--- In 7x12minilathe@..., Andrew Franks wrote:
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> Though it does boast variable speed control, my Weiss 7x12 lathe is similar in many respects to an 8x, and came without a leadscrew reverse . I soon decided that a reverse would be helpful, not only for LH threading but also for plain turning up to a shoulder at the outside end of the work. In the end, the reverse proved pretty easy to implement.
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> I read up on fitting tumbler arrangements to 8x lathes, but as you say, the effort involved seemed "not insignificant". Realising that reverse would not be needed very often, I went for a single idler gear which could be interposed between the spindle gear and the topmost gear on the banjo. The simplest option was be to drill/tap a hole in the headstock into which a stud carrying the extra gear could be screwed when required, but the lathe was under warranty and I doubted my ability to drill in exactly the right place to achieve a good mesh with the spindle gear. Accordingly, I mounted the gear on an arm pivoting around an existing bolt into the headstock, so it can be swung into position when required, the banjo being repositioned to make room for it. Full details at < >
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> Not as convenient as a proper tumbler reverse, but only takes a few moments to bring into play on the rare occasions when needed.
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> Andy
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> To: 7x12minilathe@...
> From: steelchipper@...
> Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2011 19:37:11 -0400
> Subject: Re: [7x12minilathe] Re: Buying a mini-lathe
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> I wouldn't advise being too quick to just dismiss being able to cut left hand threads, or to power feed away from the chuck, or bore out a workpiece where you'd have the chuck going in reverse and the tool feeding into the far side of the hole where you can see it, etc. - In short, being able to reverse the direction of the leadscrew (independently of the spindle direction) is not necessarily some minor little detail to carelessly toss away, so to speak.
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> A little bit of reading background might be in order:
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> Here, the guys at Fignoggle did a comparison of the 8x versus the 7x and the 9x .
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> And perhaps most importantly, here shows some 8x12/14 owners discussing their not insignificant efforts to add the necessary tumbler gears, so they can do all that reversible leadscrew stuff mentioned above. Pictures included. Clearly, at least some percentage of 8x12/14 owners do not find a reversible leadscrew to be an unnecessary "frill.".................
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