MY WORKSHOPS
I LOVE MACHINE TOOLS AND KNOW THAT OTHERS SHARE MY INTEREST. IT`S LIKE ANY HOBBY, SOMETHING TO WIND DOWN WITH AFTER A HARD DAY`S WORK. UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO MY WORK AND PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES I WAS NEVER REALLY IN ONE PLACE LONG ENOUGH TO CREATE THE WORKSHOP THAT I WANTED AND ENDED UP WITH THREE, EACH IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY!

MY FIRST LATHE WAS AN EW LATHE MANUFACTURED BY J.F.STRINGER OF ORLESTON ROAD LONDON N7. IN 1950 I HAD BEEN PESTERING MY FATHER FOR AN AIR GUN FOR MY 13th BIRTHDAY AND HE VERY CRAFTILY GAVE ME THE CHOICE BETWEEN AN AIR GUN AND A LATHE; I CHOSE THE LATHE.
I HAD BEEN READING ABOUT LATHES IN THE WEEKLY MODEL ENGINEER MAGAZINE AND HAD DECIDED THAT THE EW LATHE OFFERED THE BEST SIZE AND FLEXIBILITY FOR THE PRICE. SO AN ORDER WAS SENT TO J.F.STRINGER FOR THE MODEL "C" LATHE. THE EW CAME IN SEVERAL STAGES, TYPE A WAS A PLAIN LATHE, TYPE B HAD A LEADSCREW, TYPE C WAS FITTED WITH A LEADSCREW AND BACKGEAR. THE TOP OF THE RANGE EW WAS THE TYPE D WHICH HAD ALL THE PREVIOUS OPTIONS PLUS A SCREWCUTTING KIT. THE COUNTERSHAFT, CHUCKS, VERTICAL SLIDE, BORING TABLE etc. WERE ALL EXTRAS.
AFTER MY FATHER HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THE DELAY IN DELIVERY, THE LATHE ARRIVED IN A WOODEN BOX RESTING ON THE BACK SEAT OF A PRE WAR FORD E93A SALOON. MY FATHER PAID Mr STRINGER AT THE DOOR AND ALAS I NEVER ACTUALLY MET HIM FACE TO FACE AS I WAS TOO SHY TO COME TO THE DOOR.
MY FIRST WORKSHOP WAS IN MY BEDROOM AND COMPRISED THE EW LATHE MOUNTED ON A KIND OF SHELF WHICH WAS HINGED TO THE WINDOW SILL SO IT COULD BE RAISED OR LOWERED. I PROMISED MY MOTHER THAT THE LATHE WOULD NOT MAKE A MESS BUT WITH ALL THAT SWARF YOU CAN GUESS WHAT HAPPENED.
JUST TO TELL YOU WHAT HOOPS I HAD TO JUMP THROUGH TO GET A MOTOR FOR THE EW. I SCOURED THE PAPERS FOR ADVERTS SELLING SINGLE PHASE FRACTIONAL HORSEPOWER ELECTRIC MOTORS AND FOUND A COMPANY THAT OFFERED REASONABLY PRICED SECOND HAND MOTORS. I HAD TO WALK HALF A MILE TO THE BUS STOP AND TAKE A BUS INTO TOWN AND THEN WALK ANOTHER QUARTER OF A MILE TO THE PREMISES WHERE THE MOTORS WERE FOR SALE. I PAID MY TWO POUNDS TEN SHILLINGS AND TOOK THE MOTOR HOME BY THE SAME ROUTE. THE CONDUCTOR IN THE FIRST BUS REFUSED TO ALLOW ME TO TAKE THE MOTOR ON THE BUS. THE CONDUCTOR ON THE SECOND BUS TO COME ALONG WAS OK BUT I HAD TO PUT THE MOTOR IN THE LUGGAGE SPACE UNDER THE STAIRS TO THE TOP DECK. THE DRIVER OF THIS BUS FANCIED HIMSELF AS A POTENTIAL RACING DRIVER AND WAS TAKING THE BENDS A LITTLE TOO FAST SO THAT MY MOTOR STARTED TO SLIDE AROUND AND LOOKED AS IF IT WOULD BE THROWN OFF THE BUS SO THAT I HAD TO JUMP FROM MY SEAT TO SAVE IT AND ENDED UP WITH ONE HAND ON THE MOTOR AND ONE GRIPPING THE STAIR HANDRAIL.
