Left handed lathe?

Am I seeing this wrong way around or is this a lathe rYAAOSwhdVfDZKL">https://www.ebay.de/itm/Watchmakers-lathe-BOLEY-LEINEN/274439614604?hash=item3fe5e0308c:grYAAOSwhdVfDZKL special made for the left handed watchmaker? Niko.

Not uncommon to have " left handed lathes" in watchmakers' sizes, especially on the Continent, and these are preferred by somw workers, even if the worker is right handed. Less common in Gb, I think.

Rod

I don't know the geometry of the lathe bed, but it looks like you could remove the saddle, turn the bed through 180 and replace the saddle to make a conventional RH lathe ??

Looking at the photo, I suspect the lathe and motor base are two items, so the lathe could be operated from either side. Looks possible to mount the motor the other way round on the base, so the combination could be operated as you say in either LH or RH mode. Nice!

Never mind this is a lovely watchmakers lathe with accessories, just look at the electrics!

They want £3250 for a lathe that HASN'T GOT A PROPER BS1363 PLUG. This CANNOT be allowed. I'm shocked, or might be if I plugged it in.

I am suffering from heat and excess Red Wine with lunch. Anyone available to throw a bucket of cold water over me? Nurse isn't back until later...

Dave

There may be excellent reasons for the reverse configuration but it would always feel cack handed to me, I wonder if it would suit a left handed person any better, my dad was left handed but the world has somethings that just don’t work the other way, a favourite was the wheel brace hand drill, it’s just wrong to wind it with your left hand.

Mike

Much of the work on watchmakers lathes is done using gravers rather than saddles and cross slides and tool posts.

When using a graver and rest many right handed people find working left to right easier and more natural than right to left - watch woodturners shaping long items. How do you file a piece of metal right to left or left to right?

Hence the tradition - as Rod said - of watchmakers lathes with the headstock on the right. It is far more common on the continent than in the UK or US.

PS that is a very reasonable price for that setup with all the bits. Boley 8mm collets fetch £8-10 each and the faceplate will set you back the thick end of £120.

Edited By Peter Cook 6 on 12/08/2020 18:20:44

My BL is a different model but can be assembled either way round or just used from the other side with a small change. The photos provided are not from the right angle to say if this is truely LH or just assembled that way round.

The price might be justified to a professional if nearly new especially as it would be tax deductible and saves the time of finding all the accessories.

One good reason for the reverse approach is that the right hand more naturally falls on the cross slide handle though using a graver would be awkward.

As a lifelong cackhander I reckon the standard lathe was designed for us. Your body is naturally further away from the chuck and it's even better if the saddle wheel is to the right of the cross slide.
Best of all is when a lefty does any hand tool work, the left hand is tucked back and the right hand goes over the tailstock whereas the right hander has a left arm very near the chuck. Not discussing the pro and cons of Chuck guards at this point.

Regards Bob D

Being a left hander myself Bob's got me thinking I work the controls just as a right hander would be if I had to take a file to a piece in the chuck the file handle would be in my left hand, I would hold a hacksaw in my right hand but can also saw with it in my right hand

H

It’s a Reform

Drool-worthy photos here: **LINK**

http://www.lathes.co.uk/leinenmodern-3/

MichaelG.

Well as it's for sale in Germany I'd be surprised if it had a 13A plug

Edited By Robert Atkinson 2 on 12/08/2020 19:12:21

Without that plug, this forum thread risks being closed instantly when the moderators hear of it.

Here’s one set up in ‘Right Hand’ mode, courtesy of NielsMachines : **LINK**

https://youtu.be/F8iisuprgVQ

MichaelG.

Actually Dave the plus illustrated is to BS1363. A plug with sleeved live and neutral pins is BS1363A

Well I think it's scandalous it doesn't come with yellow Arctic cable.........

Hi, nice one Paul.

Regards Nick.

I saw nothing about Germany in the Artikelbeschreibung!

Either my comic talents are wasted on this forum or I don't have any! The people have spoken...

Just take no notice of the people, Dave. After all, politicians don't.

Tim