Reversible Motor Advantage

Yes, I think it would (or is it "wood"?)... you could stop the lathe, walk to the other side, reverse the motor and cut the other (right) side of your bead with the same motions as you cut the first side.

Or.... you could stop the lathe, flip the spindle end for end, start the motor forwards and cut the other (right) side of the bead with the same motion as you cut the first side (this is actually an old-timer's trick to get both ends of a symmetric spindle identical, but it is not done with individual elements, but with half the spindle at a time).

But, it seems to me, that either of these will result in the lathe being off most of the time, with you either walking or winding the tailstock handwheel to and fro during that time.

Or... you could dedicate serious practice with your skew, trying various cutting positions and angles in order to make these cuts in your sleep, to the right and to the left, from the front side of the lathe, with the lathe running forward.

Michael Latcha - at home in Redford, MI

For beading, use a beading tool. Or a Bedan. Easier to use than a skew because you cut in and around, not down/in and around, and it gives a better finish than using the skew nose down.

How're things near the old homestead, Mike? Grew up Joy/Beech, on the Heights side.

Charlie.. as a "lefty" I've experienced a lot of problems like that, and used to go to the other side of the lathe for bowl hollowing, etc.. (without reversing the motor)

I found that it is safer and easier to learn to switch hands, as all of the turners in the DVD's I've seen have...

I'm out of position as far as the power switch and speed control are located..

I'll never learn to be consistent if I keep changing where I stand...

All the damn chisels, sanders, etc. are on the wall by the "correct" side, which is not only inconvenient as hell, but is dangerous if you reach over the work for something instead of walking around the lathe..

These things didn't matter much when I was on the Jet Mini, but on the Jet 1442 that I use now, it's a long freakin' walk around the lathe.. lol

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

OK - so the alternatives to using a reversible motor and the same familiar motion of hands and tool that I CAN do without much thought or effort are:

1. practice, practice, practice making cuts that require crossing my arms in front of me until I can do it with little thought or effort - OR until hell freezes over. whick ever comes first.
2. learn to use my left hand on the handle and right hand on the tool at the tool rest. That would work for simple arc/sweeping cuts. But with a beading tool like the Sorby Spindle Master, it requires rotating the handle to bring the edge from horizontal to vertical. I know I can walk and I know I can chew gum. It's walking and chewing gum that I'm not so sure about.
3. learn to use a Bedan. That's on my To Do List when I get serious about eccentric turning.

As for walking around the lathe if I had a reversible motor - I'm working on a JET Midi so the round trip wouldn't get me any frequent flier miles or burn many calories. When I add the extension then it might be a minor PITA.

As usual, thanks forcoming up with other approaches.

The more minds on a problem the more solutions.

Thanks for helping yet another turning newbie.

charlie b

Hi Charlie, Newbie or not, there are few if any 'rules' or fixed alternatives for turning wood and no shame in breaking them. Accomplished turners suggest and repeatedly use the same techniques because they've found that they work best for _them, not because that's the only way. Turning wood is like skinning cats. Sorry Ecner. :)

Any of your ideas are certainly ok if their "cash value" helps you in the long run. I don't think you waste your time in finding out or our time in asking opinions or sharing results. True, some methods have proven to be dangerous and as a 'rule' should be avoided, but most 'rules' are soft & slow and risky methods can be useful in certain situations.

Personal experiments to determine the methods that work for you or to rule out those that don't are best done with dry runs and careful thinking, whether they are your ideas or 'taught' by an expert.

Hard to believe now, but there was a time when scraping was against the 'rules' and frowned on in decent shops. I think you should try turning right & left handed from front, back, up, down or riding the rails with a CW or CCW motor til you decide when & what is best for you .....and you are entitled to enjoy the finding out.

Hope my $0,02 doesn't break too many hard & fast turning rules. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

Bottom line for me is that if it's safe and fun, I'll do it... if it's also more efficient or does a better job, that's just a bonus/side effect.. YMMV

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

SNIP ...........

============================= Charlie, Why wait? A bedan is probably the easiest tool to use to form a bead. If you don't have one, you can use a 1/4 or 3/8 inch mortising chisel in a pinch. It can also be used in many places where you would use a skew. One of the three point pyramid tools also do well for beading work. They're easy to make from 3/8 or 1/2 inch drill rod.

Ken Moon Webberville, TX.