are treadle shafts symetrical?

I have an 8x12 C&P NS with Treadle that the flywheel has broken off. Can the shaft be removed and replaced so the gear side then becomes the flywhell side? There are no pullys on the gear side and the flywheel stub will accomodate the drive gear.
Everything I can see without removing the shaft make me think this will work. But I don’t know if there is something I can’t see that would keep this from working.

Thanks
Paulm

Log in to reply   5 replies so far

Great idea,you would need a grove cut for the pinion key

Maybe. At the stage where the shaft is broken you have little to lose by trying. Though I’d probably try repairing the shaft first. A good machine shop can weld it back together and turn it down to the proper diameter. May have to turn the broken ends to a smaller diameter and then built it back up with new metal.

flipping end for end might depend on how much shaft you have left outside of the pinion gear. It often gets cut down. The shaft extends further out from the body on the flywheel side to get around the throwoff lever. Likely you’ll need to recut both ends for keyways for the pinion gear and flywheel keys.

Intriguing question. I am looking at a shaft for an OS C&P. It looks very much like they are the same on each end. Mine even has a groove for the pin on each end. One end is shorter where it was cut off to remove the drive pulley on the right side. Arie is right, if you have enough left on each end, it should work.

We were able to do it on our OS 8x12 without a problem.

John

Thank you all for helping to confirm my thoughts.