- Joined
- Apr 23, 2018
- Messages
- 6,533
I think that the 1/2-3/4 hp motors on Craftsman and Atlas lathes were intended to be the primary form of clutching or overload protection.
It's not a disadvantage if the spindle stops and the belt slips when you've broken a tool or caught a shirt sleeve in the work. Adequate belt guarding is mostly absent, it's a real risk. The machine removes metal with infeed up to the point where the tool post flexes and the centers deflect, so it's not short on power to do what it is meant to do. In other words, adding power might not enhance the machine's cutting ability, but will increase the severity of the hazards associated with lathe work.
It's not a disadvantage if the spindle stops and the belt slips when you've broken a tool or caught a shirt sleeve in the work. Adequate belt guarding is mostly absent, it's a real risk. The machine removes metal with infeed up to the point where the tool post flexes and the centers deflect, so it's not short on power to do what it is meant to do. In other words, adding power might not enhance the machine's cutting ability, but will increase the severity of the hazards associated with lathe work.