Crazy as a Turntable

Most recent answer: 10/22/2007

Q:
I din’t see anything that exactly answered my question. My friend and I are arguing about my microwave oven and the fact that the turntable reverses. He says a motor cannot reverse so my turntable cannot reverse. When I tried to show him that it does - of course, it didn’t. Please tell me I’m not crazy. It’s o.k. if you want to say he is though. Thanks.
- Virginia (age 56)
Palm Coast, FL
A:
Virginia- We actually have no way of knowing whether or not you’re crazy, so as scientists we shouldn’t express an opinion. On the turntable question, some types of electric motors can indeed reverse. Many years ago there was an inexpensive audio turntable manufactured by Acoustic Research which was a great buy except for its awkward habit of sometimes running backward. Spinning it the correct way before turning it on cured the problem.

The turntable in my microwave also goes either way, probably on purpose.

Mike W.

My dad has an old lathe which turns either way, and it needs a little push to get started (to "break the symmetry" and pick one way or the other).

Tom

(published on 10/22/2007)