Replies

1. 
   hammer1 | Jan 28, 2010 11:14pm | #1

   Many lathes allow you to mount chucks and faceplates on the outboard side of the drive head. This positions you on the end of the machine, not over the bed. There are also bowl lathes that have no spindle bed. I have an old lathe with a separate motor slung under. I don't see any reason why I couldn't turn it the other way. This may not be possible on some lathes. Some motors can be reversed, others cannot. There may be info on the back of the cover plate where the wiring is attached.

1. 
   jeffreyg582 | Jan 29, 2010 09:37am | #2

   Thanks for the info. Although my lathe won't accept a faceplate on the outboard side, I can swivel the head 180 degrees and work from the left side. I just have to relocate the tool rest. Appreciate the insight.

1. 
   sapwood | Jan 29, 2010 09:02pm | #3

   I never thought about a lathe being either right or left handed. But I'm right handed so the world is usually more in my favor.... in handedness issues, that is. But in this instance, by your reckoning, I'm at a disadvantage. You see, since your lathe swivels 180º, you define right handed to be a counterclockwise rotation (as one faces the plate). Well my lathe doesn't swivel so I look at a clockwise rotation. That must be for a left hander. Bummer! And all these years I thought it was OK. Now I've gotta look for a real right handed lathe. Or not.....

   The lesson in this is that one should just get used to their tools/machines and keep working. I've learned to handle lathe tools equally well in either hand. A necessity since my lathe spins both ccw and cw (from my point of view).