Can I run my wadkin BER 2 in reverse?

[Clee_to_Clee]

Hi I have a wadkin ber 2 and need to run it in reverse for the jobs I need it to do.
A friend of mine was round the workshop the other day and said he really wasn’t sure if I should run it in reverse and I should definitely check that the motor was capable of it and wasn’t going to take off like a scud missile.
I had already reversed the wires and had it running backwards but not with any cutters on, it seemed fine.
I’m planning to get the spindle milled to fit a locking washer before I actually use it in reverse with cutters.

Many thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Gareth62]

Why would you ever think of running a spindle moulder in reverse?

 

[Clee_to_Clee]

Because of grain orientation on the job I’m doing, if I go the other way it will not work.

 

[Gareth62]

Don’t even think about it. It will more than likely just grab the wood and fire it across the workshop

There must be another way

I’m a fully qualified wood machinist of 40 yrs and I’ve seen what these machine can do when set up wrong.

 

[Gareth62]

Do you mean you want to feed from the left and not the right?

 

[Clee_to_Clee]

Hi Gareth thanks for the reply
Yes, feeding left to right, that’s why the motor needs to run in reverse, that machine will only ever run in reverse because I don’t want to have potential mix ups with which way it goes.
I’m planning to add the locking washer channel that most modern machines have so they can be run in reverse, I just need to know if I’m going to run into any problems with that particular motor

I’m definitely not planing on launching stuff round the shop and have a lot of respect for what the machine can do if not handled with care

 

[Gareth62]

Sounds like you should be okay not sure about the motor.

To start with I thought you where feeding from the right with it running in reverse then realised what you where trying to do

my next thought was the locking nut could come loose but looks like you’ve thought of this

 

[Gareth62]

I once over tightened a cutter and it got free

Shot across the workshop smashing though the steel extractor pick up and embedded itself in a brick wall 10 meters away, went like a bullet. Wrecked the spindle block as well, I was only in my 20s then and got a right dressing down from the gaffer, I’m nearly 60 now and have a lot more respect for these machines

 

[Doug71]

Funnily enough I have a 3 phase BER 2 and asked the exact same question in the other place.

I thought it sounded like a great idea, just swap the wires round and suddenly I can work reverse grain and all the cutters will be able to cut the other way up when needed, fantastic idea I thought, what's not to like?

I was strongly advised against it, apparently the spindle shaft is threaded at the bottom so the problem isn't just the locking nut at the top coming loose but the whole spindle shaft unscrewing itself as it wasn't designed to run backwards

 

[Clee_to_Clee]

God that sounds terrifying, yes I’m pretty scared by what could happen if I’m not careful so I’ll definitely be doing my best to be

 

[Clee_to_Clee]

Funnily enough I have a 3 phase BER 2 and asked the exact same question in the other place.

I thought it sounded like a great idea, just swap the wires round and suddenly I can work reverse grain and all the cutters will be able to cut the other way up when needed, fantastic idea I thought, what's not to like?

I was strongly advised against it, apparently the spindle shaft is threaded at the bottom so the problem isn't just the locking nut at the top coming loose but the whole spindle shaft unscrewing itself as it wasn't designed to run backwards

Damn I’d read that some spindles worked that way
I’ve sunk a lot of money into tooling already, and have no use for any of it running the other way

I wonder if it’s possible to get the shaft altered?

 

[baldkev]

My little axminster has forward and reverse, and i have used it to cut from the left. I mounted the block the other way so the cutters were facing in the right diection etc... it was fine, but it must be made to be able to do it. It has a slotted top bush that fits over the spindle and then a washer and bolt fixes it off. I have no idea how the spindle is held at the base.

 

[Clee_to_Clee]

 

[Clee_to_Clee]

Not sure how to write on that post, so is it the spindle draw bolt that’s my problem?

 

[Doug71]

I just looked back and it was more of a generalisation about old spindle moulders.

Was among this somewhere

https://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5701
Remember I had a quick look at the parts list and it looked like there was some kind of pin through the shaft so who knows it might work but I didn't want to be the one trying it

 

[Clee_to_Clee]

Sorry, looking at it wrong there, would it be a case of getting the thread that attaches to the work spindle machined along with the work spindle as originally planned so that both could be fitted with a locking washer?

As I said I was only planning on using the machine in one direction and have already got all the cutters in 1 1/4 bore... or should I just realise I’ve royally screwed up and sell it and get a 1 1/4 machine thats built to go in reverse

 

[Clee_to_Clee]

I just looked back and it was more of a generalisation about old spindle moulders.

Was among this somewhere

https://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5701
Remember I had a quick look at the parts list and it looked like there was some kind of pin through the shaft so who knows it might work but I didn't want to be the one trying it

Thanks Doug
That sounds very sensible
I’ll look through

 

[Doug71]

If it comes to it you can get a top hat reducer so your 1 1/4 blocks fit a more modern 30 mm spindle.

 

[Clee_to_Clee]

I just looked back and it was more of a generalisation about old spindle moulders.

Was among this somewhere

https://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5701
Remember I had a quick look at the parts list and it looked like there was some kind of pin through the shaft so who knows it might work but I didn't want to be the one trying it

Doug do you mean parts 76 and 77 the groverlock spring dowels?
They do look like they might be pins

 

[Clee_to_Clee]

If it comes to it you can get a top hat reducer so your 1 1/4 blocks fit a more modern 30 mm spindle.

I’d forgotten about reducers, thanks