PERHAPS I SHOULD EXPLAIN THAT DOUBLE DECKER BUSES IN THOSE DAYS WERE OPEN AT THE NEAR SIDE REAR HAVING NO DOORS.
THE FINAL HUMILIATION WAS THAT WHEN I CONNECTED UP THE MOTOR TO THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IT TURNED RATHER SLOWLY EMITTING A GROWLING NOISE, SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THE MANUFACTURERS PLATE IT TURNED OUT TO BE EX LONDON UNDERGROUND AND WAS RATED AT 60 CYCLES PER SECOND INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL 50. I HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE SHOP LUGGING THAT HEAVY MOTOR. EXCHANGE IT FOR THE CORRECT ONE WHICH COST ME ANOTHER TEN SHILLINGS AND LUG IT ALL THE WAY BACK. THINGS WEREN`T AS EASY IN THOSE DAYS AS THEY ARE NOW. THIS WAS A VALUABLE LIFE LESSON FOR ME THAT SOME PEOPLE HAD NO QUALMS ABOUT CHEATING A YOUNG BOY AND TO BE WARY OF FOLK.
I DON`T MEAN THIS BLOG TO BE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY BUT THE INFORMATION THAT I GIVE HAS SOME BEARING ON THE SUBJECT AND HOPEFULLY WILL MAKE IT INTERESTING.
WHEN I WAS FIFTEEN YEARS OLD WE UPPED STICKS AND MOVED TO COVENTRY AND I BEGAN TO LOOK FOR A JOB TO START WHEN I BECAME SIXTEEN. I APPLIED TO ALFRED HERBERT THE GIANT MACHINE TOOL COMPANY, PASSED THEIR ENTRANCE EXAMINATION AND WAS OFFERED A JOB AS AN APPRENTICE TOOLMAKER.
AT THAT TIME JOBS WERE HARD TO FIND SO THAT I HAD ALSO APPLIED TO THE COVENTRY GAUGE AND TOOL THE FAMOUS HIGH PRECISION MACHINE TOOL AND GAUGE COMPANY. I ALSO GOT THIS JOB AND WAS ASKED TO REPORT TO THE APPRENTICE SUPERVISOR Mr LANGLEY TO START MY TRAINING.
I HAD TO CHOOSE WHICH FIRM TO JOIN SO POLITELY DECLINED THE OFFER FROM ALFRED HERBERT AND STARTED AT THE GAUGE AND TOOL OR "MATRIX" TO GIVE IT`S TRADE NAME, AS IT WAS NEARER AND I COULD WALK TO WORK.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS WAS A BAD CHOICE AS I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THEY DID NOT OFFER DAY RELEASE FOR ATTENDING THE COVENTRY TECHNICAL COLLEGE SO I HAD TO GO THERE THREE EVENINGS A WEEK TO STUDY FOR THE HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. IT WAS A TOUGH LIFE WITH WORK, STUDY, HOMEWORK AND SOCIAL COMPONENTS TO FIT INTO THE DAY.
WE LIVED IN AN EDWARDIAN HOUSE AND MY SECOND WORKSHOP WAS IN THE COAL STORE NEXT TO THE KITCHEN. I STILL HAD NO DRILLING MACHINE SO THAT THE EW HAD TO DO IT ALL.
ONE OF THE FRUSTRATIONS OF OWNING A SMALL LATHE IS THE SIZE OF COMPONENTS THAT CAN BE MADE ON IT ALSO TO BUY THE ACCESSORIES THAT I NEEDED ON MY WAGE OF THIRTY SHILLINGS A WEEK. ANOTHER FRUSTRATION WAS THAT I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE THINGS THAT I HAD DESIGNED PRIOR TO GETTING THE LATHE DUE TO LACK OF TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES AND I SHOULD SAY, EXPERIENCE.
