The Lathe16

The Lathe

The lathe is not usually a machine that makes people feel creative at first sight. It seems like a piece of industrial machinery that belongs in a factory or warehouse not a woodworking shop. That isn't the case however because a lathe can serve many different purposes including metalworking, woodworking, and even working with glass and plastic. There are three main types of lathes that are used most often and this article is going to cover them.

The first type of lathe and the oldest is the wood lathe. They are actually the base models for all other types of lathes. The lathe accommodates the correct positioning for all the necessary wood shaping tools through the use of a horizontal metal rail. These tools are usually hand held so the wood lathe allows you to shape the wood hands free. This hands free function also allows you to run sandpaper along the surface of your creation just as you would if you weren't using the machinery. Other types of lathes used for wood can be used for the making of plates and bowls and they do not have a metal rail and is instead held by a metal faceplate.

The metal lathe is a much more complicated form of lathes. A piece of metal is placed within the machine and is shaped with a hardened cutting tool that is fixed to a moveable mounting plate. This plate is called a tool post, and it moves against the metal with hand wheels. Roughing and finishing cuts are produced when the piece is turned. When the piece of metal is being carved into the desired shape it may become too warm, even hot. If this happens when using it you can use cutting fluid in order to cool it down. The metal variety is commonly used in the work force and hobby shops. The mini lathe is another type of the lathe that is used in hobby shops.

The smallest lathes, which is used mainly for hobbyists, inventors and experimenters, is the mini lathe. The lathe is very inexpensive making it a popular choice for those wanting to create rather than mass produce! It can be used to shape small precision parts made of wood, metal or plastic. They resemble a metal lathe in a lot of ways and also function similar to them. This lathe is a great creative tool alongside the wood and metal varieties.