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Why reverse

C

Cumbrian Craig

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As I have asked a few questions since joining this forum and haven't been made to feel a fool. I have a record power lathe and it has a reverse switch. Why would I need to use this function??

Regards

Craig
 
Dalboy

Dalboy

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Don't use reverse if your chuck does not have a locking system on it as you will find it may just undo. One of the things it is useful for is when sanding as well as if you have an outboard rest so you can turn on the opposite side of the bowl but still stand on the same side of the machine. There are other reasons as well which others will come along soon
 
Penpal

Penpal

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Reverse sanding can be a bonus always use a chuck with a locking allen screw to prevent the chuck unwinding in reverse.
. For lefties using outboard turning.

Peter.
 
Bill Mooney

Bill Mooney

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As Derek says make sure your chuck or faceplate has at least a grubscrew to tighten onto the spindle this is a must. Reverse sanding is sometimes useful to get rid of light tear out. It is also useful when turning the inside of bowls. You can’t always see what you are doing when turning inside especially if you are undercutting the rim. If you put your lathe in reverse you can lean across the bed & turn off the back end of your toolrest & you can see exactly what you’re doing & can control your tool.
 
Phil Dart

Phil Dart

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The main purpose is for sanding - especially bowls, to achieve a finer finish or as Bill says, to help remove tear-out. When sanding in one direction, the grain, and particularly the end grain, which you are going to encounter twice in every revolution on a bowl, all leans over - a bit like a micro version of a field of corn on the wind. By reversing the lathe, you get to correct that, and therefore end up with a better finish.

Explained briefly because it's late, and not explained very well I think, but I hope you get the idea.
 
Pastor of Muppets

Pastor of Muppets

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I don't have anything that fancy on my lathe, but I do reverse the blank on the mandrel between grits while sanding my pens and I find it does improve the finish.
 
21William

21William

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Cumbrian Craig said:
Thanks gents. I don't have a locking chuck, so I won't be using this feature at the moment.

Regards

Craig
Click to expand...

I must admit that I’ve not seen a chuck before that didn’t have locking screws, certainly both my chucks (Axminster and Record) have them. Your chuck proves the point though. Could you not add lock screws?
 
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