Anyone have any ideas about this?

[paul ashman]

I have a Jet 1220 (non-VS) model and need to find out if there is any way to wire it so it will run in reverse. I have an extra 1/2 hp motor that I am thinking about rigging a pulley and engaging it while I raise the lathe motor, but it really seems like a "shade-tree mechanic" solution. Has anyone out there got any experience with this? The reason is to simply get better results in my sanding.
Thanks!

"Bartender, I'll have what the gentleman on the floor is having"

Paul Ashman
Panama City, Florida

[robert hainstock]

Almost any moter can be wired to run in reverse, sometimes the howto instructions are in the plate over the motor connections (induction motor). a DC motor, (as in the 1220VS model) Just needs the power to the moter wires reversed. The simplest way to sand in reverse is to reverse the turning in the headstock/tailstock. While you cannot do this with faceplate turnings, It is another option. Good luck with yours. :)
Bob

[ROY DICK]

Change the wire on the stator(sp) or rotor but not both.Itwill be a PITA tho.

Roy

[Paul Atkins]

If it's just for sanding, can you put the chuck on the outboard side? Won't have to unmount the piece either. No risk of unscrewing the chuck this way too.

[CW McClellan]

Move lathe away from wall and stand on opposite side --won't cost ya nothing :D

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Move lathe away from wall and stand on opposite side --won't cost ya nothing :D

How does that change the rotation of the lathe, or workpiece :( :rolleyes:
inquiring minds like to know :confused:

[James Roberts]

I don't know if this is an accepted practice but I put a half twist in the belt, that is, give the belt a figure eight look between the pulleys. This changes the direction of rotation but I only do it for one or at the most two grits, say 320 and 400. I also dampen the wood with a little water to raise the grain some. I suppose this could wear out the belt over time but I only do it occasionally and it is not a real pain in the butt to accomplish.

Hope this helps

[Denis Puland]

Paul: you nead a drum switch such as the one shown in this web site. I used one on a old craftsman lathe it worked very well and it should work on most ac electic motors.



http://www.grainger.com/1/1/83897-dayton-2x441-switch-drum-reversing-4-50-4-00-2-25-maintained.html


Hope this helps,

Denis

[Bruce McElhaney]

I have a PM 3520 and rarely reverse it when turning bowls. I may be in the minority here, but I believe that unless you have some really strange kind of wood grain, reverse sanding is not necessary. It's probably better to work on your tool and sanding techniques. Not to mention the likelihood of your chuck unscrewing and messing up your bowl when reversing.

[curtis rosche]

you could just flip the motor around. or get one of those twist link belts, and simply twist/cross the belt once. if the belt rubs against eachother where they cross, it might wear the belt out a little quicker,

[Leo Van Der Loo]

If youre standing on the regular side -rotation is toward you
If you walk around the lathe and sand -the rotation is away from you
Nothing hard in that -simple when you don't have reverse
Southern boys do a little different -cause we haft to do with what we got -not what we want tho :D

CW you would sand against the spinning direction of the wood, right ???,.....now standing in front or behind the lathe doesn't change the direction the wood is spinning, so applying the sandpaper to the wood it will sand against the rotating direction, doesn't even change if you would do it down under in Australia ;), anyway it does help with some woods to be able to reverse the direction the wood is turning, doesn't mean you can't do a good job when you don't reverse the lathes direction, the thing I was trying to point out was that standing in front or above or below or behind the lathe, the direction of the turning piece doesn't change, and so the sanding is also not changing, hope you can understand that, have fun and take care :)

[Denis Puland]

I have a PM 3520 and rarely reverse it when turning bowls. I may be in the minority here, but I believe that unless you have some really strange kind of wood grain, reverse sanding is not necessary. It's probably better to work on your tool and sanding techniques. Not to mention the likelihood of your chuck unscrewing and messing up your bowl when reversing.

Bruce , When sanding the outside with hand held paper I find it much more convenient and probably safer to sand with the top of the work piece rotating away from me. On the inside of the piece I find the normal rotation of the lathe to be best.

Some woods do benefit from sanding in both directions but for the most part I sand in one direction.

If your chuck unscrews while sanding you most certainly should snug it up a bit better or use less pressure on that paper:::)))

Denis

[Harlan Coverdale]

... If your chuck unscrews while sanding you most certainly should snug it up a bit better or use less pressure on that paper:::)))

Denis

If your chuck doesn't have a grub screw to hold it to the spindle, I don't think it's wise to do anything with the lathe reversed. I've done it without tightening the grub screw, but it's not wise. ;)

[paul ashman]

I appreciate all of the replies. I cannot believe that I did not think about putting a twist in the belt. I have a Nova chuck, so it does have a grub screw to lock the jaws, even so I will only use the slowest speed. This has been a great help as you usually have to move up to a larger lathe to get a reverse function. Thanks again!

p.s. ( I am still dreaming of big-time mayo or mustard, or even that sweet American Beauty)

Paul Ashman

[Thomas Canfield]

Paul,

I had found a posting about a year ago and saved this for installing a reversing switch on a variable speed Jet Mini. I had saved it and bought the box (Radio Shack Project Enclousure 270-1802, 4x2x1") and double pole, double throw toggle switch (Ace 3023520), but never got around to installing. Being a "Doubting Thomas", I hooked up the switch and tried it today before making the box and wire permanent installation. It works as stated. It should also work for a fixed speed motor or non VS mini.

You can find his article here: http://gulfcoastwoodturners.org/RESOURCES/Reversing%20Switch%20for%20Variable%20Speed%20Jet% 20Mini%20Lathe.pdf

Hope that helps. Now I just need to finish the installation on my lathe. I do use the reverse some on my Powermatic.

[Thomas Canfield]

I finished the installation this morning and it works well and looks almost professional. I used the female spade connectors for the new wires from the controller to the new switch center terminals (black and white about 9" long) after removing the wires to the motor, and male spades on new black and white wire about 14" long from the existing wires (female spade) to the motor. I stripped a section about 3" from end of the wires from the motor and connected to one end of the double throw switch, and then connected the other end to opposite side of the double throw switch. The 4 wires were run in a piece of heat shrink tubing (there is an opening in the motor switch housing for the wires to exit). I used the 4" project box where it looks like the original used a 3" box and might have been a little tight. The foam double stick tape worked great for mounting. All of the installation can be removed without any trace except for double stick tape marks.