks for the ideas. - Jim