Is a Jog switch something I can easily add to my lathe?

[sycle1]

Just wondering is a Jog switch something I can easily add to my newly aquired Chinese lathe?
I used to have an old wood lathe and the on switch acted like a jog switch it was real handy when setting work up.
Would be great if I could get the on switch to act like that on this lathe.
Cheers

 

[benmychree]

If it has a magnetic starter, it is likely possible. the jog switch would be a momentary contact push button, which when depressed would interrupt the hold in circuit of the mag starter, while energizing the coil for the time it is depressed.
This said, I find it easier to simply disengage the gearing of the machine while moving the spindle by hand. A jog feature is handy in larger machines, and by that, I mean bigger machines, like a 36" plus swing lathe, not anything much smaller.

 

[Bi11Hudson]

From an industrial perspective (mine) a "jog" function involves a low speed operation as well as a press to run. Most Chinese tools for the "consumer" market have an AC motor with direct (usually belt) drive. I can picture in my mind a second motor with a high reduction drive that could be switched into the drive line as needed. But to have something of that nature with a single motor would involve a dual speed motor. You're talking more $$ for the motor than for the machine.

A simple "push to run" button would serve but it would be at rated speed, meaning no real low speed control. I would concur with the above, simply take it out of gear and spin the chuck by hand. Most times, it wouldn't even be necessary to knock it out of gear.

.

 

[markba633csi]

Of course you could simply add a momentary push button across the existing on/off switch, but it isn't a true jog. You would need to tap the button quickly. You didn't say how big the motor is but on a smaller motor you could get by with it I suppose
-Mark

 

[BGHansen]

Can't tell you how my Grizzly G0709 14" x 40" jog switch is wired, but it works pretty much like markba633csi describes above. My lathe is reversible, but the jog is only in the forward direction. I use it all the time, especially when changing speed on the lathe. The G0709 is a gear head lathe, shifting can be a bit finicky. I usually go just past the position and drop back to it. Then just bump the jog button is make sure the gears are engaged. There's a guy on YouTube with a G0709 that shifts his with the motor still turning. For the life of me I could never understand why he'd let those gears grind on each other until "wham", they engaged.

Bruce

 

[sycle1]

The old wood lathe a Sherline copy I believe, it had a start button and a stop button, same style switches as the new one, but if you pressed the start button it would do a revolution, then to keep it on you had to press the button firmer until it stayed on, is that just a really old worn out switch that does that function or is it a different style of switch to the switch on the new Chinese lathe?

 

[NortonDommi]

There's a guy on YouTube with a G0709 that shifts his with the motor still turning. For the life of me I could never understand why he'd let those gears grind on each other until "wham", they engaged.

WOW! Can you post a link? I always like to see some proof that I am not as dumb as people tell me I am.