I want to cut an external 5/8" left hand thread.
My lathe is a converted manual machine, which means that it was designed to have downward pressure on the toolpost situated on the operators side of the Z axis.
I don't see cutting from left to right as a possibility because the tool needs some distance to accelerate before reaching constant threading feed.
To cut from right to left the spindle needs to turn clockwise, (opposite normal), and the cutter needs to be upside down, or mounted behind the spindle, (Z axis). Neither of those options put down pressure on the front end of the carriage. But does it matter.
What is the best way to do this operation?
Ozzie