THE YEARS PASSED BY AND NOW MARRIED WITH CHILDREN, I HAD A GARAGE BUT LACKED THE CASH TO BUY THE MACHINES THAT I WANTED AND THEN CHOSE TO WORK FREELANCE WHICH TOOK ME AROUND EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES. NOW I HAD THE MONEY BUT NO SPARE TIME.
THIS WENT ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS UNTIL I SETTLED IN NORWAY AND A MORE STABLE LIFESTYLE. I HAD BEEN GATHERING BENTLEY PARTS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THESE WERE ALL STORED ON MY LONG SUFFERING MOTHER`S PATIO AND GARAGE IN THE UK. I FOUND THE PERFECT WORKSHOP IN THE BASEMENT CAR PARK OF AN OFFICE BLOCK NEAR TO WHERE I WAS LIVING, 50 SQM WITH 3 PHASE ELECTRICITY AND AIR CONDITIONED SO THAT ONE COULD WORK ALL YEAR ROUND IN COMFORT AND MAKE AS MUCH NOISE AS NECESSARY, AT ANY TIME, WITHOUT BOTHERING THE NEIGHBOURS! THE DOWNSIDE WAS THAT THE MONTHLY RENT WOULD HAVE PAID THE MORTGAGE ON A NICE FLAT IN THE CENTRE OF OSLO.
IT WAS A GOOD FEELING TO IMPORT MY BENTLEY PARTS AND START TO WORK ASSEMBLING MY BITSA AND ALL THE ADVENTURES THAT I HAD IN SEARCHING FOR AND BUYING THE MACHINERY. I WAS STILL WORKING FULL TIME PLUS THE OVERTIME THAT IS NORMAL FOR THE OFFSHORE INDUSTRY AND STILL HAD SOME ENERGY LEFT TO DO SOME WORK ON THE CAR.
THE MACHINES THAT I BOUGHT WERE NOT PRODUCTION MACHINES BUT MEANT FOR LIGHT WORK AS I PUT OUT ALL THE SERIOUS MACHINING TO EXPERTS IN COVENTRY. HOWEVER THESE SMALLER MACHINES ARE INCREDIBLY USEFUL AS ONE DOESN`T HAVE TO HANG AROUND TO HAVE THE SMALLER PARTS MACHINED BUT CAN DO THEM IN HOUSE AND CAN DO MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO COMPONENTS WHEN REQUIRED.
I HAD BEEN READING ABOUT LATHES IN THE WEEKLY MODEL ENGINEER MAGAZINE AND HAD DECIDED THAT THE EW LATHE OFFERED THE BEST SIZE AND FLEXIBILITY FOR THE PRICE. SO AN ORDER WAS SENT TO J.F.STRINGER FOR THE MODEL "C" LATHE. THE EW CAME IN SEVERAL STAGES, TYPE A WAS A PLAIN LATHE, TYPE B HAD A LEADSCREW, TYPE C WAS FITTED WITH A LEADSCREW AND BACKGEAR. THE TOP OF THE RANGE EW WAS THE TYPE D WHICH HAD ALL THE PREVIOUS OPTIONS PLUS A SCREWCUTTING KIT. THE COUNTERSHAFT, CHUCKS, VERTICAL SLIDE, BORING TABLE etc. WERE ALL EXTRAS.
AFTER MY FATHER HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THE DELAY IN DELIVERY, THE LATHE ARRIVED IN A WOODEN BOX RESTING ON THE BACK SEAT OF A PRE WAR FORD E93A SALOON. MY FATHER PAID Mr STRINGER AT THE DOOR AND ALAS I NEVER ACTUALLY MET HIM FACE TO FACE AS I WAS TOO SHY TO COME TO THE DOOR.
MY FIRST WORKSHOP WAS IN MY BEDROOM AND COMPRISED THE EW LATHE MOUNTED ON A KIND OF SHELF WHICH WAS HINGED TO THE WINDOW SILL SO IT COULD BE RAISED OR LOWERED. I PROMISED MY MOTHER THAT THE LATHE WOULD NOT MAKE A MESS BUT WITH ALL THAT SWARF YOU CAN GUESS WHAT HAPPENED.
