Reeves Drive question.....

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I have a friend who is new to turning and he purchased a lathe with a Reeves drive.

He has asked me to come over and give it a test drive for him.

I've never used a lathe with Reeves drive. I looked at a Jet Manual online and they don't mention what to me should be obvious first question....

Do You shift that rascal while it is spinning? I'd thinks so but correct me if my thoughts are wrong.

[Jason Clark2]

Yes, it must be running to adjust the speed.

Jason

[David Christopher]

Ken, most of the lathes with those drives tell you right on the front that it has to be spinning before changing speeds

[Gordon Seto]

Ken,

When done, form a habit of switching the lathe to the slowest speed. It will save the trouble of dismounting a large blank after turning a spindle at high speed. I tried to switch to slow speed and turned on the lathe at the same time; it didn't work.

[David Epperson]

Do You shift that rascal while it is spinning? I'd thinks so but correct me if my thoughts are wrong.

Ken,

When done, form a habit of switching the lathe to the slowest speed. It will save the trouble of dismounting a large blank after turning a spindle at high speed. I tried to switch to slow speed and turned on the lathe at the same time; it didn't work.

Take this advice to heart. Depending upon the make I've seen some people crank down so hard on them trying to change the speed while it's off that they permanently damage the drive. It's design works because small variations in the geometry are allowable, then the machine moves and that small stress is relieved - instantly. Standing still this does not happen.
And it's not a good idea to let idle hands near the adjustment either -because some models of similar drives CAN be adjusted UP in speed either way. I would suggest that in addition to what Gordon has to say that you always start it up empty just prior to mounting a blank, and make sure it's set to slow. At least until you know for sure what the manufacture suggests.

[Dale Coons]

A relative who was over and wanted to try turning actually broke the pulleys on my delta by trying to change speed without turning it on (broke the handle too). Its in the shop, the pully's are on "back order" (i'm told at least a month) fortunately I have another small lathe to play with while it's out of commission.