Reverse rotation

Another thought on reverse cutting; on a machine not designed for it, the dovetails on the tool slide may not be proportioned for pulling against rather than taking the cutting thrust on the flat ways along side the dovetails, it would likely spoil one's day to have them broken off if some accidental maneuver exceeded their strength. I suspect that a machine designed to operate in that mode would have those parts proportioned accordingly.
 
Having acquired a shaper that had had several previous owners, I can well relate to how the motion of the ram cycle can get people confused if they're not used to all the variables. I can see a previous owner, in perhaps an effort to change the table feed direction or not understanding how the feed pawl is supposed to work, adding a reverse component to a motor to try to accomplish that. Nowhere in any of my references, however, comment on reversing a shaper drive motor.

What is interesting is this reference to the switch configuration and purpose of the toggle. This from the US Army Manual on operation of the SouthBend 7" shaper. I highlighted the line in question.

image.png


-frank
 
CORRECTION... francist's post got me second guessing myself, and I needed that. Contrary to my senses, the toggle switch does not change the rotation. I finally realized I could verify by watching the internal gear rotation, and the direction does not change.

So, no reverse. Sorry about the confusion I created. But, I did find that there is an electrical outlet under the switchbox, and the toggle powers that outlet.
 
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