Purposes Of Lathes12

Purposes of Lathes

Lathes are machines used for shaping wood, metal, glass, and other materials. The machine takes a block of material and while turning it rapidly, uses an abrading or cutting tool to shape it symmetrically. The lathe can perform sanding, knurling, cutting and drilling. The lathe is used in many different applications. Perhaps the most well know application, yet one not typically called a lathe, is the potter's wheel. A metalworking lathe can produce screw threads, camshafts, and crank shafts. The ornamental lathe creates three-dimension works of art such as the decorative stairway spindle or table legs. Other examples are cue sticks and baseball bats.

The wood lathe is the oldest form of the lathe. All other lathes are designed around the same basic principles as the wood lathe. The wood lathe has an adjustable rail that positions the shaping tools, which the operator holds in his hand. After the wood has been shaped, the operator then holds and presses sandpaper against the spinning object in order to smooth the surface. There are also wood lathes made specifically for making bowls and plates. This lathe does not have the adjustable rail and does not restrict the width of the item being turned. Lathe accessories made for decorative work are available both online and in any store that sells lathes for hobby or woodworking purposes.


Metalworking lathes work the same as a wood lathe except that they use a hardened cutting tool in order to cut the metal into the desired shape. Also, instead of being handheld, the cutting tool is fixed onto a mounting on the metal lathe. That mounting can be controlled by hand or by a computer. When cutting items such as threads and worm gears, the computer allows for accurate tolerancing. Lubrication and cooling are provided to the cutting site by cutting oil. Centers, points, or chucks are used to hold the material being cut and keep it from shifting.

Lathes have many purposes and uses. Because of this, there are several types of lathe. The ones most commonly recognized are the bench lathe, the cnc lathe and the reducing lathe. Other ones include the glass working lathe, the metal spinning lathe and the jeweler's lathe. When other machines, like the milling machine or the drill press, are combined with the lathe, it is called the combination lathe.