# Engaging spindle rotation.



## Boomer (Aug 20, 2014)

So I'm wondering is there a correct way to engage the spindle's rotation? As in, are you supposed to always leave the countershaft engaged one the belt and just flip the power switch, or do you disengage the countershafts engagement on the belt, flip the power switch and then engage the coutershaft? 

I always leave it engaged and just turn the power on and off to start/stop main spindle rotation.


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## JimDawson (Aug 20, 2014)

I would say it is safer to use the power switch, leaving the belts engaged or not.  Also this will decrease the wear on the belts.  When not using the lathe, disengage the belts so they don't take a set and get ''lumpy''


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## wa5cab (Aug 20, 2014)

Yes.  Definitely start and stop the machine with the motor switch.  Imagine what could happen if the belts were disengaged, motor running, you had your hands on the chuck or worse had the chuck key in the chuck, and the belts should decide to grab and turn the spindle.  You could end up being a Darwin Award winner.  Which none of us would like to hear about.

Robert D.


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## francist (Aug 20, 2014)

Ditto all the above. I always use the switch to stop rotation, and I disengage the belts when I'm not using the machine. Almost always I tension the belts before starting with the switch, but on the odd occasion (say with a part that I know is lots out of balance) I may start the machine and bring the belts on slowly to see if everything behaves. Kind of a soft-start, as it were.

Thats is just me though.

-frank


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## GarageGuy (Aug 20, 2014)

I always start/stop with the power switch, and release the belt tension when I'm done for the day.

GG


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## kd4gij (Aug 20, 2014)

Boomer said:


> So I'm wondering is there a correct way to engage the spindle's rotation? As in, are you supposed to always leave the countershaft engaged one the belt and just flip the power switch, or do you disengage the countershafts engagement on the belt, flip the power switch and then engage the coutershaft?
> 
> *I always leave it engaged and just turn the power on and off to start/stop main spindle rotation*.




  That is the proper way. You don't wan't to engage the belts with the motor running.


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## Boomer (Aug 23, 2014)

I always tensions the belts and then power on/off. I just asked because I saw a video on youtube of a guy demoing a old 12x36 that would turn the power on and then tension the belts to engage the spindle. That and referencing to newer lathes that have the motor starting first and then engage the spindle.

Thanks for the replies yall.


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## Inflight (Aug 23, 2014)

I almost always turn the power switch on, then tension the countershaft belt.  Been doing it for about 15 years and have never encountered a problem.  Slipping the belt is also handy when power tapping.  Just be safe.



Matt


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## Round in circles (Aug 27, 2014)

Inflight said:


> I almost always turn the power switch on, then tension the countershaft belt.  Been doing it for about 15 years and have never encountered a problem.  Slipping the belt is also handy when power tapping.  Just be safe.
> 
> 
> 
> Matt




Slipping & tensioning   the belt on a running motor to get efficient drive on the lathe used to be the norm when the load of a dead lathe was applied as it reduced the consumption power surge/spikes .......... that is now a thing of the long gone past due to injuries sustained .

Years ago I was in the British armed forces and was ordered to become the workshop safety guy as we had over a hundred mechanics electricians and metal workers at play daily . I had to go on endless health and safety at work ( HASAW courses ) .
One of the two day courses was at the nations Safety Inspectorate Institute  facility that promulgated & enforced the factories and work place safety laws act of 1921 . They had a 100 x 200 foot  black museum that held the bits of machinery etc. that caused fatalities.  There were several small lathes in the hall that had pulled someone into the lathe , killed them or seriously injured them . 

When you think about it Matt you are leaning over something that is going to be rotating and likely to pull in any loose clothing or you if you stumble /trip as you reach forward over the rotating parts.

 Having the belts tensioned on a dead motor won't ever allow that to happen however remote you may think the chances are for you doing as you currently do.
.  
Plus if like most people you have the stop start switch on the right hand side of the lathe you'll be out of line if anything flys off the lathe shafts, tool posts  or off the chuck when you start it up . Heavy flying chuck keys & parts of the lathe coming out the chuck or off the tool post area at start up were part of the lethal items display .

 Please reconsider what your doing , so that when you eventually die you have all the bits you came into the word with instead of having parts missing on the way out.


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## wa5cab (Aug 28, 2014)

I agree with Round in circles.  Never reach over an exposed rapidly rotating component to do anything.

Robert D.


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