I think you are correct. Set it up with the tool in back, upside down and rotate the spindle so the work moves into the sharp edge. Maybe the feed direction has to be switched and not the spindle. It might also help for CCW threading.
I thin kit also effects which way the crossslide is pushed awayfrom the work.
As I recall the backlash has to be taken out opposite to the normal way as you deepen the cut.
Bill D
Now you've grokked it. RH thread, LH thread, and
internal as well as external threading.
Most useful if one is able to mount the rear tool (OR the front one..) to cut in either direction you might need it to do.
It isn't just threading away from a shoulder. Those, one can usually SEE.
The most important use for most of us was internal threading of blind bores. It is waay nicer to be able to position the tool while power is off, engage rotation and turn UP and OUT of a blind, flat-bottom hole.. than to have to hold the pucker-factor of trying to stop accurately as you run DOWN INTO it.
No need of yet-another "cursade" about 'ELSR" or similar handy rapid stop / rapid disengage. Yes, those can be nice-to-have. If yah got 'em.
Sanity check? Only a very small percentage of the world's hard-working lathes the last 200 - plus years ever HAD any such feature. So we
don't got 'em.
Machinists by the brazillions just took "ordinary" lathes - front TP or rear- and threaded AWAY from the barrier/feature.
BFD
So we didn't really need the help of ..what we didn't even have!
Ordinary FRONT TP can be arranged to cut in reverse just as easily as a rear-mount.
I did say "BFD"?