Thanks to MikeM for getting his copy of Gingery's lathe book out of storage
and checking the details of my argument and pointing out the oversight that
the motor is mounted on the upright rail. Taking that into account, I think
my argument is ok for the assertion that one can't move the upright rail
counterclockwise by pushing the other rail in that direction.

I had to get my copy of Gingery's book out of storage.

Please don't put it back just yet! (cf. another posting on the next chapter)

Thanks also to Artemia Salina for suggesting Anthony J. Pansini's book
"Basics of electric motors: including polyphase induction....". I had a
chance to look at a copy today in a library (the book itself is out of
print) and will have to look at it some more to form a definite impression.
One thing I think it doesn't discuss is different ways of using motors.

One of the reasons Gingery is able to get his design to work is that he draws
on skills in using motors for ad hoc purposes. This allows him to use his
ad hoc setups to do some of the work that he would normally need the lathe
to do (e.g. boring the headstock). This also applies to his earlier book on
the charcoal foundry, where I recall he mentions making a grinder out of a
motor, and probably to some of his other books.

Since Gingery already wrote several books where he builds things that feature
motors, it might seem like I'm asking for one book that contains what it takes
several books to explain. But actually, all that is required is an account of
the available methods of interfacing a motor to something else, and that
would probably fit in one book.

Ignorantly,
Allan Adler


************************************************** **************************
* *
* Disclaimer: I am a guest and *not* a member of the MIT Artificial *
* Intelligence Lab. My actions and comments do not reflect *
* in any way on MIT. Moreover, I am nowhere near the Boston *
* metropolitan area. *
* *
************************************************** **************************