JUST TO TELL YOU WHAT HOOPS I HAD TO JUMP THROUGH TO GET A MOTOR FOR THE EW. I SCOURED THE PAPERS FOR ADVERTS SELLING SINGLE PHASE FRACTIONAL HORSEPOWER ELECTRIC MOTORS AND FOUND A COMPANY THAT OFFERED REASONABLY PRICED SECOND HAND MOTORS. I HAD TO WALK HALF A MILE TO THE BUS STOP AND TAKE A BUS INTO TOWN AND THEN WALK ANOTHER QUARTER OF A MILE TO THE PREMISES WHERE THE MOTORS WERE FOR SALE. I PAID MY TWO POUNDS TEN SHILLINGS AND TOOK THE MOTOR HOME BY THE SAME ROUTE. THE CONDUCTOR IN THE FIRST BUS REFUSED TO ALLOW ME TO TAKE THE MOTOR ON THE BUS. THE CONDUCTOR ON THE SECOND BUS TO COME ALONG WAS OK BUT I HAD TO PUT THE MOTOR IN THE LUGGAGE SPACE UNDER THE STAIRS TO THE TOP DECK. THE DRIVER OF THIS BUS FANCIED HIMSELF AS A POTENTIAL RACING DRIVER AND WAS TAKING THE BENDS A LITTLE TOO FAST SO THAT MY MOTOR STARTED TO SLIDE AROUND AND LOOKED AS IF IT WOULD BE THROWN OFF THE BUS SO THAT I HAD TO JUMP FROM MY SEAT TO SAVE IT AND ENDED UP WITH ONE HAND ON THE MOTOR AND ONE GRIPPING THE STAIR HANDRAIL.
PERHAPS I SHOULD EXPLAIN THAT DOUBLE DECKER BUSES IN THOSE DAYS WERE OPEN AT THE NEAR SIDE REAR HAVING NO DOORS.
THE FINAL HUMILIATION WAS THAT WHEN I CONNECTED UP THE MOTOR TO THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IT TURNED RATHER SLOWLY EMITTING A GROWLING NOISE, SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THE MANUFACTURERS PLATE IT TURNED OUT TO BE EX LONDON UNDERGROUND AND WAS RATED AT 60 CYCLES PER SECOND INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL 50. I HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE SHOP LUGGING THAT HEAVY MOTOR. EXCHANGE IT FOR THE CORRECT ONE WHICH COST ME ANOTHER TEN SHILLINGS AND LUG IT ALL THE WAY BACK. THINGS WEREN`T AS EASY IN THOSE DAYS AS THEY ARE NOW. THIS WAS A VALUABLE LIFE LESSON FOR ME THAT SOME PEOPLE HAD NO QUALMS ABOUT CHEATING A YOUNG BOY AND TO BE WARY OF FOLK.
I DON`T MEAN THIS BLOG TO BE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY BUT THE INFORMATION THAT I GIVE HAS SOME BEARING ON THE SUBJECT AND HOPEFULLY WILL MAKE IT INTERESTING.
WHEN I WAS FIFTEEN YEARS OLD WE UPPED STICKS AND MOVED TO COVENTRY AND I BEGAN TO LOOK FOR A JOB TO START WHEN I BECAME SIXTEEN. I APPLIED TO ALFRED HERBERT THE GIANT MACHINE TOOL COMPANY, PASSED THEIR ENTRANCE EXAMINATION AND WAS OFFERED A JOB AS AN APPRENTICE TOOLMAKER.
AT THAT TIME JOBS WERE HARD TO FIND SO THAT I HAD ALSO APPLIED TO THE COVENTRY GAUGE AND TOOL THE FAMOUS HIGH PRECISION MACHINE TOOL AND GAUGE COMPANY. I ALSO GOT THIS JOB AND WAS ASKED TO REPORT TO THE APPRENTICE SUPERVISOR Mr LANGLEY TO START MY TRAINING.
