The Lathe8

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 another very well known type of lathes in the lathe group. Metal is removed from an object through a cutting tool that is fixed on a moveable mounting called a tool post. The hardened tool moves against the metal within the metal lathe using something called a hand wheel. The tool post is powered to produce the finishing cuts and roughing cuts. This is the process responsible for turning the metal in order to shape it correctly. If the metal machine becomes to hot you can add cutting fluid in order to cool it down. The functions of it are much more in depth than the wood lathe, and the mini lathe, which is the last this article will discuss.

If you are looking for something a bit smaller and less industrial the mini lathe is probably the lathe for you. They are quite inexpensive only costing three hundred to five hundred dollars. They are best suited for hobbyists, model makers and inventors since they are small enough to fit in your home. They are essentially a miniature model of a metal lathe in design and function. The mini can shape anything that larger lathes can shape including metal, wood and plastic. Just like its larger counterparts this lathe is a great way to make many different creations no matter what the artist's passion.