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Joined
Dec 14, 2017
Posts
1,105
Location
Lake District
First Name
Craig
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

Executive Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Posts
7,676
Location
Kent
First Name
Derek
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

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
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

Blind old git
Grand Master
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Aug 16, 2014
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County Durham
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Bill
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

Moderator
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Nov 28, 2014
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Colebrooke, Devon
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Phil
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

Full Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Posts
279
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Oxford (ish)
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Andy
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

Fellow
Joined
Jan 21, 2016
Posts
1,617
Location
Dorset
First Name
William
Thanks gents. I don't have a locking chuck, so I won't be using this feature at the moment.

Regards

Craig

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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