Delta 46-460 Problem

[Thomas Heck]

My lathe has quit going in forward. Reverse is working fine. When you turn the switch off, It turns just a tad then stops. It doesn't make any noise when you turn it to forward and turn the switch on. Anyone know of what might be the problem.

[Jack Mincey]

I had one quit going in reverse for a few days once in the shop I teach high school students at. I didn't even try to figure out why since it was working in forward. A few days later it started working in reverse again any way. I would have to guess that it is in the switch that changes direction. I had to replace this switch on my OneWay not two weeks after I bought it. I would check the connections to the switch first and try blowing it out with an air hose if possible.
Good Luck,
Jack

[Thomas Heck]

I went out and vacuumed it off. And somehow, it started back. NOt sure what the problem was, but it works now.

[Michael Parnes]

I had the very same problem on mine. I told Delta it was the switch, but they wanted me to bring it in. I told them about how I knew it was the switch because of "Creekers" .
They relented and gave me a switch and all is good. Hail to the power of the forum.

[John Keeton]

This is really quite common with Delta, and usually using compressed air to blow out the switch works - or at least did the dozen or so times I did it!!

[Jamie Donaldson]

This is not an unusual problem with switches on many different brands of lathes. Been there, done that with compressed air.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Thomas - I used to have that problem every once in a while but since I started vacuuming the on/off switches as part of regular shop cleanup - haven't had a problem.

For those interested ... a 'regular' shop cleanup takes place immediately after I finish turning something.

[Bill Bulloch]

I have had that problem a couple times on both of my Delta Lathes. A little compressed air cleared up the problem.

[David DeCristoforo]

You could always turn the lathe around and learn to work left handed...

[Thomas Heck]

Thanks for all the replies. Just thankful it started working again.