I HAD TO CHOOSE WHICH FIRM TO JOIN SO POLITELY DECLINED THE OFFER FROM ALFRED HERBERT AND STARTED AT THE GAUGE AND TOOL OR "MATRIX" TO GIVE IT`S TRADE NAME, AS IT WAS NEARER AND I COULD WALK TO WORK.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS WAS A BAD CHOICE AS I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THEY DID NOT OFFER DAY RELEASE FOR ATTENDING THE COVENTRY TECHNICAL COLLEGE SO I HAD TO GO THERE THREE EVENINGS A WEEK TO STUDY FOR THE HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATE IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. IT WAS A TOUGH LIFE WITH WORK, STUDY, HOMEWORK AND SOCIAL COMPONENTS TO FIT INTO THE DAY.
WE LIVED IN AN EDWARDIAN HOUSE AND MY SECOND WORKSHOP WAS IN THE COAL STORE NEXT TO THE KITCHEN. I STILL HAD NO DRILLING MACHINE SO THAT THE EW HAD TO DO IT ALL.
ONE OF THE FRUSTRATIONS OF OWNING A SMALL LATHE IS THE SIZE OF COMPONENTS THAT CAN BE MADE ON IT ALSO TO BUY THE ACCESSORIES THAT I NEEDED ON MY WAGE OF THIRTY SHILLINGS A WEEK. ANOTHER FRUSTRATION WAS THAT I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE THINGS THAT I HAD DESIGNED PRIOR TO GETTING THE LATHE DUE TO LACK OF TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES AND I SHOULD SAY, EXPERIENCE.
THE YEARS PASSED BY AND NOW MARRIED WITH CHILDREN, I HAD A GARAGE BUT LACKED THE CASH TO BUY THE MACHINES THAT I WANTED AND THEN CHOSE TO WORK FREELANCE WHICH TOOK ME AROUND EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES. NOW I HAD THE MONEY BUT NO SPARE TIME.
THIS WENT ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS UNTIL I SETTLED IN NORWAY AND A MORE STABLE LIFESTYLE. I HAD BEEN GATHERING BENTLEY PARTS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THESE WERE ALL STORED ON MY LONG SUFFERING MOTHER`S PATIO AND GARAGE IN THE UK. I FOUND THE PERFECT WORKSHOP IN THE BASEMENT CAR PARK OF AN OFFICE BLOCK NEAR TO WHERE I WAS LIVING, 50 SQM WITH 3 PHASE ELECTRICITY AND AIR CONDITIONED SO THAT ONE COULD WORK ALL YEAR ROUND IN COMFORT AND MAKE AS MUCH NOISE AS NECESSARY, AT ANY TIME, WITHOUT BOTHERING THE NEIGHBOURS! THE DOWNSIDE WAS THAT THE MONTHLY RENT WOULD HAVE PAID THE MORTGAGE ON A NICE FLAT IN THE CENTRE OF OSLO.
IT WAS A GOOD FEELING TO IMPORT MY BENTLEY PARTS AND START TO WORK ASSEMBLING MY BITSA AND ALL THE ADVENTURES THAT I HAD IN SEARCHING FOR AND BUYING THE MACHINERY. I WAS STILL WORKING FULL TIME PLUS THE OVERTIME THAT IS NORMAL FOR THE OFFSHORE INDUSTRY AND STILL HAD SOME ENERGY LEFT TO DO SOME WORK ON THE CAR.
THE MACHINES THAT I BOUGHT WERE NOT PRODUCTION MACHINES BUT MEANT FOR LIGHT WORK AS I PUT OUT ALL THE SERIOUS MACHINING TO EXPERTS IN COVENTRY. HOWEVER THESE SMALLER MACHINES ARE INCREDIBLY USEFUL AS ONE DOESN`T HAVE TO HANG AROUND TO HAVE THE SMALLER PARTS MACHINED BUT CAN DO THEM IN HOUSE AND CAN DO MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO COMPONENTS WHEN REQUIRED.
