| Lathe turning is a process in which a block of raw | | | | Metalworking lathes |
| material is cut, knurled and deformed into an object. | | | | While wood cutting lathes are used to shape wood |
| Lathes are used in metal working, glass working and | | | | pieces into usable products (finished or semi finished), |
| wood turning etc. Lathe turning creates an object | | | | metalworking ones are used for shaping metal pieces |
| which has symmetry about an axis of rotation. It is | | | | into desired objects of a variety of shapes. Hardened |
| also used to make pottery. The best and well known | | | | tools are used to shape metal as it is much harder |
| object made by lathe turning is potter's wheel. | | | | and difficult to cut, shape and mould. These hardened |
| Objects that can be formed on a lathe are | | | | tools are attached to a solid mounting, which is |
| candlestick holders, table legs, bowls, baseball bats, | | | | movable; this is then rubbed against the piece one is |
| musical instruments and many more. | | | | working on to give its shape. Tools come in variety |
| Lathe machines are available in various categories of | | | | of shapes like diamond, round, square and triangular. |
| which the most commonly used are as under: | | | | Some lathes are also worked under computerized |
| Woodworking lathes | | | | machines in order to do mass production. Manual |
| Woodworking lathe is a very unique tool to produce | | | | metalworking lathes are used for finer pieces with |
| wooden objects as in woodworking lathe the piece | | | | more work and individual needs. |
| of wood spins instead of the tools. These lathes are | | | | Glass working lathes |
| found in a variety of shapes and sizes but the most | | | | Glass working lathes are quite the same in their |
| commonly used are either small table top lathes or | | | | design but different in the way they work. They |
| very large free standing lathes that are fastened to | | | | rotate the piece slowly while working on it and the |
| the floor. There are two types of woodworking | | | | temperature also has to be controlled by having a |
| lathes available. | | | | continuous flame under the piece. Flame is needed to |
| Spindle turning: it is often used to create elongated | | | | soften the glass while it is being worked on. The |
| objects such as table legs. To start the process of | | | | glass piece is held firmly from both sides and rotated |
| converting a piece of wood into a finished object the | | | | simultaneously; then once shaped is cooled or |
| raw material is fixed from both the ends. The first | | | | perform glass blowing by blowing air into it. |
| side is attached at the headstock of the lathe where | | | | In a diamond turner a computer controlled machine is |
| rotating spindle is attached and the second side is | | | | used but it has a diamond tip as only a diamond can |
| attached to the tail stock. The rotating spindle is then | | | | cut another diamond to be able to shape it. |
| turned on with a motor or foot pedal which starts | | | | Initially the varieties were very few but with the help |
| the rotation. | | | | of latest technologies you have been given a wide |
| Faceplate turning: This type of lathes are used to | | | | range of such as: cue lathes, metal spinning lathes, |
| produce objects like wooden bowls etc. In such | | | | ornamental turning lathes, reducing lathes, rotary |
| lathes the raw material i.e. the piece of wood is | | | | lathes and watchmaker's lathes. These varieties help |
| attached to one faceplate and then it is further fixed | | | | us to produce different kinds of products easily and |
| to the spindle of the headstock of the woodworking | | | | do not even consume much time. |
| lathe. | | | | |