Thread: Lathe spindle fwd-rev lever - is up usually forward or reverse ?

The TAFE Colchesters lathes in WA were "down for forward" "up for reverse". My Chinese lathe is "up for forward" " down for reverse". As for the standards, there has never been any reviews or updates to any of them for a long time. A company called Global owns the right to the standards seal of approval, looking into their website for a paticular standard, well get you truly frustrated, motorcycle helmet laws for one.

DD

Originally Posted by RayG

On a related matter, does anyone know if there has ever been a lathe with the spindle on the right, and tailstock on the left...if not why not.

I can't say that there was never one made but I would suggest that for a right handed person the standard lathe is set up so that a good proportion of manipulation of the machine is readily done by the right hand - for example, bringing in and drilling with the tail stock, winding the cross slide, changing tools/ tool post position.
By comparison the left hand just gets to wind the carriage wheel and push buttons/ pull levers.

Micahel

Originally Posted by RayG

On a related matter, does anyone know if there has ever been a lathe with the spindle on the right, and tailstock on the left... as seen by the operator that is... ( not standing behind the lathe! ) if not why not.
Ray

Not really a new idea - It's a while back, but Henry Maudslay's original screw cutting lathe of 1797 for one had the headstock to the operator's right. Since this was the original, I wonder why nearly all the later designers of conventional lathes did not copy it, but put the headstock on the left? More convenient as Michael suggested? Since the Maudslay lathe was hand driven it might have been easier for a right handed person to crank with the right arm.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...7_and_1800.png

Regards,

Frank

RayG,

I don't think the Irish make any lathes.

Ken

[QUOTE=johntopp;1852285]Anyone remember which way the Colchesters in the TAFE's were wired ?

If so I'll make that my standard


That would depend on the model of the Colchester, the instruction manual for a Bantam states that the handle has to be lifted up for forward whereas the Master 2500 manual states down is forward. I work in a Tafe college and have set up all the lathes, no matter what make or model, to run forward when the lever is pushed down.

Down for forward. The handle should at least move in the general direction that the chuck moves. You push the lever down, the spindle should turn down. Why would it be the inverse?

The only thing that pisses me off more, is fork lifts with the side shift way about. It's forward for left, back for right

What a stupid question

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/ccw-143685

Stuart

Originally Posted by Techo1

I work in a Tafe college and have set up all the lathes, no matter what make or model, to run forward when the lever is pushed down.

Good enough for TAFE is good enough for me

So down for (normally) ON (FWD), and back up to the detent for OFF, just like all the other switches (lights, power points.....) I use

Next job, swap two wires on the drum switch

I'll equate my attempt to adapt to UP = ON with the British move during the war to change over to UP = ON for light switches. Apparently to reduce the risk of a light being turned on accidentally by a nearby bomb blast. The idea never took off.

Originally Posted by RayG

Mine is up for forward, I prefer clockwise for forward in general, somehow it feels more natural?

On a related matter, does anyone know if there has ever been a lathe with the spindle on the right, and tailstock on the left... as seen by the operator that is... ( not standing behind the lathe! ) if not why not.

Ray

Some of the watchmaker's lathes are set-out that way. I've read that a lot of continental watchmaker's used the graver left handed. Mine isn't built that way though. A Lorch, that says "Germany" on it.Perhaps it was built for the export market.

Joe

Originally Posted by .RC.

It is sideways on the 10EE...

ah yes there is always someone who just has to be different

Helicopter rotors turn in one particular direction, except if they're French.

Jordan

Originally Posted by nadroj

Helicopter rotors turn in one particular direction, except if they're French.

Didn't work out so well on the Chinook

Thanks for the input folks

Now running on the TAFE standard, the FWD UP never felt right

Very inexpensive lathe upgrade I think