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awemawson:
Ginger, all the Colchesters I've seen in schools and ex schools of that era had the 'L0' (or L00 on smaller lathes) american short tapered nose, with a key to provide angular location and a screwed collar to hold it on. Reversing was never a problem, as the inertia of the screwed collar is small (anyway the locking spanner is huge!) and the inertia of the chuck and workpiece are irrelevant as the key prevents rotation. Later ones of course had the D1-4 camlock spindle nose.

Fergus OMore:
I think the answer is so that the lathe can accept tooling other than that which is screwed on. There are things like boring heads, facing tools and a collets to name only a small fraction. Some can be bought whilst others can be made. I'm sure that you are aware that the ML7 used to be the total workshop rather than only one bit. With a vertical slide and a block of steel to pepper with holes and away one went

Is much of the old information still available? Can one set off today with an old lathe and use fabrication from blocks of steel? Of course, it is. Again, there are lots of castings and drawings in the UK if not in Oz.

What has to be recalled is that vast projects like tool and cutter grinders, dividing heads and rotary tables have been made on a lathe only workshop.

I'm having to take a break for at least a month- wife's and doctors orders but feel free to drop me a note if you wish. Given a new year, I'll be 85, I might just help.

Meantime

My best wishes

Norman

RobWilson:
Looking good Ginger Nut :thumbup:

A handy feature to have on a lathe . :thumbup:

I have been using Dewhurst drum switches on my machines for years, my first ML7 had one , the Super 7 has one , been using that for 22 + years , my Boxford has one ,been using that a tad less about
19 years , my mill drill has a copy switch fitted , been using that at least 20 years ,,,,,,,,,,,and have NEVER I will say that again NEVER had a chuck unscrew and I hammer my machines at times .

To me not having the spindle reverse , is like having a car with no reverse gear :loco: , it increases the functionality of the machine .

And this NVR switch argument ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,bollocks ! what is the world coming to . :bang:

Rob

edited for piss poor spelling :palm:

NormanV:
I have a Raglan lathe fitted with a Dewhurst switch, I was demonstrating the fact that it could be reversed and the chuck unscrewed and flew onto the floor narrowly missing my foot.

vtsteam:
I don't have a reversible motor on my Craftsman lathe, which has screw on chucks, but wouldn't have qualms it if it did. It seems to me it's a matter of choice in outfitting your own lathe, and if you do set up reversing, it simply requires a reasonable amount of care to use it.

I wouldn't be without reverse in my tractor, or truck, or even an electric drill, but running these or just about anything else forward and then trying instantly to jump into reverse is a bad idea, and so generally discouraged. Likewise starting out in a high gear. Or overloading the capabilities of a mechanism. So knowledge is required, and familiarity with the equipment and limits.

I know that manufacturers of modern equipment/vehicles/tools try to add saftey features and lockouts.; But depending on some safety feature dulls the public's need to understand how things work, and what not to do. Knowledge prevents accidents in case a safety feature fails. Or if a person happens to use something older without those safety features.

As a matter of choice, it seems perfectly reasonable to me to either fit an older style reversing switch, or remove and replace an older style reversing switch depending on your own take on it, just as you can choose every other aspect of your shop tools. I don't believe there is a right and wrong for something like this, once the possible problems are already expressed, and people clearly accept the responsibility for their own safety in their own shop.

I run a chainsaw in the woods, after all. Plenty of possible safety downsides to that. And just about every other interesting thing I do in life.

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