Lathe Drum Switch Lever Direction

[RichD]

I have three lathes. On two lathes the drum switch handle is moved to the right for forward spindle rotation. On the third it is the left position.
On this one the switch cover is exposed showing the embossed L and R and that's the way I hooked it up. More than once I have mistakenly flipped it in reverse and wondered why the the cutter was "dull". This is experienced usually after having used the other lathes. The question is what is the preferred or most common or standard position for forward?

[Harold_V]

Hmmm. Have you given any thought to installing the switch such that the handle is horizontal, and turned vertically to select a direction? The direction the handle pointed when moved would then indicate the direction the spindle rotates as witnessed from the operator's position.

H

[liveaboard]

I did that with the joystick on my barge; it was mounted left right, and one time I gave her full ahead when I meant full reverse, nearly ramming a bridge.
Quite exciting, but given the choice it seemed a better idea to avoid that error in future.
But I rarely pilot the barge.
My lathe control is pull right to cut 'normal".
I would suggest you make all 3 the same, whichever way. Life will be better that way.

[Bill Shields]

Depends on what you are used to. Jim's SB is wired on way. My 3 other lathes the other. When I asked him about that he replied that the lever on his lathe followed the direction of the overhead belt drive lathe he used as an apprentice back after WW1.

After he died...I reversed it to agree with all my other machines.