Author Topic: Left handed lathe  (Read 7090 times)

Offline Robert Hornby

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Left handed lathe
« on: February 04, 2013, 07:46:56 AM »
This is probable right out of the left field but I was thinking whilst turning some stuff if a left handed lathe (headstock on the right) was ever made  :shrug:
Robert
Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill

Online Jo

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2013, 08:25:14 AM »
Many European watchmakers lathes were built that way to enable very fine work to be done.

Running a lathe the other way around has all sorts of problems because the headstock also need to run clockwise rather than anti-clockwise and whilst you can reverse a screw thread on the lathe nose things like drills are all handed for conventional operation :shrug:.

Jo
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Offline Maryak

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2013, 09:28:29 AM »
Just stand behind your current one  :mischief:

Just thinking about a few things associated with a lathe with the headstock on the left of the operator:

A Right hand tool normally cuts to the left.

A right hand tool holder is bent to the left.

A right hand thread is conventionally cut to the left. Especially if the chuck is mounted using a right hand thread.

Some lathes have the saddle handwheel on the left of the saddle and some on the right of the saddle.

If right handed is clockwise, when facing the chuck in forward gear it rotates anticlockwise

So is it a right hand or a left hand lathe I for one don't really know.  :shrug:

Best Regards
Bob


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Offline IanR

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2013, 11:35:00 AM »
I have seen photos of one with the headstock on the right, built by Maudslay I think, but wasn't certain whether the image had been reversed in the printing process.
Ted Jolliffe (former editor of ME) modified a Super Adept to use with the headstock on the right, and found it more difficult to use as he was familiar with the conventional layout.

Goldstar31

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2013, 11:53:56 AM »
Actually there wasn't a lot in the old Adept  anyway. Still got the independent 3 and 4 jaw chucks for mine. The top slide was a one peg job- and mine is still sitting on the top of my old Clarkson radius grinding attachment.

I'm quite sure that the old 4" RB Drummond could be made into a 'Cuddy- hander' if the urge was there.

It's left handed scissors that are 'interesting'  :shrug:
Regards

Norman

fcheslop

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2013, 07:09:57 PM »
Its left handed tin openers that are great as I would have to resort to a hammer and screw driver :Lol:

Offline Bearcar1

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2013, 07:15:21 PM »
I saw a left-handed nostril inhaler once upon a time.  :hellno: :DrinkPint: :DrinkPint: :DrinkPint: :DrinkPint:


BC1
Jim

Offline Mosey

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2013, 09:03:02 PM »
yes, left-handedness is interesting to those of us who are. Some of them were quite adept craftsmen...Leonardo, Michelangelo, etc.

fcheslop

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2013, 09:06:23 PM »
yep cuddy wifters rule and sinister handed you bet :Lol:

Goldstar31

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2013, 09:22:49 PM »
Of course, we missed the most obvious who was St Cuthbert- hence 'Cuddy'as his diminutive.

He bred ducks :lolb: eider him or somebody else :slap:

Offline tel

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2013, 10:33:38 PM »
Quote
He bred ducks :lolb: eider him or somebody else :slap:

I'm down on that line Norm! ;)
The older I get, the better I was.
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Offline gjn

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2013, 03:24:06 AM »
Quote
He bred ducks :lolb: eider him or somebody else :slap:

I'm down on that line Norm! ;)

You two are going quackers!

Offline Ian S C

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2013, 12:09:31 PM »
IanR, you beat me to it about the LH Adept, I was a little interested as I have a Super Adept all set up, and occasionally doing some work, but I'm not about to go and try it reversed.  Ian S C

Offline xatxtal

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Re: Left handed lathe
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2013, 05:03:54 PM »
But would not a truly right hand lathe (every thing in reverse including headstock) enable one to turn left hand threads starting from a face .
I say this hesitantly as I seem to recall such a machine in Bournemouth Tech College near 50 years ago and it was l fondly called the Whitworth threader. :cartwheel:
Trev
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