THE PHOTOS ABOVE SHOW THE HORIZONTAL MILLING MACHINE WITH A BRIDGEPORT HEAD FITTED
THIS IS A HARRISON HORIZONTAL MILLING MACHINE THAT I BOUGHT PRE EBAY FOR £400 IN AROUND 1993, AN ABSOLUTE BARGAIN THEN. THERE WAS NO VERTICAL HEAD INCLUDED SO THAT WHEN STUMBLED ON THIS BRIDGEPORT HEAD DURING A FORAGE AROUND THE MACHINE TOOL DEALERS I SNAPPED IT UP FOR £800 AND THEN USING MY TOOLMAKING SKILLS GRAFTED THE HEAD ONTO THE SQUARE END OF THE OVERARM. THIS TYPE OF HEAD WAS DELIVERED WITH SOME OF THE ADCOCK AND SHIPLEY 1ES HORIZONTAL MILLERS AND DID NOT HAVE THE R8 SPINDLE BUT TOOK 2 MORSE TAPER TOOLING SO WAS ONLY SUITED FOR LIGHT WORK.
ONE PROBLEM WITH THE NORWEGIAN POWER SUPPLY IS THAT IT IS 240 VOLT THREE PHASE NOT 380 VOLT AS IT IS IN FRANCE AND THE UK. THIS MEANS THAT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS ON THE MOTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE CHANGED OVER IN THE CASE OF DUAL VOLTAGE MOTORS OR A CHANGE OF MOTOR OR A TRANSFORMER WOULD BE REQUIRED IN THE CASE OF SINGLE VOLTAGE MOTORS. THE OTHER TASK WAS TO CHANGE OVER THE COILS IN THE CONTACTER BOXES WHICH COULD BE DIFFICULT AS THE CONTACTERS ON THE OLDER MACHINES WERE USUALLY OBSOLETE!
ONE PROBLEM WITH THE NORWEGIAN POWER SUPPLY IS THAT IT IS 240 VOLT THREE PHASE NOT 380 VOLT AS IT IS IN FRANCE AND THE UK. THIS MEANS THAT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS ON THE MOTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE CHANGED OVER IN THE CASE OF DUAL VOLTAGE MOTORS OR A CHANGE OF MOTOR OR A TRANSFORMER WOULD BE REQUIRED IN THE CASE OF SINGLE VOLTAGE MOTORS. THE OTHER TASK WAS TO CHANGE OVER THE COILS IN THE CONTACTER BOXES WHICH COULD BE DIFFICULT AS THE CONTACTERS ON THE OLDER MACHINES WERE USUALLY OBSOLETE!
THE SURFACE GRINDER WAS CHEAP BUT HAD THE USUAL PROBLEM OF SLIDES WORN IN THE SHAPE OF A BANANA WHICH I COULD HAVE HAND SCRAPED TRUE BUT NEVER GOT AROUND TO IT. OVER A SHORT DISTANCE IT WOULD GRIND FLAT AND WAS USEFUL FOR LICKING UP THE FACES OF WASHERS FOR BEARINGS.
THE WONDERFUL QUALITY HERBERT DRILL WAS BOUGHT AT AN AUCTION FOR £11 ONE OF MY BEST DEALS EVER. IT WAS MISSING THE MOTOR FOR THE 3 MORSE TAPER SPINDLE AND EVENTUALLY I BOUGHT ANOTHER COLUMN TO REPLACE IT. I LOVE THIS TYPE OF HERBERT DRILL WITH THE ROTARY OPERATING SWITCH JUST HANGING VERTICALLY FROM THE MOTORS. THIS MEANT THAT ONE COULD STOP THE ROTATION OF THE SPINDLE INSTANTANEOUSLY BY SWITCHING TO REVERSE.
THE WONDERFUL QUALITY HERBERT DRILL WAS BOUGHT AT AN AUCTION FOR £11 ONE OF MY BEST DEALS EVER. IT WAS MISSING THE MOTOR FOR THE 3 MORSE TAPER SPINDLE AND EVENTUALLY I BOUGHT ANOTHER COLUMN TO REPLACE IT. I LOVE THIS TYPE OF HERBERT DRILL WITH THE ROTARY OPERATING SWITCH JUST HANGING VERTICALLY FROM THE MOTORS. THIS MEANT THAT ONE COULD STOP THE ROTATION OF THE SPINDLE INSTANTANEOUSLY BY SWITCHING TO REVERSE.