All,

Thanks for all the great information. Here is what I have decided to
do:

Two switches: one to turn power on/off. One to reverse the direction.
I thought about a three position switch, but I don't want the chance
that I flip the switch right past the "off" position to the other "on"
position and cause problems.

Joe

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Brian C wrote:
Dan Bollinger wrote:

I've worked in factories and shops all my life and I have yet to replace a motor
because it was reversed improperly or too often.

Well, I have, reversing a motor that has either a improperly rated (or
no) overload and the wrong accel/decel settings - then you get "arcing
and sparking and (still) popping the breaker" and sometimes motor
smoke; do it often enough (or with enough load) and the motor will be
toasted - 37 years aerospace industrial electronics. Unlike many
single phase motors, a 3-phase AC motor CAN be reversed instantly but
is VERY likely to pop the overload and/or burn the motor. I've seen
the after affects of a motor reversed at speed and load - 2" thick
shafts twisted, couplings bent and, somtimes, motors toasted. There is
even a type of welding that uses stored inertia, try reversing that
systems motor at speed (less than 100 RPM). Any system that lets you
reverse a motor at speed and load, without a decel/accel curve, is
poorly designed.

Also, brushed (AC or DC) motors (think router) can be reversed
instantly, but, again, you're likely to either pop the overload or
smoke the motor; mostly the brushes/commutator. I've got a blender
that uses a router motor that has a reversing switch - the whole
blender jumps and twists and you get major arcing when it is used.

BrianC